Mathew Smethurst-Evans

Executive Director

Mathew is Theatreplan's Executive Director UK

Mathew is a highly experienced project leader, and specialist consultant in charge of the design and implementation of sound, audio-visual, and video and communications systems. He is currently heading up the delivery of several Theatreplan projects in the UK and Ireland.

After graduating from Central School of Speech and Drama in 1998, Mathew became a sound engineer at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club, before moving onto the National Theatre where he was Senior Sound Technician and worked as a Sound and Associate Sound Designer on a wide range of productions. He joined Theatreplan in 2007 as the company’s specialist sound and communications consultant, bringing his extensive practical experience in both sound and stage management systems. Mathew became a Partner at Theatreplan in 2012 and Executive Director in 2017.

Mathew manages the Theatreplan team in delivering major projects, including currently at Worcester Scala Theatre, National Centre for Music in Edinburgh, and the refurbishments of two historic, listed theatres in Scotland, Citizens Theatre in Glasgow and King's Theatre in Edinburgh

He led the team on delivery of the Conservatoire at Technological University Dublin where Theatreplan’s work focused on the principle performing arts spaces (Performance Hall, Recital Hall, Black Box Theatre, TV Studio) and ancillary spaces. Other past projects include the delivery of a new Arts Building for University of Salford and the renewal project at Tara Theatre for Tara Arts.

In addition to his project leadership skills, Mathew’s world class experience as a practising sound designer and technician has been central to ensuring Theatreplan delivers sound and communications designs that will meet the current and future demands of operators, directors, designers, musicians, technicians and audiences. Manor technical upgrade projects he is currently contributing to include the complex renewal project at Esplanade Theatres on the Bay in Singapore.

Current Position
Executive Director

Joined Theatreplan
2007

Qualifications
BA Central School of Speech and Drama

Professional Associations
ASD, IoTC, ABTT Trustee

Relevant Projects

King's Theatre, Edinburgh

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Citizens Theatre, Glasgow

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Technological University Dublin

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Adelphi Theatre, University of Salford

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Tara Theatre

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Sydney Opera House

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Lyric Theatre, Belfast

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Crucible Theatre

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Hampstead Theatre

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Performance is everything

Grand Hall Battersea Arts Centre

Shaw Auditorium

Trafalgar Theatre

Sydney Opera House

Tara Theatre

Australian Chamber Orchestra

Pitlochry Festival Theatre

About Us

What We Do

Our Team

Our Partnerships

Theatreplan is a specialist technical design consultancy, helping to create amazing spaces for performance, around the world.

What We Do

What We Do
We provide the complete range of venue and auditorium planning, and technical design services, including lighting, sound, stage engineering,
AV, digital and communications. We cover all stages of a project, from feasibility and concept design, right through to construction and opening night.

We help design new spaces for performance, wherever live or digital content is shown and created, from concert halls and school theatres, to cinemas and motion capture studios. We also help refurbish historic theatres, and work with some of the world’s largest and most complex performance venues to upgrade their technical facilities.

Our Approach
Your vision, for your performance space, provides the focus for our work. We will closely collaborate with you, and other specialists when working as part of a design team, so we understand what you really need from your space. We will be honest with you about what we think is achievable and the best ways to go about delivering your vision. We will suggest new ideas that may not have been considered before and discuss these ideas with you to ensure they meet your requirements.

Why Choose Theatreplan?
For over 35 years we have designed award winning performing arts venues, and re-imagined existing spaces, for clients around the world. Our specialist venue planners and auditorium designers help create beautiful, bespoke performance spaces, while our stage engineers, lighting, sound, AV and communications consultants, can provide cutting edge technical infrastructure design, having gained their knowledge and expertise through years of experience working in theatres.

We understand practitioners, and what creatives, directors, performers, and technicians need to make their performances thrill, excite and move audiences, with dynamic, flexible spaces that cater for the many and varied requirements for performance today.

We know what audiences want from a venue and how to make that a reality

We always factor in the needs of operators to ensure venues are sustainable for the future.

And we prioritise environmental sustainability throughout every stage of a project, to bring innovative solutions that support sustainable development.

We have an absolute commitment to ensuring client satisfaction and an engaging, fun, and genuinely collaborative approach to the creative process.

We can’t wait to hear about your project. Call us on +44 (0) 20 7841 0440 or get in touch via email: info@theatreplan.com

I'm delighted that we will be drawing on the expertise of Theatreplan to enable us to deliver our vision for a redeveloped Citizens Theatre

Dominic Hill

Artistic Director, Citizens Theatre

Your efforts bring us such joy as we work in the theatre — the space is much more than I imagined

Jatinder Verma

Artistic Director, Tara Arts

Operaen Copenhagen...is truly a magnificent performing arts building and its intricate but highly functional design is a great testament to your expertise. They are so lucky to have such well-planned and generous technical and plant spaces

Richard Stuart

Former Technical Director, Sydney Opera House

The Belfast Lyric is the finest new theatre in the world

Simon Callow

Actor

Theatreplan have been an integral part of the project team, providing upfront strategic advice and concepts, design and support through the delivery and commissioning phases, clear and insightful advice, high quality design solutions, and collaborative support. I have no hesitation in recommending Theatreplan for other projects, particularly where there is a need to manage complexity and achieve a high-quality outcome.

Ian Cashen

Executive Director, Building, Safety & Security Sydney Opera House