Matthew Lutton

Matthew Lutton was born in Perth, Western Australia. He grew up in the suburb of Wembley, and spent much time as a boy playing on the shores of Lake Monger. His maternal grandmother, Bethwyn Taylor, was a theosophist and painter. She died when Lutton was 17, and the family moved into her house, where his mother, Susan, had grown up, in Doubleview, near Scarborough Beach.

He attended Perth's Hale School, an Anglican school, graduating in 2001.{{cite web | title=Old Haleians recognised for outstanding service | website=Old Haleians Association | url=https://www.oldhale.com/News/Old-Haleians-recognised-for-outstanding-service | access-date=10 March 2025}}{{cite web | last=Dow | first=Steve | title=New Malthouse artistic director Matthew Lutton | website=The Saturday Paper | date=20 February 2016 | url=https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/culture/theatre/2016/02/20/new-malthouse-artistic-director-matthew-lutton/14558868002901 | access-date=10 March 2025| url-access=registration|quote=This article was first published in the print edition of The Saturday Paper on February 20, 2016 as "The equaliser". }}

He studied theatre arts at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.{{cite web | title=Matthew Lutton awarded WA Citizen of the Year | website=Australian Stage Online | date=31 May 2010 | url=https://australianstage.com.au/201005313548/news/perth/matthew-lutton-awarded-wa-citizen-of-the-year-youth-arts-award.html | access-date=10 March 2025}}

In 2002 Lutton formed the ThinIce theatre company, which staged Ionesco's The Bald Prima Donna at the 2003 Perth International Fringe Festival. For ThinIce he directed the premiere of Brendan Cowell's play Bed at Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts[http://www.pica.org.au/view/Bed/858/ "Bed - ThinIce Productions"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325023938/http://www.pica.org.au/view/Bed/858/ |date=25 March 2012 }}, Perth Institute of Performing Arts, 30 November 1999 and devised two new works with Eamon Flack, The Gathering in 2005 and The Goose Chase in 2007. The Goose Chase was a solo piece for Flack, co-produced with Deckchair Theatre.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

Lutton was appointed the artistic director of Black Swan Theatre Company's emerging artists' program at the BSX-Theatre in 2003 where, between 2003 and 2006, he directed Harold Pinter's Mountain Language, Mrozek's Striptease, Büchner's Woyzeck and Dürrenmatt's The Visit.{{cn|date=March 2025}} He became the associate director of the Black Swan Theatre Company in 2006, and in 2007 directed Mishima's The Lady Aoi for the Perth International Arts Festival.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

In 2008 Lutton was Michael Kantor's assistant director on Malthouse Theatre's production of Molière's Tartuffe in Melbourne. Kantor fell ill two days before rehearsals commenced and Lutton was invited to take over the production as director.[http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/love-in-the-depths-of-war-and-violence/2008/07/02/1214950847654.html "Love in the depths of war and violence"]. Sydney Morning Herald 3 July 2008. Retrieved 27 June 2012{{cite web | title=Perth theatre: Matthew Lutton’s production Picnic at Hanging Rock opens|first=Belle |last=Taylor | website=PerthNow | date=29 March 2016 | url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/perth-theatre-matthew-luttons-production-picnic-at-hanging-rock-opens-ng-55d07c2fb46dc49cd8da4c61c82a522d | access-date=10 March 2025}} He then went on to direct the world premiere of Tom Holloway's play Don't Say the Words at Sydney's Griffin Theatre Company[http://www.griffintheatre.com.au/archive/dont-say-the-words/ "Don't Say the Words by Tom Holloway"], Griffin Theatre Company, 2008 and Red Shoes (a version of the Hans Christian Andersen story adapted by Humphrey Bower) for ThinIce and Artrage.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

In 2009 ThinIce was appointed triennial funding from both the Australia Council for the Arts and ArtsWA. Over the next three years ThinIce created six new works in partnership with other Australian arts organisations. These included a new production of Antigone (adapted by Eamon Flack and featuring singer Rachael Dease) with the Perth International Arts Festival; The Duel (a Dostoevsky adaptation written by Tom Wright) with Sydney Theatre Company;Simmonds, Diana: [http://www.stagenoise.com/review/1361 "The Duel"], Stage Noise, 11 June 2009 Tom Holloway's Love Me Tender with Belvoir Street Theatre and Griffin Theatre Company; and The Trial (adapted from the Kafka novel by Louise Fox) with Sydney Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre.Croggan, Alison: [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/horror-persists-in-superb-reworking-of-franz-kafkas-nightmarish-classic/story-e6frg8n6-1225907460480 "Horror persists in superb reworking of Franz Kafka's nightmarish classic"], The Australian, 20 August 2010. {{dead|date=March 2025}} In November 2009 Lutton directed part one of The Mysteries: Genesis at Sydney Theatre Company. Parts two and three were directed by Tom Wright and Andrew Upton.{{cite web | title=The Mysteries: Genesis | website=Australian Stage Online | date=1 December 2009 | url=https://australianstage.com.au/200911303046/reviews/sydney/the-mysteries-genesis.html | access-date=10 March 2025}}{{cite web | title=The Mysteries: Genesis | website=AusStage | url=https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/82935 | access-date=10 March 2025}}

Lutton was appointed associate artist (directing) at Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre in 2011. He closed down ThinIce in 2012. In this role, Lutton directed award-winning productions including On the Misconception of Oedipus by Tom Wright{{cite web |title=Chess the big winner at the Green Room Awards |website=Australian Arts Review |date=7 May 2013 |url=https://artsreview.com.au/chess-the-big-winner-at-the-green-room-awards/}} and The Bloody Chamber, based on the short story by Angela Carter and adapted by Van Badham (2013).{{cite web | first=Jennifer| last= Penton | title=The Bloody Chamber | website=ArtsHub Australia | date=7 August 2013 | url=https://www.artshub.com.au/news/reviews/the-bloody-chamber-196253-2309013/ | access-date=10 March 2025}}{{cite web | title=Matthew Lutton and David Chisholm, The Bloody Chamber | website=Partial Durations | date=8 August 2013 | url=https://partialdurations.com/2013/08/08/matthew-lutton-and-david-chisholm-the-bloody-chamber/ | access-date=10 March 2025}}{{cite web | title=Full list of 2014 Green Room Award Recipients | website=Australian Stage Online | date=29 April 2014 | url=https://australianstage.com.au/201404286810/news/industry-news/full-list-of-2014-green-room-award-recipients.html | access-date=10 March 2025}}

In 2015 Lutton was appointed artistic director and co-CEO of the Malthouse.{{cite news |title='Entertaining, subversive, sexy': New artistic director Matthew Lutton's vision for Malthouse Theatre |author=Robin Usher |date=July 16, 2015 |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/entertaining-subversive-sexy-new-artistic-director-matthew-luttons-vision-for-malthouse-theatre-20150715-gicwp2.html}}

In April 2016, Lutton directed a Malthouse-Black Swan joint production in the world premiere of an adaptation of the novel Picnic at Hanging Rock, which was performed at The State Theatre, Perth, April 1 to 17. The play was invited to be performed at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh and the Barbican in London.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Other directing highlights include the five-hour stage adaptation of Tim Winton's Cloudstreet, co-produced with the Perth International Arts Festival;{{cn|date=March 2025}} the Australian premiere of Tom Waits' musical The Black Rider co-produced with Victorian Opera;{{cite news |title=Black Rider review: A delicious descent into hell |author=Cameron Woodhead |date=September 21, 2017 |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/black-rider-review-20170921-gylrb1.html}} The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man,{{cite news |title=Elephant Man review: A poetic and accomplished telling of The Elephant Man story |author=Cameron Woodhead |date=August 10, 2017 |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/elephant-man-review-a-poetic-and-accomplished-telling-of-the-elephant-man-story-20170810-gxt5j3.html}} David Greig's Solaris in a co-production with the Lyric Hammersmith in London and the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh;{{cn|date=March 2025}} John Harvey's First Nations epic, The Return, co-directed with Jason Tamiru as part of RISING Festival;{{cite web | title=RISING: The Return | website=2022.rising.melbourne | url=https://2022.rising.melbourne/festival-program/the-return | language=en-AU | access-date=10 March 2025}}{{cite web | last=Liversidge | first=Reuben | title=Theatre review: The Return | website=ArtsHub Australia | date=23 May 2022 | url=https://www.artshub.com.au/news/reviews/theatre-review-the-return-2552161/ | access-date=10 March 2025}} and Australia's largest immersive theatre production, Because the Night, in 2021.{{cite web |title=Theatre Review: Because the Night, Malthouse Theatre |date=12 April 2021 |author=Tahney Fosdike |website=ArtsHub |url=https://www.artshub.com.au/news/reviews/theatre-review-because-the-night-malthouse-theatre-262314-2370647/}}

Lutton resigned from his role at Malthouse Theatre as of the end of March 2025.{{cite web | title=Matthew Lutton to step down as Artistic Director of Malthouse Theatre | website=AussieTheatre.com | date=30 January 2025 | url=https://www.aussietheatre.com.au/news/matthew-lutton-to-step-down-as-artistic-director-of-malthouse-theatre/ | access-date=10 March 2025}}{{cite web | last=Blake | first=Jason | title=Matthew Lutton leaves Malthouse | website=Limelight | date=30 January 2025 | url=https://limelight-arts.com.au/news/matthew-lutton-to-leave-malthouse/ | access-date=10 March 2025}}

In March 2025 was announced as the artistic director of the Adelaide Festival for a three-year term.{{cite web|first= Walter| last=Marsh | title=Adelaide Festival names new artistic director | website=InDaily | date=3 March 2025 | url=https://www.indailysa.com.au/inreview/festivals/2025/03/03/adelaide-festival-names-new-artistic-director | access-date=10 March 2025}}

In 2007 Lutton attended the Jerwood Opera Writing Foundation Program, directed by Giorgio Battistelli, at the Aldeburgh Festival in England. While at Aldeburgh he collaborated with Czech composer Miroslav Srnka for the first time. In 2008 Srnka and Lutton received fellowships from the Jerwood Foundation and Aldeburgh Music to create a new opera, Make No Noise, commissioned by the Bavarian State Opera. The opera, with a libretto by Tom Holloway, is based on Isabel Coixet's film The Secret Life of Words, and had its world premiere at the Munich Opera Festival on 1 July 2011.[http://www.jerwoodfoundation.org/download.php?id=178 Annual Reports], Jerwood Foundation (2009) p. 33. Retrieved 27 June 2012 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629083620/http://www.jerwoodfoundation.org/download.php?id=178 |date=29 June 2012 }}[http://www.bayerische.staatsoper.de/889-ZG9tPWRvbTEmaWQ9MjQ3MyZsPWVuJnRlcm1pbj05ODU3-~spielplan~oper~veranstaltungen~vorstellung.html "Make No Noise"], Bavarian State Opera (2011). Retrieved 27 June 2012

In 2012 Lutton directed Strauss's Elektra for West Australian Opera, Opera Australia, ThinIce, and Perth International Arts Festival, with Danish soprano Eva Johansson singing the title role.Laurie, Victoria (6 February 2012). [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/night-inside-the-mind-of-madness/story-e6frg8n6-1226263166186 "Night inside the mind of madness"]. The Australian. Retrieved 27 June 2012[http://www.waopera.asn.au/WhatsOn/Elektra.aspx "Elektra - Richard Strauss"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028042633/http://www.waopera.asn.au/WhatsOn/Elektra.aspx |date=28 October 2011 }}, West Australian Opera, 2012Yeoman, William: [http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/-/entertainment/12867556/opera-review-elektra/ "Opera Review: Elektra"], The West Australian, 10 February 2012

In 2013 Lutton directed Wagner's The Flying Dutchman for New Zealand Opera, and in 2022 Kurt Weill's Happy End for Victorian Opera.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

In 2008 Lutton was the West Australian representative on the Australia Council for the Arts Theatre Board.

Lutton has been a judge on the theatre panel at the Helpmann Awards, and has been a non-executive director on the board of the Stephanie Lake Company since 2018.

• 2003: Best Production at the Perth International Fringe Festival for The Bald Prima Donna
• 2005: Best Production, Equity Guild Awards, for The Visit
• 2005: Young West Australian of the Year for Arts
• 2007: ArtsWA Young People and the Arts Fellowship
• 2010: Western Australia Citizen of the Year: Youth Arts
• 2011: State Finalist, Young Australian of the Year for WA[https://web.archive.org/web/20220206104018/https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/matthew-lutton/519/ "Matthew Lutton"], Australian of the Year Awards
• 2011: Best Director, Green Room Awards, for On the Misconception of Oedipus
• 2013: Best Production, Green Room Awards, for The Bloody Chamber
• 2015: Best Production, Green Room Awards, for I Am a Miracle
• 2023: Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to the arts as a director{{Cite web |title= Matthew Lutton {{as written|Rec|ieves [sic]}} Medal (Oam) of the Order of Australia|date=14 June 2023 |url=https://www.hlamgt.com.au/news/matthew-lutton-recieves-medal-oam-of-the-order-of-australia/}} in the King's Birthday 2023 Honours List{{Cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/2013430 |title=Name: Mr Matthew Lutton; Award: Medal of the Order of Australia| website=Australian Honours Search Facility |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia) | access-date=10 March 2025| quote=For service to the performing arts as a director. }}

In 2016 he revealed that he was in a relationship with Russell Hooper, a policy writer for the Victorian Government.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/236852 Matthew Lutton] at AusStage

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Category:Australian theatre directors

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:People educated at Hale School