Full cast joins Michael Sheen in Owain & Henry epic
Sophie Melville and a star-studded ensemble are joining Michael Sheen in Welsh National Theatre’s Owain & Henry, the Gary Owen epic co-produced with Wales Millennium Centre. Sheen will play Owain Glyndŵr opposite Linus Roache as King Henry IV when the show runs at Cardiff’s Donald Gordon Theatre from 5 to 28 November 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Michael Sheen stars as Owain Glyndŵr and co-directs the Welsh National Theatre co-production with Wales Millennium Centre.
- Linus Roache plays King Henry IV; Sophie Melville, Rakie Ayola and Emily Burnett join the confirmed leads.
- Gary Owen’s play examines Owain Glyndŵr’s 15th-century rebellion against the English crown.
- Performances run 5–28 November 2026 in the Donald Gordon Theatre at Wales Millennium Centre.
Who is joining Michael Sheen in the Owain & Henry cast?
Welsh National Theatre has confirmed the full company for Owain & Henry, led by artistic director Michael Sheen as the last Welsh-born Prince of Wales. According to WhatsOnStage, Linus Roache takes the title role of King Henry IV.
BAFTA Cymru winner Rakie Ayola plays Mared Ferch Dafydd, Owain’s wife, while Emily Burnett appears as their daughter Catrin Ferch Owain. Stage Award for Acting Excellence winner Sophie Melville portrays Lois, a mother turned warrior, and Ned Costello plays Hal, heir to the English throne.
Also starring are Brendan Charleson as Percy, Martyn Ellis as Sir John Falstaff, Gruffudd Glyn as Bryn, Ian Hughes as Baron Reginald Grey, David Judge as Hotspur, Richard Lynch as Rhys, and James Wilbraham as Mortimer. The ensemble includes Lizzie Caitlin Bennett, Beau Bradfield, Harrison Claxton, Caitlin Drake, Mirain Fflur, Orla Hardie, Aisha-May Hunte, Corey Mitchell, Jamie Morgan, Luke Rhodri and Joseph Tweedale.
What is Owain & Henry about?
Penned by Gary Owen, the play reimagines Owain Glyndŵr’s early-15th-century rebellion after King Henry IV declares him an outlaw around 1400. Rather than surrender, Owain rises in revolt as Henry struggles to hold the throne—two leaders on opposite sides of history.
Sheen co-directs with Steffan Donnelly of Theatr Cymru, with associate director Hannah Noone. He called standing with the cast “beyond thrilling,” saying the play brings “two towering figures, two nations and two versions of history into the same room,” and aims to tell the story at a scale Wales has long waited to see—while creating opportunities for Welsh artists through his Mab Gwalia initiative.
When and where can audiences see Owain & Henry?
The Welsh National Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre co-production runs in the Donald Gordon Theatre from 5 to 28 November 2026. It forms part of Welsh National Theatre’s debut season, following the company’s establishment in January 2025 and the earlier staging of Our Town.
Wales Millennium Centre chief creative officer Graeme Farrow described the piece as urgent and relevant—“a story about building a nation, and about power and its corruptive effects.” For more celebrity breaking news, follow BlasterPost’s latest entertainment updates.