22 hours Ago By [email protected] (Branwen Jones)
Michael Sheen has unveiled his plans for the new Welsh National Theatre, which will include the actor embarking on the role of Owain Glyndŵr . The Port-Talbot born actor revealed the company's first two productions, including Owain & Henry, which promises to be an "epic" new play that focuses on the 15th century rebellion against the English crown by the outlawed prince. The unveiling of the plans come only a few months after it was confirmed that the actor had launched a bid to recreate a new national theatre company for Wales.
In January, it was revealed that Sheen was putting his own money to launch an organisation to launch the new institution, Welsh National Theatre, where he would be the artistic director. The National Theatre Wales officially came to an end in December of last year, several months after its £1.6m a year Welsh Government funding was pulled in its entirety.
Sheen described the launch of the Welsh National Theatre as a "new dawn for theatre in Wales". It has been confirmed that Sheen will play the last Welsh-born Prince of Wales in the play has been written by Gary Owen and co-produced by Wales Millennium Centre. Performances of Owain & Henry will run at the WMC's Donald Gordon Theatre, with tickets going on sale for WMC members on August 4, 2025 and August 8, 2025 for the general public.
Welsh National Theatre's second play - Our Town, will take place in early 2026. Michael Sheen will take on the role as stage manager for the play, while Francesca Goodridge will direct, Doctor Who showrunner and It's a Sin creator Russell T Davies will be the creative associate and Pádraig Cusack as executive produce for the play, which will be co-produced by Rose Theatre. The Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Thornton Wilder follows the lives of two families - the Webbs and the Gibbs.
It explores themes of life, love, death and marriage. This Welsh National Theatre play will go on tour. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here .
It will be starting at the Swansea Grand Theatre, between Friday, January 15, 2026 to Saturday, January 31, 2026, then to Venue Cymru in Llandudno from Tuesday, February 3, 2026 to Saturday, February 7, 2026, Theatr Clwyd in Mold from Wednesday, February 11, 2026 to Saturday, February 21, 2026, before finishing at the Rose Theatre in Kingston-upon-Thames in London from Thursday, February 26, 2026 to Saturday, March 28, 2026. Tickets for Our Town at the Rose Theatre will go on sale as of Wednesday, March 2, while tickets for the Welsh venues will go on sale on a later date. Speaking about the Welsh National Theatre's plans, Sheen, who has already tackled another of Wales' greats - Aneurin Bevan in the stage play Nye - said: "The vision of the Welsh National Theatre is writ large through these first two productions.
"Owain & Henry is one of the origin stories of our nation, as relevant in today's complex world as it was when Glyndŵr declared Wales an independent nation six hundred years ago. Gary Owen's play is one of the most ambitious Welsh plays I've read; and is the biggest and boldest of Gary's career. "That's the creative benchmark and ambition we want to set with National Theatre Wales.
Playing the iconic Welsh prince on one of Europe's biggest stage in our capital city will, I hope, be a defining moment for us as a people, and culture. This is what the Welsh National Theatre is all about. "The first time I worked on a stage with Russell T Davies was with the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre Company in the 1980s.
Since then, Russell has become one of the greatest writers our nation has ever produced. It feels apt to come together again 40 years later on the first Welsh National Theatre production. "The pathway laid down for us by the Youth Theatre's founder Godfrey Evans is something we're aspiring to recreate with this company and that's why it's a privilege to have Welsh, working class director Francesca Goodridge at the helm of this show.
" The first two productions of Welsh National Theatre have been announced as Arts Council of Wales have confirmed transition funding to help the new theatre develop its structure and vision. Ahead of the launch of WNT's plans, screenwriter and television producer, Russell T Davies, expressed his admiration to Sheen and his excitement at participating in one of WNT's first productions. Russell T Davies said: "I started writing my very first scripts as a teenager for the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre, and that's where I met the amazing Michael.
He was exceptional back then, and remains so to this day - the man's a hero of mine, and he takes my breath away with his energy and ambition! "And in this strange and maddening world, the emergence of a Welsh cultural force is exactly what we need. I’m so proud of being part of the Our Town team, a wonderful play which fits an intimate Welsh setting instantly and perfectly. And I hope I can be part of the WNT for a long time to come.
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