Michael Sheen to painting the ‘true Welsh prince’ Owain Glyndŵr

Actor Michael Sheen has mentioned he’ll star as Owain Glyndŵr, the final Welsh-born Prince of Wales, in a brand new theatre manufacturing.

Owain & Henry will inform the story of Glyndŵr’s rebel towards English rule in Wales through the fifteenth Century, in one of many first productions introduced by Welsh Nationwide Theatre, Sheen’s personal theatre firm.

Glyndŵr grew to become a figurehead for Welsh nationalism and there are statues, monuments, pub and road names throughout Wales commemorating him.

Sheen, who beforehand mentioned the Royal household ought to surrender the Prince of Wales title, mentioned as Glyndŵr he would painting “the true Welsh prince”.

“Owain & Henry is likely one of the origin tales of our nation, as related in as we speak’s complicated world because it was when Glyndŵr declared Wales an impartial nation 600 years in the past,” mentioned Sheen, who’s from Port Talbot in south Wales.

The play might be carried out at Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff in November 2026.

Sheen, who as an actor is finest recognized for reworking into characters together with Prince Andrew, David Frost and Tony Blair, mentioned he was “extremely excited”.

“It is the play that tells the precise story that I would like this nationwide theatre firm to have the ability to inform, on the second greatest stage in Europe,” Sheen advised BBC Information.

Owain Glyndŵr instigated a 15-year revolt towards the rule of King Henry IV and claimed the title Prince of Wales, earlier than Wales was reconquered by the English.

Greater than 100 years earlier, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd – the final prince of an impartial Wales – had been killed in battle and his head despatched to Edward I, the English king.

Edward I then invested his son Edward II because the Prince of Wales, and since then the title has typically – although not at all times – been given to the inheritor obvious.

In 2020, Sheen advised newspaper columnist Owen Jones that when the time got here for the Prince of Wales title to be handed down from Charles to William, “it might be a extremely significant and highly effective gesture for that title to now not be held in the identical means because it has earlier than”.

Owain & Henry is believed to be the primary time the story of Glyndŵr has been tackled by a dramatist.

The play’s author, Gary Owen, mentioned when he started to jot down the story Sheen was his “dream casting” – however he had by no means imagined it changing into a actuality.

“I have been saying for years that we have to do these massive exhibits right here in Wales. We have to join with an enormous viewers,” mentioned Owen.

“And now I’ve to really do it. So it is some strain but it surely’s very welcome strain.”

Sheen mentioned he had been a “enormous fan” of Owen’s work for years, calling him “one of many best writers Wales has ever produced”.

“There will be individuals who come alongside to this who’ve by no means heard of Owain Glyndŵr earlier than, do not know what the historical past is, the significance of that second in our tradition.

“And it begins a dialog, you recognize, it begins a nationwide dialog.”

Sheen introduced that he was funding the Welsh Nationwide Theatre in January, to fill the hole left by the folding of Nationwide Theatre Wales.

The corporate, which has obtained £200,000 in transition funding from Arts Council Wales, has additionally introduced a Welsh spin on the basic American play Our City, with Physician Who author Russell T Davies overseeing as inventive director.

Our City will tour Swansea, Mildew, Llandudno and Kingston-upon-Thames between January and March 2026.

Welsh Nationwide Theatre mentioned it had additionally commissioned 4 Welsh writers to create performs of “nationwide significance”, and created a community of expertise scouts to search out and develop new Welsh expertise.

“Once I used to play soccer on a pitch by the aspect of the A48 in Port Talbot, I at all times knew that there was the likelihood that there could be somebody standing on the contact line,” mentioned Sheen.

“Native individuals who have been the eyes and ears of the large golf equipment. There was at all times the potential you would find yourself at Man United or Liverpool.

“And I’ve at all times thought, why is not there an identical system for the humanities, for the theatre? So I am making an attempt to create that and utilizing the Welsh Nationwide Theatre firm because the type of engine for that.”

Sheen mentioned “a number of folks have been getting in contact” to assist Welsh Nationwide Theatre because it was introduced – together with fellow Hollywood Welsh-born actor Matthew Rhys.

“I had a stunning message from Matthew,” mentioned Sheen.

He mentioned folks had additionally proven assist in different methods, together with via a shock donation despatched to his dad and mom.

“The envelope simply mentioned ‘good actor Michael Sheen’. And it bought to my dad and mom. And inside it mentioned ‘what you are doing with the Welsh Nationwide Theatre – assume it is good. Would like to assist it’.

“And I maintain [the cheque] in my pocket,” mentioned Sheen.

“I stroll round with it now.”