Photograph from Corpus Christi - lighting design by Matthew Swithinbank
Photographer: Ali Wright | From the show Corpus Christi
Photograph from Kings - lighting design by Matthew Swithinbank
Photographer: David Monteith-Hodge | From the show Kings
Photograph from Callisto: A Queer Epic - lighting design by Matthew Swithinbank
Photographer: Lidia Crisafulli | From the show Callisto: A Queer Epic
Photograph from Picnic at Hanging Rock - lighting design by Matthew Swithinbank
The girls lost on the rock. | Photographer: Alfonso Salguiero | From the show Picnic at Hanging Rock
Photograph from Brass - lighting design by Matthew Swithinbank
Off to war. | Photographer: Mark Senior | From the show Brass
Matthew Swithinbank's picture

Matthew Swithinbank

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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
Location availability:
  • UK London
  • UK Provinces
  • Western Europe & Scandinavia

News

Appearing here soon... a collection of articles from the Focus magazine archives.

Press quotes

The D-Word

That the show continually transports its audience so eloquently to such a wide range of scenes, despite its simple setup, is testament to director Max Gill as well as Matthew Swithinbank’s fabulously atmospheric lighting.
Aidan Bracebridge, A Younger Theatre 18/02/2019

Brass

However it’s the lighting design of Matthew Swithinbank that brings the set to it’s fullest life. The battle scenes are a master of light and movement creating chilling shadows. The most poignant of scenes are sympathetically lit adding depth to the moments.
Jennifer Christie, BritishTheatre.com 08/11/2018

Callisto: A Queer Epic

“Matthew Swithinbank’s lighting is very well placed within the piece; it is atmospheric and manages to be wonderfully understated at times, but is also able to punctuate other moments within the piece that are quite powerful.”
Amie Spudge Taylor, LGBTQ Arts 14/12/2017

Kings

“…the use of lighting is brilliant, particularly for showing the passage of time and delineating between sequences”
Cassandra Griffin, London Theatre 1 06/10/2017