Sheen 'thrilled' to be in spotlight in epic new play

TWO of Wales’ leading theatre-makers are coming together to co-direct Gary Owen's epic new play Owain & Henry, as tickets for the Welsh National Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre co-production went on general sale yesterday.

- SARAH WILLIAMS

Michael Sheen, artistic director of the English language Welsh National Theatre, will collaborate with the celebrated artist, director and artistic director of Theatr Cymru Steffan Donnelly to co-direct the November 2026 play alongside north Walian director Hannah Noone.

To mark the occasion, footage of an exclusive extract of Sheen as Owain Glyndwr was released yesterday, a three-minute monologue about the ‘hotch-potch of peoples’ who ‘became England’ that the theatre believes resonates as much today as it would have done in 1400.

Sheen said: “The speech shared today is set to be delivered on Europe's second largest stage 12 months from now.

“I'm thrilled by that fact and can't wait to share that moment with packed houses at Wales Millennium Centre. It gives me goosebumps to even think about it.

“When the idea for Welsh National Theatre was formulating, Steffan Donnelly was one of the first people I wanted to talk to. As artistic director of our Welsh language national theatre, Theatr Cymru, I sought his counsel and his confidence for this vision.

"To work alongside Steff and the brilliant Hannah Noone is a strong message about a bold, bilingual nation that works together to elevate all of our stories. I’m excited by what's to come and I think audiences should be too.”