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Business News Wales
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business News Wales
Welsh National Theatre Sets Up Home in Swansea
The Welsh National Theatre has set up its first headquarters in Swansea. Founded by Michael Sheen earlier this year, the company's headquarters will be in the city's civic centre. Its first production, Our Town, debuts at Swansea Grand Theatre between 16 and 31 January 2026. The play, which later tours Wales before closing at co-production partner the Rose Theatre in Kingston-upon-Thames, is directed by Swansea-born Francesca Goodridge with Swansea native Russell T Davies as creative associate. Michael Sheen, artistic director of Welsh National Theatre, said: '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. Swansea is a place of creativity, resilience and inspiration and I'm excited by the possibilities this presents not just for artists, but for the people of Wales. 'This isn't about just an office space, but a cultural hub which welcomes creatives in, and we're working on plans to make the space come alive with actors, directors, producers and writers before the work meets audiences. In just seven months, a Swansea audience will be the first anywhere in the world to see a Welsh National Theatre production live; the countdown is truly on.' Sharon Gilburd, founding chief executive of Welsh National Theatre, added: 'We see Swansea as an integral part of our future. There's genuine heartfelt passion and commitment from the Swansea Council team to work with us so we can all help to create a thriving and innovative cultural scene — both for today and for generations to come.' After taking to the stage in Swansea in Our Town, Sheen will play Owain Glyndŵr in Gary Owen's epic new play, Owain & Henry, in a Welsh National Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre co-production in November 2026. The decision by Welsh National Theatre to set up in the city has been welcomed by Council Leader Rob Stewart, who said: 'This is a proud moment for Swansea. Having Welsh National Theatre based here shows how far we've come as a creative city. The creation of Welsh National Theatre marks a bold step in raising the profile of Welsh storytelling on a global stage — and by choosing Swansea as its home, it strengthens the city's role as a hub for national and international creative talent. '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. Wales deserves an English language national theatre company — and we're thrilled that, through the vision of its artistic director Michael Sheen, Welsh National Theatre has chosen Swansea as its home. The impact of hosting world-class theatre in Swansea will be transformative. It has the potential to stimulate a new generation of local talent and inspire even more visitors to come to our city.' The announcement follows months of collaboration between Welsh National Theatre and Swansea Council to shape this partnership. Elliott King, the Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Human Rights and Equalities, said the theatre's decision reflects years of investment and collaboration that has unveiled key initiatives, such as the Creative Swansea network for professionals and businesses in the creative and cultural industries, and Grand Ambition, which creates theatre with and for local communities. He said: 'From the Swansea Building Society Arena to grassroots music and performance spaces, the many creative people who help make our local culture so vibrant, innovative and diverse also ensure it's the best place for audiences to enjoy. Welsh National Theatre being based in Swansea will help attract even more attention to our creative industries and cultural sector. Working with schools, universities, digital trend-setters and businesses, our ambition for Swansea to make its mark on an international stage has never looked brighter.'
Wales Online
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Jason Donovan talks Wales, The Rocky Horror Show, In It Together and his one man show Doin' Fine
Jason Donovan talks Wales, The Rocky Horror Show, In It Together and his one man show Doin' Fine The Australian entertainer will visit south Wales three times in the next year to showcase his 35-year career in music, theatre, TV and film Jason Donovan will be performing in Swansea Bay three times within the next year (Image: David Freeman ) Jason Donovan will be something of a regular in south Wales in the coming year. The beloved Australian entertainer, who shot to fame alongside Kylie Minogue on Neighbours, has gone on to be a household name, selling more than three million records in the UK. And despite reaching a 35 year career in music, theatre, TV and film, the 56-year-old is proving that he isn't slowing down yet, with three shows lined up in Swansea Bay showcasing his diverse talents. First, he will take to the stage on the Sunday billing of In It Together Festival at Old Park Farm in Margam on May 25, performing alongside the likes of Ronan Keating and James Morrison. And just weeks later, he will return to perform at Swansea Arena, in Richard O'Brien's legendary rock 'n' roll musical, The Rocky Horror Show, as part of a new world tour. He will reprise his iconic role as Frank-n-Furter, following a sold-out Australian Tour in 2024. The Swansea show takes place from Monday, June 9 to Saturday, June 14, with Donovan performing from Wednesday June 11 to Saturday June 14, and Adam Strong taking on the role on the other nights. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Article continues below And not content with just one visit to the city, he will be back at Swansea Grand Theatre on March 17 next year, with his Doin' Fine 25 tour, which is a celebration of his career, taking fans on a journey through his life on both stage and screen, including performances of his hits Especially For You, Too Many Broken Hearts, Any Dream Will Do and Sealed With A Kiss. Ahead of his string of performances in, WalesOnline caught up with the entertainer. Jason Donovan On... The Rocky Horror Show Jason Donovan in the Rocky Horror Show (Image: Photo by David Freeman ) He said: "I love the show. I say to everyone, and I don't get bored of saying it, I get to be a rock star every night, what's not to love? "Rocky Horror is not a Les Miserables or a Joseph, or a Phantom of the Opera, or a Sweeney Todd, but it is a part of pop culture and I love it for its enduring qualities and its complexities, it's an authentic piece, and there's a lot of people who can relate to Frank's dark journey, but there's also a lot of light. "Richard O'Brien writes some great songs - there's a femininity, a masculinity, it's not caught in one time, and it's a twist on everything." Pictured with the cast of The Rocky Horror Show (Image: Photo by David Freeman ) He added: "I love playing that character. I think it's well-written. It's a short show as well which I love, I'm into the idea of that. "Going to work each day is not a chore, it's a labour of love. "I think the show is great entertainment, it has such audience participation, and it's not just an evening at the theatre, it's an event. And with me steering the ship, and I'll say this because I can, it's going to go off. I put 100 percent into that character, I do something different every night, I like to be creative with it." Jason Donovan on... In It Together He said: "The company behind the event is always a very high grade. I hope I can live up to that, I'm sure I can. I think that will be a short little set of songs that we put together for those shows. In those sort of shows, you don't have a lot of time to really be creative, you want to hit the audience with the songs that they know, and that's what I intend to do." Jason Donovan on... Doin' Fine He said: "The show has caught the imagination of people. It's the first real tour of mine where I feel we've struck the right chord between all the shows on my catalogue, even some covers with my dad. "I look back a lot at my career, but I don't stand still. I'm always working, and I like to keep busy. I like to work with people and different casts and productions. The good thing is, I can jump from a Rocky Horror to my own show, and I get to do a broad range of different stuff, and I am not stuck in one genre." Jason Donovan on... Wales He said: "I have spent time in Wales in the past, not a lot of time in Swansea, but I am excited to be bringing the shows there. The last time, I think I was bringing my Midlife Crisis show to Swansea, which was my autobiographical show, but I guess the last time I was in that part of the world doing a show was probably Rocky Horror again, actually. "In Cardiff I did Joseph recently, I did Rocky recently in Cardiff, and Doin Fine, that was actually on Valentine's Day. "The country is great, the people are great, and I can't wait to get back there and perform again. "I am looking forward to performing at Swansea Arena. I hear it's big. I think the show (Rocky Horror) is a rock show, a concert with words. It's got that tone to it. "I know the coastline in Wales is pretty special. I'm always into exploring the coastline. I think it's the right time of year to do that. "I love coming to Wales. I love all the audiences across the UK. "I'm looking forward to seeing my Welsh friends for a few great shows and we'll see you in the summer." Article continues below Ticket information for Jason's In It Together Festival performance can be found by clicking here. For more on the Rocky Horror Show, click here, and you can find out more about his Doin' Fine tour by clicking here.
Wales Online
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Hot Chicks review: Powerful play an important message to parents on dangers of drug gangs
A chicken shop, two teenagers, and their day dreams of becoming rich and famous. The world that Cardiff-born playwright Rebecca Jade Hammond has created in her play Hot Chicks is not an uncommon one. But the mundane, and unremarkable setting, and its every day characters, is what is so vital about this show. In a cast of just four people, the story of 15-year-olds Ruby and Kyla, set in Penlan, Swansea, shows the danger presented to innocent young people through County Lines operations - or drug running - and the exploitation of children - a very real issue operating in the underbelly of society. Whilst hanging out at Cheney's chicken shop, they have a chance encounter with older, cooler Sadie. On the face of it, she represents everything they dream about, wearing designer outfits and jewellery, and being able to afford whatever she wants. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . (Image: KIRSTEN MCTERNAN) As they perform dances in their school uniform to post on TikTok, with the aspiration of gaining 100,000 followers to enable them to afford a new life in Las Vegas, it takes very little for them to be drawn to her. Sadie's gestures start off small, casually paying for their dinner, before things become more sinister on repeat visits, when she asks the two young girls to drop off a bag which she 'accidentally' left behind in the chicken shop toilets, which turned out to be full of drugs. Gifts follow, as does the pressure she puts on the young girls, who find themselves deeper and deeper in the illegal operation, and become more and more exploited, with dark and tragic outcomes. Staged at Swansea Grand Theatre, this is an incredibly powerful and moving piece of theatre, with all four cast members excellent in their roles, in particular Londiwe Mthembu as Ruby, who showed a great range of emotion depicting some of the more harrowing experiences she encountered. (Image: KIRSTEN MCTERNAN) Presented by Grand Ambition, the Grand Theatre's Arts Wing was well used to maximise its space available, and lighting and blacked out dance routines were expertly executed to add pacing and tension to the play itself. Mrs Hammond's 75-minute play is a very important watch for parents in this day and age. The playwright explained how the subject matter of the performance has created many conversations among families, and that, in itself, shows its true value. Read a full feature on the background behind the show by clicking here.
