Mathew Smethurst-Evans

Executive Director

Mathew is Theatreplan's Executive Director UK

Mathew Smethurst-Evans Barbican Theatre
Mathew Smethurst-Evans

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 in the UK and Europe, including the newly opened 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. He is currently the supervising Director for the refurbishments of two historic, listed theatres in Scotland, Citizens Theatre in Glasgow and King's Theatre in Edinburgh, and is leading Theatreplan's work on refurbishment projects at Yeovil Octogan and Worcester Scala Theatre.

In addition to his project leadership skills, Mathew’s world class experience as a practising sound designer 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.

Current Position
Executive Director

Joined Theatreplan
2007

Qualifications
BA Central School of Speech and Drama

Professional Associations
ASD, IoTC, ABTT Trustee

Relevant Projects

Kings Theatre Edinburgh
King's Theatre, Edinburgh
View Project
Glasgow-Citizens
Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
View Project
Exterior Dublin Institute of Technology
Technological University Dublin
View Project
Adelphi Theatre Salford University
Adelphi Theatre, University of Salford
View Project
Tara-Theatre
Tara Theatre
View Project
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney
Sydney Opera House
View Project
Belfast-Lyric-Theatre
Lyric Theatre, Belfast
View Project
Sheffield Crucible Theatre
Crucible Theatre
View Project
London Hampstead Theatre
Hampstead Theatre
View Project

About Us

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

Our Team

All
Directors
Consultants
Architects/Technical
Operations
Associates
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Michael Atkinson
Michael Atkinson
Executive Director
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Dave Ludlam
Dave Ludlam
Executive Director
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Mathew Smethurst-Evans
Mathew Smethurst-Evans
Executive Director
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Matt Kingslake
Matt Kingslake
Consultant
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Chris Needle
Chris Needle
Consultant and BIM Manager
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Chris Pye
Chris Pye
Senior Associate
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John Whitaker
John Whitaker
Founder Consultant
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Roger Fox
Roger Fox
Founder Consultant
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Kit Lerman
Kit Lerman
Consultant and Head of Audio, Video, Broadcast
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Jibril Muhammad
Jibril Muhammad
Junior Consultant
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Bosco Tan
Bosco Tan
Senior Associate
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Peter Crockett
Peter Crockett
Stage Engineer
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Lara Kerrison
Lara Kerrison
Architect and Theatre Planner
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Barry Pritchard
Barry Pritchard
Senior Associate
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Paolo Ribichescu
Paolo Ribichesu
BIM Architect
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Andrea Sinigaglia
Andrea Sinigaglia
BIM Architect
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Anniek Wassser
Anniek Wasser
Senior Associate
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Amy Hickson
Amy Hickson
Practice Manager
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Helen Walker
Helen Walker MBE
Director of Operations

Our Partnerships

Theatreplan is proud to support the following sector organisations

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Theatres Trust 2023
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