Entertainment
Michael Sheen to star in large-scale stage production on Welsh rebel Owain Glyndŵr
The play Owain & Henry will run at the Wales Millennium Centre, exploring historical rebellion and modern questions of Welsh identity.
The short version
- Actor Michael Sheen will portray 15th-century Welsh rebel leader Owain Glyndŵr in the play Owain & Henry.
- The production was written by Gary Owen and will be staged by Sheen's company, Welsh National Theatre, at the Wales Millennium Centre.
- Sheen stated that the production aims to bring underrepresented Welsh history to large venues and connects to contemporary debates over governance and national identity.
- It remains to be seen how the newly elected Plaid Cymru-led Welsh government will interact with Sheen's broader cultural and environmental appeals.
Key facts
- Michael Sheen will play the lead role in 'Owain & Henry', a stage production focusing on the early 15th-century rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr against King Henry IV.[The Guardian]
- The play was written by Welsh playwright Gary Owen during the Covid-19 pandemic and will be staged at the Wales Millennium Centre's Donald Gordon theatre by Sheen's company, Welsh National Theatre.[The Guardian]
- Sheen noted that Welsh history and Glyndŵr's story were not part of the school curriculum when he was growing up in south Wales.[The Guardian]
- The production follows recent Welsh Senedd elections that saw Plaid Cymru take power after a century of Labour dominance in Wales.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- Whether representatives from the new Welsh administration will attend the production or engage with Sheen regarding his artistic and environmental appeals remains unconfirmed.[The Guardian]