Matthew Rhys to return to London stage in 'Playing Burton' at The Old Vic

Matthew Rhys will star in Mark Jenkins's show at the London venue on 16 November, in a production directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher (Kiss Me, Kate).

Summary

• Matthew Rhys returns to the London stage for the first time in 21 years
• He stars in 'Playing Burton' at The Old Vic for one night only
• The production is raising funds for Michael Sheen's new Welsh National Theatre

Emmy Award winner Matthew Rhys will return to the London stage for the first time in 21 years to star in Playing Burton at The Old Vic. The one-man play is being revived to mark the centenary since Richard Burton’s birth, raising funds for Michael Sheen’s new Welsh National Theatre.

Rhys will star in Mark Jenkins's show at the London venue on 16 November, in a production directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher (Kiss Me, Kate). Playing Burton follows Burton's life from impoverished South Wales beginnings to becoming one of the greatest performers of his generation, as well as capturing his passionate love affair with Elizabeth Taylor and struggle with alcoholism.

Rhys said: “Michael Sheen has been putting all us Welsh actors to shame by setting up Welsh National Theatre so, when a space appeared in my schedule, I felt it was my time to step up!

“The Old Vic meant a lot to Burton's early days, as it did to mine, playing Nick in Samuel Adamson's Grace Notes there in 1997. It's going to be really something to be back on that stage, playing an actor who ignited my love for the craft.

“When Covid hit, I prepared a production of Playing Burton but have never had the chance to perform it on stage. With 2025 being both Burton’s centenary year and the first year of the Welsh National Theatre, it felt right to return to the London and Welsh stage for the first time in 20-plus years."

Michael Sheen said: “Matthew got in touch with me to say he had a window in his diary so how could he help Welsh National Theatre. What started with a simple message has turned into a tour where people across our country can see one of our greatest actors play one of our greatest actors, all in the year of Richard Burton’s centenary.

“One of the first things I did when we started WNT was to visit theatres up and down Wales, so it feels special to be able to take this show to stages in lots of communities and to now add a London date at The Old Vic, the theatre that played such a role in Richard Burton’s stage career. The whole thing has a special kind of serendipity and is exactly what we wanted to unlock with Welsh National Theatre.”

Book Playing Burton tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Matthew Rhys. (Courtesy of production)