Matthew Swithinbank
Biography
Matthew ‘Lux’ Swithinbank is a lighting technician and designer based in London, UK.
As of March 2023, Matthew has been the technical manager at the Arcola Theatre in East London.
Growing up in Luxembourg Matthew took a keen interest in theatre, most notably during his time at the European School there. Whilst living in Luxembourg, Matthew designed the lighting for Jane Eyre at the Mierscher Kulturhaus and Abbaye de Neumunster, and The Devil His Due at FEATS 2011 in Geneva. In 2018, Matthew returned to Luxembourg to design a production of Picnic At Hanging Rock at the Abbaye Neumunster.
During his time studying at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts — from which he graduated with a Ba(Hons) in Technical Theatre in 2013 — Matthew started designing lights for fringe shows, including Palimpsest One at Upstairs at the Gatehouse in Highgate, and Dead Funny at The Old Red Lion in Islington. Since completing his degree, Matthew has worked on a multitude of productions, from plays to musicals, and even one national corporate event tour.
Although theatre lighting is his passion, Matthew also works regularly as a technician on live events, nightclubs and permanent installations.
In 2018, Matthew was nominated for an Off West End Award for his lighting on Brass at the Union Theatre.
Previous productions
Previous productions
Show name | Type | Venue/Company | Role | Creative Team | Opened |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broken Lad | Theatre |
Arcola Outside Arcola Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Richard Speir Set designer: Cecilia Trono |
Oct 2021 |
The D-Word | Theatre |
Pit, The Vaults Heretic Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Max Gill |
Feb 2019 |
Can-Can! | Musical |
The Union Theatre The Union Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Phil Willmott Set designer: Justin Williams & Jonny Rust |
Feb 2019 |
Plaid Tidings | Theatre |
The Bridge House SE20 The Bridge House |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Guy Retallack |
Nov 2018 |
The Secret Marriage | Opera |
Jackon's Lane Theatre Hampstead Garden Opera |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Sinéad O’Neill Set designer: Rufus Martin |
Nov 2018 |
Brass | Musical |
The Union Theatre The Union Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Sasha Regan |
Oct 2018 |
Picnic at Hanging Rock | Theatre |
Abbaye Neimënster Berliner Grund Theater |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Tony Kingston Set designer: Karl Pierce |
Apr 2018 |
Corpus Christi | Theatre |
Arcola Theatre Arcola Queer Collective |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Nick Connaughton |
Mar 2018 |
Hot Lips and Cold War | Musical |
London Theatre workshop Ray Rackham Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Tim McArthur |
Jan 2018 |
Heretic Voices | Theatre |
Arcola Theatre Heretic Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Roy Alexander Weise , Director: Jessica Edwards , Director: Max Gill Set designer: Laura Ann Price |
Jan 2018 |
Callisto: A Queer Epic | Theatre |
Arcola Theatre Forward Arena |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Thomas Bailey |
Oct 2016, Dec 2017 |
Kings | Theatre |
New Diorama Theatre Smoke and Oakum |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Oli Forsyth Set designer: Erin Green |
Oct 2017 |
Callisto: A Queer Epic | Theatre |
Arcola Theatre Forward Arena |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Thomas Bailey |
Oct 2016, Dec 2017 |
Clickbait | Theatre |
Theatre503 DEM Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Holly Race-Roughan Set designer: Frankie Bradshaw |
Jan 2016 |
- UK London
- UK Provinces
- Western Europe & Scandinavia
News
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