Join acclaimed Welsh director Sean Mathias for a special play reading of Swansea Boy — a powerful and personal story rooted in Welsh identity, place and experience.
Set against the backdrop of Swansea, the play explores themes of belonging, memory and the formative influence of home, family and community. Both intimate and reflective, Swansea Boy offers a moving portrait of a young Welsh life and the lasting imprint of Wales — wherever life may lead.
This reading provides a rare opportunity to experience new work led by one of Wales’ most respected figures in theatre, whose career spans the West End, Broadway and international stages. The event will appeal to theatre lovers, writers, creatives and anyone with an interest in Welsh storytelling and culture.
A thoughtful and compelling contribution to the Wales Week programme, celebrating Welsh voices on the London stage.
About Sean Mathias:
Sean Mathias is a British Theatre Director, Film Director and Writer. He has worked at the Royal National Theatre, the West End, the Kennedy Centre, The Mark Taper Forum, Off-Broadway and many times on Broadway, as well as Paris, Sydney, Cape Town, Johannesburg, San Francisco and extensively in the UK.
He has written a number of plays including the award-winning A Prayer for Wings, and the screenplay for the award-winning BBC film The Lost Language of Cranes.
In 2009/2010 Sean was the Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Haymarket and his legendary production of Waiting for Godot played two seasons at the theatre, as well as touring the UK and internationally. In 2013 he directed and co-produced Two Plays in Rep, comprising Beckett’s Godot and Pinter’s No Man’s Land on Broadway at the Cort Theatre. His production of No Man’s Land, starring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, was the highest-grossing play in the history of the Wyndham’s Theatre. In 2019 he directed the UK premiere of Martin Sherman’s play Gently Down the Stream at the Park Theatre and later that year his production A Prayer For Wings transferred to the Kings Head Theatre from the Swansea Grand. Also in 2019 he directed Ian McKellen Onstage which toured the UK and played a season at the Pinter Theatre raising a staggering five million pounds for theatre charities. Sean first season as the Artist Director of Theatre Royal Windsor, produced Hamlet and The Cherry Orchard, with an ensemble of actors led by Ian McKellen and Francesca Annis.
He directed the award-winning film Bent.
He has won various awards including The Standard Award, WhatsOnStage Award, Cardiff International Film Festival award, the Critics’ Circle Award, a Fringe First at Edinburgh and the Prix de la Jeunesse at Cannes. He has been nominated for an Olivier Award and Tony Award.
