Matthew Xia

Background

About Matthew Xia

Award winning director Matthew Xia has had a rather eclectic career revolving in and around the entertainment sector. He is mainly known as a director and a DJ (but also a broadcaster, a composer, a sound designer and a journalist). Ultimately Matthew is a storyteller working with live and recorded visual and aural media. He has directed some of the UK's most talented actors, including: Daniel Kaluuya, Cynthia Erivo, Maxine Peake, David Haig, Matt Henry, Karl Collins, Gillian Bevan, Luke Norris, Martina Laird, Anthony Welsh, Alex Gaumond, Christopher Calquhoun, David Moorst, Natasha J Barnes, Yolanda Kettle, Ryan Gage, Erin Doherty, Joseph Quinn, Shane Zaza, and Adjoa Andoh. Matthew has worked with some exceptional writers as a director and a dramaturg, including: Joe Penhall, Arinze Kene, April D'Angelis, Katherine Soper, David Levi Addai, Yasmin Joseph, and Nessah Murty. He is a respected panellist for the Evening Standard Future Fund, the Yale Drama Series, the Alfred Fagon Award, the Hodgkiss Award & the Bruntwood Prize. In 2020 he directed his first short film “Reconnect” for the BBC Culture in Quarantine Season. His DJ work includes presenting an award-winning hip-hop show BBC 1Xtra (from the ages of 18 - 24), DJing across Europe and the UK at festivals (Glastonbury / Big Chill etc.) and clubs (Ministry of Sound / Fabric / Herbal / Subterania / Elbow Rooms / Rock City etc). In 2012 Matthew was a headline DJ for a live audience of people - including the Royal Family, two Prime Ministers, and his own mother, at the Paralympics Opening Ceremony. His theatrical work saw him appear in Armando Iiannuchi's directorial debut as a 16 year-old actor, become Associate Director of the Theatre Royal Stratford East, Resident Director at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Associate Artistic Director at the Manchester Royal Exchange and now Artistic Director at the Actor’s Touring Company. Whilst in Manchester, Matthew secured over £360k to devise and lead the Open Exchange; an artist development network for over 400 local artists. This fundamentally changed the relationship artists had with the Royal Exchange Theare.(Matthew also has a huge interest in illusion and magic and worked with Dynamo - as a performer, and a consultant alongside, Luke Jermay, and Angelo Carbone - and Paul Kieve on a number of projects as well a hosting small 'magical' events). For a full list of shows including; Da Boyz, Into The Woods, Sizwe Banzi is Dead, Blue/Orange, Frankenstein, One Night In Miami, Amsterdam and more - check: