Theatre: Michael Sheen Announces Inaugural Productions of the Welsh National Theatre
The Welsh National Theatre has unveiled its debut season, first appointments and creative pathways following the establishment of the company in January by the actor Michael Sheen
The Welsh National Theatre’s Artistic Director, Michael Sheen, is publicising the first two productions to be undertaken by the newly established company.
Revealed in January, the Welsh National Theatre was formed after the National Theatre of Wales had closed its doors in December 2024. Founded in 2009, the National Theatre of Wales was a beacon for many outstanding Welsh productions, including the 72-hour The Passion, a 2011 secular ‘passion play’ directed by and starring Sheen that brought together the citizens of his hometown in Port Talbot, with Sheen winning Best Director at the UK Theatre Awards.
Sheen — along with Chief Executive Sharon Gilburd and Literary Manager Tim Price — are bringing forth several ventures, in addition to the news of the WNT’s first plays.
First up is a Welsh-themed version of Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1938 play Our Town. Sheen will star as the Stage Manager (who narrates throughout) which will be a co-production with Rose Theatre. This will a touring company and will play the Swansea Grand Theatre (January 16–January 31, 2026), Venue Cymru in Llandudno (February 3–February 7, 2026), Theatr Clwyd in Mold (February 11–February 21, 2026) and the Rose Theatre, Kingston-upon-Thames (February 26–March 28, 2026). Francesca Goodridge (Rope) is directing, with Russell T Davies as the creative associate, and Pádraig Cusack as executive producer. Tickets are on sale for the Rose Theatre here with the three Welsh venues on sale later this month.
Bringing the artwork of Our Town to life with Michael Sheen/© Rose Theatre and Welsh National Theatre/YouTube
Owain & Henry is a new play by Welsh playwright Gary Owen. Sheen will play soldier and military commander Owain Glyndŵr, the last Welsh-born Prince of Wales, who led a 15-year Welsh revolt with the aim of ending English rule in Wales against King Henry IV.
The play will be a co-production with the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff (where Sheen starred in Nye in 2024 and will reprise the role again in August), and premieres in November 2026 on the Donald Gordon Theatre stage. Tickets will go on sale on August 4 for WMC members and August 8 to the general public.
From the WNT release: Gary Owen said: “I knew that to tell Owain’s story on stage would mean a epic show, at huge scale. I’d tried writing smaller versions of the story and they didn’t work. They didn’t give you a sense of what was at stake. Owain’s play, like Owain’s struggle, would have to be all or nothing.
“Huge plays cost money, so they’re a huge risk for producers - that’s why we hardly ever do them in Wales. We don’t dare. Until one day, Michael emailed me. And told me that he dared. And so here we are, presenting this huge story on the epic stage of the WMC. All or nothing.”
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In addition to the announced productions, the WNT has commissioned new plays from Azuka Oforka (THE WOMEN OF LLANRUMNEY), Sian Owen (A Visit), Rhys Warrington (BLUE), and Emily White (Pavilion). And lastly, ‘The Welsh Net’ will aim to “watch youth, amateur and professional theatre, performances and shows, with a view to identifying and developing talent.”
The theatre company, which has secured transition funding from the Arts Council of Wales, will have further news in the near future.
