2022

Sharjah Performing Arts Academy

Set in the near future, where an ecological disaster is unfolding, nine different individuals sign up for a live-streamed game show that will ultimately change their lives forever. Competing in bizarre games, they embark on a journey that forces them to face their true selves… Who wins, who loses and who survives?

Director Matt Ball

Designer: Hannah Sibai

Lighting: Murttaja Alhumaidi

Video: Dina AbdelMigeed

Sound: Moataz

Devised by The company.

2017

Bath Spa University

By Georg Büchner
Translated by John MacKendrick
Directed by Matt Ball

Mistreated by the army, abused by doctors and cheated on by your lover, how would you react? Driven mad by love, living off peas, and rushing through life trying to scrape enough together to support a child, Woyzeck is a tragedy of poverty.

Written in 1836, Woyzeck is considered the first modern drama, putting an ordinary person at the centre of the drama. An ordinary soldier, caught in the poverty trap, trying to do their best, but unable to find a way out.

Director Matt Ball

Set Designer Cassandra Tuan

Costume Designer Chris Coe

LX Designer Kam Wing Tsui

Sound Designer Polly Lane

AV Designer Tom Lynch

2015

Bath Spa University

By Leo Tolstoy

Adapted by Helen Edmundson

Russia 1877. Anna Karenina, a married woman falls passionately in love with the devastatingly handsome Count Vronsky. She deserts her husband and child to live with her lover. But as society shuns her, fear and suspicion of Vronsky’s love and fidelity grow.

As Anna’s world disintegrates, Helen Edmundson’s adaptation interweaves her story with that of Levin, the fervent idealist, and his stormy relationship with the beautiful young Kitty - a story of hope set against that of Anna’s despair.

Director: Matt Ball

Set Designer: Alice Johnson

Costume Designer: Paige Earley

Lighting Designer: Kieran Duke

Sound Designer: Matt Armstrong

Produced by Bath Spa Live in Association with OnSet Productions

2015

Burdell's Yard, Bath

Lorca’s Blood Wedding is a classic of twentieth-century theatre. Inspired by a true story, it’s a haunting tale of forbidden love & blood feuds. In a small rural community, where everyone knows your business, and reputation is all, a bride runs away with her true love on her wedding day. The couple are chased by the bridegroom and the woodcutters with tragic results - all overseen by the moon and death.

Director: Matt Ball

Set & Costume design: Tayla Todd

Associate Designer: Keeley McDowell

Lighting designer: Kieran Duke

Sound Designer: Joshua Williams

AV designer: Melody Lewis

Produced by Bath Spa Live in Association with OnSet Productions

"This is a stunning version of a classic piece of Spanish theatre [...] it is an experience not to be missed."

Theatrebath.co.uk

2014/ 15

Chapter Arts Centre, Bristol Old Vic, Alma Alta Festival (Sofia)

Ever been to a wedding where the best man’s speech went too far? A funeral where the eulogy told the truth, the whole truth or anything but the truth? Did you ever reply on twitter and regret it immediately. We've been collecting stories, writing eulogies, making speeches and not apologising. We've been getting competitive, drinking milk and dancing to Kelis. Join us for an evening of home truths, toasts, confessions & explosions. Dress code: Inappropriate.

Bottled by Matt Ball, Justin Cliffe & Tracy Harris

Performed by Justin Cliffe & Tracy Harris

Directed by Matt Ball

Developed through WalesLab, National Theatre Wales artist development initiative, with support from Aberystwyth Arts Centre and Chapter Arts Centre.

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Ydych chi erioed wedi bod i briodas a chlywed araith gan y gwas priodas a aeth yn rhy bell?

Angladd lle roedd pob teyrnged yn cynnwys y gwir, yr holl wir a dim ond y gwir? Ydych chi erioed wedi ymateb ar Twitter a difaru gwneud ar unwaith?

Bu Matt Ball, Justin Cliffe a Tracy Harris wrthi’n casglu straeon, yn ysgrifennu teyrngedau ac yn gwneud areithiau heb ymddiheuro. Maen nhw wedi bod yn cystadlu, yn yfed llaeth ac yn dawnsio i Kelis. Ymunwch â nhw am noson o wirioneddau, llwnc-destunau, cyffesion a ffrwydradau. Cod gwisg: amhriodol!

Bottled gan Matt Ball, Justin Cliffe & Tracy Harris

Perfformiad gan Justin Cliffe & Tracy Harris.

Cyfarwyddo gan Matt Ball

Gyda chefnogaeth Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru Wedi’i ddatblygu drwy WalesLab, menter datblygu artistiaid National Theatre Wales, gyda chefnogaeth gan Ganolfan Gelfyddydau Aberystwyth a Chapter.

2014

Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff & Tour

Saturday night in a small Welsh town. Testosterone, booze and drug-fuelled messiness. Standard.

The lives of a school bully turned territorial hard man, a geek yearning to escape and a would-be karaoke king play out in a tale of lust, violence, revenge and the quest for the perfect girl.

A razor-sharp portrait of masculinity in crisis, Crazy Gary’s Mobile Disco is by turns desolate and lifeaffirming, heart-breaking and hilarious, everyday and remarkable.

Director: Matt Ball

Designer: Alison Neighbour

Lighting Designer: Jane Laljee

Sound Designer: Chris Young

Producers: Michael Salmon & Iain Goosey for Waking Exploits

[...] director Matt Ball cleverly chooses to allow those actors not in the spotlight to interact with the protagonist of the moment, either verbally or physically, thus upping the ante on a visual level.

British Theatre Guide

"[...] theatre this visceral, this menacing and this real does not come around often." ****

The Good Review

"[...]thought-provoking and a rather intense" ****

WalesOnline

"It’s not one for the faint-hearted, the narrow-minded nor the easily offended, but it is one for those hard knocks out there who relish Welsh drama."

Young Critics

2013/ 2014

Parc & Dare, Treorchy, 2013

The Angel Hotel, Cardiff, 2014

Directing short plays in this one day festival of new welsh writing.

2013

BBC Cymru Wales - Roath Lock Studios

Development workshops and rehearsed readings of the two runners up to the inaugural Wales Drama Award '12 -

I Tell Big Fat Lies for You by Ralph Bolland

Performed by: Sean Carlsen, Lloyd Everitt, Helen Griffin, Liam Mansfield and Lisa Palfrey

Directed by: Matt Ball

Fear of Drowning by Paul Jenkins

Performed by: Tomos Eames, Harry Ferrier, Gwawr Loader and Rhodri Miles

Directed by : Matt Ball

2013/14

Sprint Festival, Camde People’s Theatre London, Volcano, Swansea

Written & Performed by Tracy Harris

Directed by Matt Ball

Tracy Harris lost at the game of life.

Tracy Harris lost many things, found a few and has stolen one too many.

It's time to ’fess up. Give back and come clean

Acclaimed playwright Tracy Harris takes to the stage for the first time in ten years to tell it as it was, with songs, a silver jumpsuit and a Casio keyboard.

Developed with support from WalesLab, a National Theatre Wales artist development initiative, and Arts Council Wales

2012 & 2013

Sherman Cymru

What happens if you group together some of the hottest talent in Welsh theatre, get them to spin a bottle, put a few mattresses on the floor and get them to stay awake all night?

20 Writers, 10 directors, up to 40 actors, a fruit bowl, lots of keys….48 hours to make 20 short pieces of theatre...

2012:

Mime by Alan Harris & Prometheus by Kit Lambert

2013:

The Angel Under The Stairs by Lotty Talbutt & Untitled by Gareth Potter

2011

The Sennedd, Cardiff

Rehearsed reading at the Sennedd of Coriolanus as part of NTW's preparations for Coriolan/us which was presented in 2012 as part of the World Shakespeare Festival..

Cast included:

Simon Armstrong, Patrick Brennan, Roger Evans, Bradley Freegard, Derek Hutchinson, Daniel Llewelyn-Williams, Richard Lynch, Nichola McAuliffe, Steffan Rhodri and David Sibley

2011

Pulse Festival, Ipswich & Camden People's Theatre

In December 2007 Roy lost his wallet. A wallet full of photos. A wallet full of memories.

A solo performance unpicking the story of two men’s selective memories, Roy’s wallet is a meditation on how we describe ourselves in images.

Made & performed by Matt Ball

"It’s a quietly complex and compelling performance. The writing and delivery is dry and understated, with offbeat humour keeping us chuckling through the ups and downs of Roy’s history. [...] It’s an uplifting, and surprising experience, which perfectly wraps up a tender and poignantly comical performance." Total Theatre

Roy's Wallet was developed at MAKE and Camden People's Theatre

2009

Pleasance, Edinburgh & Camden People's Theatre

NOMINATED FOR A TOTAL THEATRE AWARD FOR DEVISED PERFORMANCE

NOMINATED FOR A STAGE AWARD FOR BEST ENSEMBLE

Hidden away on a council estate a geneticist has grown himself a son in a jar, in the hope that he can teach it to fly.

A funny, twisted and moving story of paternal love.

Devised by the company

Director: Matt Ball

Designer: Susannah Henry

Lighting Designer: Cis O’Boyle

Sound: Claire Keating

Performers: Sébastien Lawson & Jamie Wood

"Director Matt Ball imposes his entirely new vision on this production, at once generous, elegiac and heart-stoppingly emotional [...] As a piece of theatre, Icarus 2.0 soars." The Stage

"...a visually stimulating, emotionally affective and charmingly funny curiosity of a play that pushes boundaries in the right way." The List ****

"...this is a stunningly realised production [...] Be sure to get a ticket, you will never see something like this again!" Fringe Review ****

Develped at Camden People's Theatre

2007

Camden People's Theatre

Draw an image of a human figure on a piece of paper.

Pick a font you use to present yourself professionally.

Pick a type that gives you pleasure and one you don't like seeing/using.

Think on the word woman.

Inspired by the female figure, the word woman and typography this week of research and development fuses artistic forms and perspectives. Playing with 'open space' structures this week explores boundaries between language, image and live performance.

TYPES was made by:

Alexandra Boussoulega (GR) Ben Pacey (UK) Chris Keenan (UK) Elyssa Livergant (CAN) Louise Platt (UK) Matt Ball (UK) Rania Yfantidou(GR) Sarah Coyle (UK). With contributions from Alex Bulmer (CAN) & The Other Way Works(UK)

With support from Arts Council England and Camden People's Theatre

2005

Camden People's Theatre

Point & Shoot explores the dark side of obsession. Flora’s passion is photography, but she herself may be dissolving behind the lens. The boundaries between reality, recollection and imagination become blurred while the photograph remains an artefact - impartial, unyielding and proof beyond doubt. Inspired by the Human Motion Studies of Eadweard Muybridge, Point & Shoot invites you to follow Flora as she produces her ultimate work.

Devised by the company

Performers: Clare Houlton & Dani Dani Machancoses

Lighting: Ben Pacey

Designer: Susannah Henry

Director: Matt Ball

Produced by Pleasure Seekers

Developed at Camden People's Theatre

2004

Wapping

A life raft floating in a canal. A priest practicing for a funeral service. An abandoned shopping centre. Searching for lost love in the new heart of London.

Walk with me...

Wapping:audio is a unique 40-minute site-specific digital audio walk. An intriguing mix of performance and sightseeing the audio tour guides solo walkers through the old London docks district of Wapping. Guided by a search for lost love it is a breathtaking collision of time and space providing the walker with a new perspective on this undiscovered part of the city. All you need to take part is a portable audio player and headphones.

Co-Creators: Matt Ball, Katie Day and Elyssa Livergant

Sound Designer: Catherine Seymour

Graphic Designer: Nick Wood

Voice Artists: Dani Machancoses, Claire Houlton, Diana Barber, Vi Newman

Original music: Mark Day

To find out more or download the tour click here

2004

Camden People's Theatre

Ariadne is an intimate performance of broken hearts and dreams, exploring the human capacity for love, cruelty and self-pity.

The audience discovers Ariadne, distraught and alone with her travelling trunks on the island of Naxos. Using circus skills and object animation, Ariadne's story unfolds and the destructive relationship between Ariadne and Theseus is unleashed…

Devised by the company

Director: Matt Ball

Designer: Susannah Henry

Lighting Designer: Tracey Hammill

Performers: Gareth Bailey & Lowri James