I’m an award-winning theatre director working across new writing, contemporary plays and adaptations.

Most recently, I directed the world premiere of Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky, adapted by Simon Reade from Patrick Hamilton’s novels and produced by Troupe Theatre at Southwark Playhouse. WhatsOnStage praised “Matthew Iliffe’s captivating staging, endlessly atmospheric”, with “dark vitality and absolute mastery of the space”. The Stage wrote that the production “oozes pungent atmosphere… deftly directed by Matthew Iliffe”. Plays International ★★★★ called it “a fine distillation brought vividly to life… a beautifully fluid production that is simultaneously naturalistic and dreamlike”, while Spy in the Stalls ★★★★ praised the '“meticulous direction… gorgeously fluid”.

Earlier this year, I directed the world premiere of Louis Emmitt-Stern’s Tony Craze Award-winning play Slippery at the Omnibus Theatre. Everything Theatre called the direction “elevated and masterful” ★★★★★, while The Stage praised the “keen ear for the rhythms of the pair’s emotional and linguistic thrust and parry”, calling the production “intelligently and stylishly executed”.

Recent work also includes Associate Director to Charlie Parham on Starter for Ten at Bristol Old Vic and Birmingham Rep, and directing Ellie Keel’s debut play SKYE: A Thriller at Summerhall. Reviews praised the production’s “taut” tension (★★★★ WhatsOnStage), “deft” direction (★★★★ The Stage) and “well-judged direction” (★★★★ BroadwayBaby).

I also directed the first foreign-language production of Sophie Swithinbank’s Bacon in Seoul, having directed its world premiere at the Finborough Theatre in 2022. The production later played Summerhall, Bristol Old Vic and SoHo Playhouse, New York.

I currently work as a dramaturg on the Women’s Prize for Playwriting’s Future Light project.

‘Elegantly directed by Matthew Iliffe… shimmers with tension’

The Stage on Foam at the Finborough Theatre

Work

As director

  • TWENTY THOUSAND STREETS UNDER THE SKY ADAPTED BY SIMON READE

    Southwark Playhouse

    ★★★★★ Roviews | ★★★★ Spy in the Stalls | ★★★★ West End Best Friend | ★★★★ The Reviews Hub | ★★★★ London Pub Theatres | ★★★★ Plays International and Europe | ★★★★ The New Current | ★★★★ This is All Things | ★★★★ View from the Gods

  • SLIPPERY BY LOUIS EMMITT-STERN

    Omnibus Theatre

    ★★★★★ All That Dazzles | ★★★★★ Everything Theatre | ★★★★★ AJH Loves Theatre | ★★★★★ Theatre & Tonic | ★★★★½ The Reviews Hub | ★★★★ Theatre Weekly | ★★★★ Plays to See | ★★★★ West End Best Friend

  • Bacon by Sophie Swithinbank

    Finborough Theatre, Riverside Studios, Edinburgh Fringe and SoHo Playhouse NYC

    ★★★★★ Everything Theatre | ★★★★★ Pocket Size Theatre | ★★★★★ UK Theatre Web | ★★★★★ London Pub Theatres | ★★★★★ AJ Loves Theatre | ★★★★★ London Living Large | ★★★★★ To Do List | ★★★★★ BroadwayWorld | ★★★★ iNews | ★★★★ The Stage | ★★★★ Morning Star | ★★★★ The Reviews Hub | ★★★★ Boyz | ★★★★ West End Best Friend | ★★★★ Reviewsgate | ★★★★ StageTalk Magazine

    More

  • SKYE: A THRILLER BY ELLIE KEEL

    Summerhall, Edinburgh Fringe Festival

    ★★★★★ UK Theatre Network | ★★★★ WhatsOnStage | ★★★★ Fest Magazine | ★★★★ The Scotsman | ★★★★ Broadway Baby | ★★★★ Corr Blimey | ★★★★ Snack Mag | ★★★★ British Theatre Guide | ★★★★ MickeyJo Theatre

  • Foam by Harry McDonald

    Finborough Theatre

    ★★★★★ LondonTheatre1 | ★★★★★ London Pub Theatres | ★★★★★ Queer Guru | ★★★★★ The New Current | ★★★★★ AJ Loves Theatre | ★★★★★ West End Best Friend | ★★★★ The Stage | ★★★★ The Arts Desk | ★★★★ Everything Theatre | ★★★★ The Spy in the Stalls | ★★★★ London Living Large

    More

  • Snakes and Ladders by Louis Emmitt Stern

    Oxford School of Drama/Southwark Playhouse

  • Breeding by Barry McStay

    King’s Head Theatre

    ★★★★★ Broadway Baby | ★★★★★ MickeyJo Theatre | ★★★★ Theatre Weekly | ★★★★ All That Dazzles | ★★★★ The Reviews Hub | ★★★★ Theatre & Tonic | ★★★★ First Night Mag

    More

  • The Burnt Part Boys by Chris Miller, Nathan Tysen and Marina Elder

    Park Theatre

    ★★★★★ Jonathan Baz | ★★★★ The Stage | ★★★★ Theatre Weekly | ★★★★ LondonTheatre1 | ★★★★ West End Wilma | ★★★★ Musical Theatre Review | ★★★★ The Upcoming | ★★★★ ReviewsGate | ★★★★

    More

  • Four Play by Jake Brunger

    Above The Stag


    ★★★★★ Theatre Weekly | ★★★★ The Stage | ★★★★ BOYZ Magazine | ★★★★ THEGAYUK | ★★★★ The Queer Review | ★★★★ Everything Theatre ★★★★ London Theatre Reviews | ★★★★ Fairy Powered Productions | ★★★★ | ★★★★ QX Magazine

  • Maggie May by Alun Owen and Lionel Bart

    Finborough Theatre

    ★★★★★ ReviewsGate | ★★★★★ London Pub Theatres | ★★★★★ The Reviews Hub | ★★★★ The National Student | ★★★★ Sardines | ★★★★ The Spy in the Stalls | ★★★★ The Upcoming | ★★★★ London Theatre | ★★★★ Musical Theatre Review

  • The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess

    Finborough Theatre

    ★★★★ The Times | ★★★★ Theatre Weekly | ★★★★ West End Wilma | ★★★★ LondonTheatre1 | ★★★★ ReviewsGate

As associate or assistant director

Work

  • STARTER FOR TEN

    Directed by Charlie Parham

    Adapted from the novel by David Nicholls, book and lyrics by Emma Hall and Charlie Parham, music and lyrics by Hattie Carman and Tom Rasmussen

    Bristol Old Vic/Birmingham Rep

  • Assassins

    Directed by Polly Findlay

    Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by John Weidman

    Chichester Festival Theatre

  • ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS

    Directed by John Doyle

    Music and Lyrics by Steven Lutvak, book by Jay Dyer

    Theatre Royal Bath

  • Brass

    Directed by Hannah Chissick

    Book, music and lyrics by Benjamin Till

    National Youth Music Theatre/Hackney Empire

‘His artistry in direction and musical staging is a virtuoso exhibit’

BritishTheatre.com on The Burnt Part Boys at the Park Theatre

Biography

Selected credits include: Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky (Southwark Playhouse); Slippery (Omnibus Theatre); SKYE: A Thriller (Summerhall, Edinburgh Fringe); Foam (Finborough Theatre); Bacon (Finborough Theatre, Riverside Studios, Summerhall Edinburgh, Bristol Old Vic, SoHo Playhouse NYC and Yes24 Seoul); Four Play (Above The Stag); Maggie May (Finborough Theatre) and The Burnt Part Boys (Park Theatre).

As assistant or associate director include: Alfred Hitchcock Presents (Theatre Royal Bath, Dir. John Doyle), Assassins (Chichester Festival Theatre, Dir. Polly Findlay); Starter for Ten (Bristol Old Vic/Birmingham Rep, Dir. Charlie Parham); Brass (National Youth Music Theatre/Hackney Empire, Dir. Hannah Chissick).

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 and for Foam at the Finborough.

Training/Education:
National Theatre Directors Course
Theatre & Performance Studies BA (Hons), First Class, University of Bristol
StoneCrabs Young Directors Programme

‘The direction by Matthew Iliffe is astounding’

To Do List on Bacon at the Finborough Theatre

Contact me

For theatrical enquiries please contact Maddie O’Dwyer at Berlin Associates.

For everything else, please use the form below.