Sheen will join fellow Welsh actor Callum Scott Howells in the 2027 revival of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, which will initially run in Cardiff before transferring to London.
The production, which follows the obsessive rivalry between two renowned composers, will open in Wales before transferring to the West End for a limited run. Good Omens star Michael Sheen will play Antonio Salieri alongside Callum Scott Howells as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Further casting will be announced at a later date.
Directed by Jeremy Herrin, Amadeus will run at New Theatre Cardiff from 9th to 27th March 2027, followed by a 16-week run at the Noël Coward Theatre from 17th April 2027.
Stars taking to the stage
Multi-award-winning Welsh actor Michael Sheen is best known for roles in Good Omens, The Damned United and for portraying Tony Blair in The Queen. He can currently be seen leading the faithfuls in the latest series of BBC One’s The Celebrity Traitors.
Sheen called it a “full-circle moment” to make his West End comeback with Amadeus, having not performed in the London theatre district since his 2006 role as David Frost in Frost/Nixon. He added: “To bring this vital new production to both Cardiff and the West End – a first for a Welsh National Theatre – feels like an important next step on our journey.”
Joining him as Mozart is Callum Scott Howells, whose theatre credits include Ghosts, Romeo and Juliet, Oliver! and Lord of the Flies. Howells is also no stranger to the screen, having worked on Deadpoint (Channel 4) and Russell T Davies’ acclaimed series It’s a Sin (Channel 4). This won’t be the first time Howells and Sheen have worked together either, with the pair starring in BBC One series The Way.
Howells said: “It feels like a dream come true to be playing Mozart in this production next year. I have wanted to play the role for a very long time, so to be given this opportunity to bring this extraordinary world to life feels like a real gift.”
A tale of bitter rivalry
Returning to the stage for the first time in more than a decade, Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus explores ambition, faith, jealousy and the price of greatness.
Set in Vienna in 1820, the play opens with respected composer, Antonio Salieri making a shocking confession. He has encountered the gifted but vulgar, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Salieri becomes consumed by the thought that God has given this divine musical talent to the wrong man. What follows is a dangerous obsession that challenges his faith and threatens to destroy them both.
Written in 1979, Amadeus was inspired by Alexander Pushkin’s 1830 play Mozart and Salieri. While Shaffer dramatises a bitter rivalry between the composers, historians suggest their relationship may have been more cordial, with some even implying they mutually respected one another.
Group booking information
Tickets are available now. Group accelerator rates are available through Delfont Mackintosh Groups on bookings made before 22nd January.
The Accelerator Rate (10+) provides discounted tickets on stall and royal circle seating for Monday to Thursday evening performances.
To secure your tickets, go to delfontmackintosh.co.uk/whats-on/amadeus.
