Michael Sheen's new Welsh National Theatre to be based in Swansea
A new theatre company funded by Hollywood actor Michael Sheen will be based in the Welsh city where his theatrical journey started.Welsh National Theatre will set up its headquarters overlooking Swansea Bay in the city's civic centre.Earlier this year, Sheen said he was funding the new theatre company to fill the gap left by the folding of National Theatre Wales.National Theatre Wales said it "ceased to exist" last year after £1.6m in cuts to its core funding from Arts Council Wales.
The company is seeking private and public funding, but Sheen previously said he would be self-financing it initially to allow it to "stand on its own two feet". He said he was "excited" the company would set up its home in a city of "creativity, resilience and inspiration"."My theatrical journey began on the stage in Swansea as a member of the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre, so it feels fitting to come full circle to base Welsh National Theatre in the city," he said."This isn't about just an office space, but a cultural hub which welcomes creatives in."
The council said a proposed public sector hub in the city centre would enable the redevelopment of the building. Sheen said work was under way to make the space "come alive" before audiences would be welcomed in.The first production, Our Town, will debut at Swansea Grand Theatre in January next year, before touring Wales.Sheen will also take to the stage in the January production, as well as in a co-production with Wales Millennium Centre later in the year.
Swansea Civic Centre opened in 1982 and is currently home to the county council's chamber, as well as offices and the central library.Council leader Rob Stewart said it was a "proud moment" for Swansea as it would offer job opportunities and attract visitors."This brings real opportunities for those working across the performance sector — from actors to musicians, artists and writers to designers, producers and technicians — to be part of something world-class, creating new intellectual property, rooted in Swansea and rooted in Wales," he said."It has the potential to stimulate a new generation of local talent and inspire even more visitors to come to our city."Sharon Gilburd, founding chief executive of Welsh National Theatre, added it would help create a "thriving" cultural scene for generations to come.
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