Michael Sheen has announced that the newly reestablished Welsh National Theatre will be located in Swansea. This initiative follows the closure of the Cardiff-based theatre company, which was forced to shut down after experiencing £1.6 million in funding cuts from the Arts Council of Wales earlier this year.
It was revealed on Wednesday that the theatre’s headquarters will be situated in Swansea, the very city where Sheen’s theatrical journey began as a member of the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre. As the artistic director, Sheen expressed his excitement, stating, “It feels appropriate to return to Swansea as the base for the Welsh National Theatre. This city embodies creativity, resilience, and inspiration, and I’m thrilled about the opportunities this will bring not only for artists but for the people of Wales.”
The theatre will be established within a “public sector hub” currently under construction on the site of the former St David’s shopping centre in Swansea’s civic center. This new facility will also accommodate the county council chamber and a library.
“This is more than just office space; it will be a cultural hub that welcomes creative minds,” Sheen emphasized, adding that plans are in motion to bring the space to life.
Swansea council leader, Rob Stewart, shared his pride in the announcement, recognizing the city’s evolution into a thriving creative center. “We are excited that the Welsh National Theatre has chosen Swansea as its home. Hosting world-class theatre will be transformative, inspiring a new generation of local talent and attracting more visitors,” he said.
The company’s inaugural production will be Our Town, a renowned play by Thornton Wilder believed to have influenced Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood. Sheen will star in the production, which will premiere at Swansea’s Grand Theatre in January before touring throughout Wales and at the Rose Theatre in Kingston upon Thames.
In addition, Sheen will portray Owain Glyndŵr in Owain & Henry, a new play by Gary Owen about the conflict between the last Welsh-born Prince of Wales and King Henry IV, which will be co-produced with the Wales Millennium Centre.
Wales is currently facing challenges in arts and culture funding. Last year, the Arts Council of Wales forecasted potential collapse of the country’s professional sector within a decade, prompting the Welsh government to introduce an annual £4.4 million emergency funding initiative.
Sheen is currently self-funding the new Welsh National Theatre “until it can become financially independent” and is actively seeking both public and private financial support. Its Welsh-language equivalent, Theatr Cymru, was established in 2003.
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