For the first time in its storied 87-year history, Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Our Town, an American classic with universal themes of love, life, and death, will be staged by a full company of Welsh actors and creative team.

Starring Michael Sheen as the Stage Manager and directed by Swansea-born Francesca Goodridge with Russell T Davies contributing as Creative Associate, this production marks the inaugural outing of Welsh National Theatre and is being produced with Rose Theatre in Kingston upon Thames. As part of the announcement, Rose Theatre is releasing a new block of tickets for sale for the performances in south west London.

Joining Sheen, the all-Welsh cast includes Rithvik Andugla (Death Valley) as Howie Newsome, Peter Devlin (Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning) as George Gibbs, Aisha-May Hunte (Mudtown; Death Valley) as Wally Webb, Rebecca Killick (Nye; The Life of Pi) as Rebecca Gibbs, Alfie Llewellyn (Mr. Burton) as Joe & Si Crowell, Rhodri Meilir (Nye; Odyssey ‘84) as Mr. Webb, Christina Modestou (Tick, tick … Boom!; Brief Encounter) as Mrs. Soames, Yasemin Özdemir (The Merry Wives of Windsor) as Emily Webb, Glyn Pritchard (The Crucible; Rinoseros) as Constable Warren, Sian Reese-Williams (Dreams) as Mrs. Gibbs, Nia Roberts (Hedda Gabler; Still Waters) as Mrs. Webb, Kingdom Sibanda (Stranger Things: The First Shadow), Gareth Snook (Ragtime; The Crucible) as Professor Willard & Joe Stoddard, Matthew Trevannion (A Streetcar Named Desire) as Dr. Gibbs, and Rhys Warrington (The Mousetrap; Great Expectations) as Simon Stimpson.

The creative team includes Thornton Wilder (Writer), Francesca Goodridge (Director), Russell T Davies (Creative Associate), Hayley Grindle (Designer), Jess Williams (Movement Director), Ryan Joseph Stafford (Lighting Designer), Dyfan Jones (Composer, Sound Designer & Musical Director), Sam Jones CDG (Casting Director), and Deena Davies (Assistant Director, on secondment from Theatr Clwyd).

The production will play the Swansea Grand Theatre (Friday 16 January - Saturday 31 January 2026), Venue Cymru in Llandudno (Tuesday 3 February - Saturday 7 February 2026), Theatr Clwyd in Mold (Wednesday 11 February - Saturday 21 February 2026) and Rose Theatre in South West London (Thursday 26 February - Saturday 28 March 2026). 

National Press Night will be held at the Swansea Grand Theatre on Wednesday 21 January.

Francesca Goodridge, Director, said: “Bringing Our Town to life with a fully Welsh cast and creative team is a gift. The talent at the heart of this production is perfectly matched with the journeys through life, love, and death the play celebrates within the close-knit community. ‘Hiraeth’ is a Welsh word without a perfect English translation, but it describes a kind of longing for a place, person or time that you can’t get back to. A feeling we all know but can’t put into words. Our Town shows us, even in the most uneventful days, how precious life is and forces us to live in the present.”

Michael Sheen, Welsh National Theatre Artistic Director, said: “This is an incredible opportunity to present a Welsh interpretation of a classic which tours our nation and takes our voice to London, giving Welsh talent a platform to perform. We can’t wait to meet audiences and welcome them to our world.”

Christopher Haydon, Rose Theatre Artistic Director, said: “I can’t think of a better actor to lead this remarkable Welsh company than Michael Sheen. This is a play with a universal message about love and the importance of community. It will speak to our local audience and to all those across London who hold these values close. I’m also excited to welcome many of London’s own Welsh community through our doors for the first time and to share with them whispers of home, their family and friends across the miles.”

Tickets are on sale now and can be booked via:

Swansea Grand Theatre | www.swanseagrand.co.uk

Venue Cymru | www.venuecymru.co.uk

Theatr Clwyd | www.theatrclwyd.com

Rose Theatre | www.rosetheatre.org

A Rose Theatre and Welsh National Theatre production

OUR TOWN

By Thornton WIlder

Directed by Francesca Goodridge
Creative Associate, Russell T Davies

Starring Michael Sheen

Swansea Grand Theatre, Friday 16 January-Saturday 31 January 2026

Swansea Grand Theatre National Press Night: Wednesday 21 January 2026, 7.30pm

Venue Cymru in Llandudno, Tuesday 3 February-Saturday 7 February 2026

Theatr Clwyd in Mold, Wednesday 11 February-Saturday 21 February 2026

Rose Theatre, Kingston upon Thames, South West London, Thursday 26 February - Saturday 28 March 2026
Rose Theatre Gala Night: Wednesday 4 March 2026, 7.30pm 

PRESS CONTACTS

For National press enquiries please contact Jo Allan PR:
Burte Tsogbadrakh | burte@joallanpr.com | 07753 222 768
Jo Allan | jo@joallanpr.com | 07889 905 850 

For Wales press enquires please contact Working Word:

Daniel Tyte | Daniel.Tyte@workingword.co.uk | 07742 251232

For Rose Theatre press enquiries please contact:
Chris Sharrock | chris.sharrock@rosetheatre.org | 07943 747145