I’m an award-winning theatre director.
In 2024 I directed the world premiere of Foam by Harry McDonald, at the Finborough Theatre and I was recently a finalist for the RTST Sir Peter Hall Award.
My production of Sophie Swithinbank’s Bacon premiered at the Finborough Theatre in 2022 to critical acclaim, winning three Off-West End Awards, including Best Director. The production has since played at Riverside Studios, Summerhall for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Bristol Old Vic and ran Off-Broadway at SoHo Playhouse, NYC in January 2024.
‘Elegantly directed by Matthew Iliffe… shimmers with tension’
The Stage on Foam
Work
As director
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Bacon by Sophie Swithinbank
Finborough Theatre, Riverside Studios, Edinburgh Fringe and SoHo Playhouse NYC
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Foam by Harry McDonald
Finborough Theatre
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Snakes and Ladders by Louis Emmitt Stern
Oxford School of Drama/Southwark Playhouse
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Breeding by Barry McStay
King’s Head Theatre
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The Burnt Part Boys by Chris Miller, Nathan Tysen and Marina Elder
Park Theatre
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Four Play by Jake Brunger
Above The Stag
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Maggie May by Alun Owen and Lionel Bart
Finborough Theatre
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The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess
Finborough Theatre
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Nell Gwynn by Jessica Swale
Arts Educational Schools
As assistant director
Work
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Musik by Jonathan Harvey and The Pet Shop Boys Dir. Josh Seymour
As Associate
Leicester Square Theatre -
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Brass by Benjamin Till Dir. Hannah Chissick
National Youth Music Theatre/Hackney Empire
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BLACK SUPERHERO BY DANNY LEE WYNTER DIR. DANIEL EVANS
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, The Royal Court
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Assassins by STEPHEN SONDHEIM AND JOHN WEIDMAN DIR. POLLY FINDLAY
Chichester Festival Theatre
‘His artistry in direction and musical staging is a virtuoso exhibit’
BritishTheatre.com on The Burnt Part Boys
Biography
Theatre as director includes: Snakes & Ladders (The Large, Southwark Playhouse); Nell Gwynn (Arts Ed); Foam (Finborough Theatre); Foam (Finborough Theatre); Breeding (King’s Head Theatre); Bacon (Finborough Theatre, Riverside Studios, Summerhall Edinburgh and Bristol Old Vic); Four Play (Above The Stag); The Niceties (Finborough Theatre); Maggie May (Finborough Theatre) and The Burnt Part Boys (Park Theatre).
As assistant director: Assassins (Chichester Festival Theatre, Dir. Polly Findlay); BLACK SUPERHERO (Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal Court, Dir. Daniel Evans), Brass (National Youth Music Theatre/Hackney Empire, Dir. Hannah Chissick), Musik (Leicester Square Theatre, Dir. Josh Seymour).
Awards include: Best Director of a Play at the Off West End Awards; Best Production at the Standing Ovation Awards for Bacon at the Finborough; Best Production at the Standing Ovation Awards for Foam at the Finborough.
Training/Education:
National Theatre Directors Course 2023
Theatre & Performance Studies BA (Hons), First Class, University of Bristol 2015 - 2018
StoneCrabs Young Directors Programme 2014
‘The direction by Matthew Iliffe is astounding’
To Do List on Bacon
Contact me
For theatrical enquiries please contact Maddie O’Dwyer at Berlin Associates.
For everything else, please use the form below.