Matthew Xia and Benji Reid join Royal Exchange Theatre

Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre has announced the appointment of director Matthew Xia as their new Associate Artistic Director.

Matthew will join the Exchange in September, working with Artistic Director Sarah Frankcom to take the company forward.

Last year Matthew was the recipient of the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme bursary and took up the post as Director in Residence at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatres where he directed the premiere of Daniel Matthew’s Scrappers.

In 2013 he also won the Young Vic’s Genesis Future Director award with his production of Sizwe Banzi Is Dead.

The Royal Exchange has also appointed Benji Reid as an Associate Artist. Benji has worked widely with companies and artists such as the David Glass Ensemble, Trestle Theatre, Theatr Clwyd and Black Mime Theatre. He recently directed Hoax My Lonely Heart.

He joins two other recently-appointed Associate Artists – actress Maxine Peake and writer and performer Chris Thorpe.