Matthew Xia: putting the black experience on stage
The theatre director on his hip-hop, futuristic production of Tambo & Bones.
Matthew Xia is a theatre director and Olivier award-winning Artistic Director of the Actors Touring Company. As his alter ego DJ Excalibur, he performed to a global audience of over a billion as one of the headline DJs at the London 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony and he’s used his love of music for his latest production, a futuristic hip hop infused performance, Tambo & Bones, at the Stratford East Theatre in London.
Written by the US playwright Dave Harris, this satirical play, which is part distorted clown-show, part absurdist Afro-futuristic lecture with robots, explores the commodification and commercialisation of traumatic black experiences through performance.
Felicity Finch follows Matthew, his actors and creative team as they develop the work into a playful, funny but provocative show.
Presenter/producer: Felicity Finch
