The first major revival of Amadeus, Peter Shaffer’s award-winning masterpiece in over a decade, will play in Cardiff and London’s West End in 2027.
Returning for his first West End production since 2006’s Frost/Nixon, multi-award winning actor and director Michael Sheen (The Passion, Nye, Our Town) will star as embittered court composer Antonio Salieri, opposite BAFTA Cymru winner Callum Scott Howells (It’s a Sin, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club) who makes his role debut as musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Peter Shaffer’s seminal play. Sheen was the first major actor to perform both roles following critically acclaimed performances as Mozart in the West End and on Broadway (1998/1999) and as Salieri at the Sydney Opera House (2022). Amadeus sees Sheen and Howells reunite for the first time since their collaboration on BBC drama The Way, also marking the first time two Welsh actors have taken on the iconic roles in the same production. Further casting to be announced.
Jeremy Herrin directs following his recent acclaimed productions of Guess How Much I Love You at the Royal Court and The Spy Who Came In From the Cold which is currently playing throughout the UK as part of a major UK tour. Amadeus will feature set design by Olivier Award winner Bunny Christie with costume design by Lez Brotherston. Casting is by Sam Jones CDG. Further creative team to be announced.
A Second Half Productions and Welsh National Theatre co-production, Amadeus will play at New Theatre Cardiff from 9 - 27 March 2027 ahead of a 16 week run at the Noël Coward Theatre, a Delfont Mackintosh Theatre, in London’s West End from 17 April - 7 August. Amadeus marks the first West End production for Welsh National Theatre and the first show announced by Second Half Productions since opening their celebrated production of Every Brilliant Thing on Broadway. Tickets are on general sale from 10am on Friday 24 April, with 15,000 tickets available at £30 or less across Cardiff and London. Priority booking is now open.
Vienna, 1820. A respected composer makes a shocking confession.
Antonio Salieri has everything - status, success, and the certainty that he has earned them. Until he meets musical prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Vulgar and childish, but utterly brilliant, Mozart possesses a gift so extraordinary that Salieri believes it can only be divine. And that God has chosen the wrong man.
Faced with a brilliance he cannot rival, Salieri begins a dangerous obsession that threatens to consume them both - channelling his jealousy into a calculated campaign to destroy the man he both worships and despises.
Fuelled by some of the greatest music ever written, Amadeus is an electrifying story of ambition, faith, and the unbearable cost of greatness - where talent battles genius, devotion turns to betrayal, and man dares to challenge God.
Jeremy Herrin says: “I'm delighted to be working on this legendary and beloved play with such fantastic acting talent. Michael Sheen is a master of the stage: surely one of the world's best. I can't wait to see him go toe to toe with Callum Scott Howells who has talent and presence to burn. I'm thrilled that Second Half Productions has the privilege of building the show in Cardiff and bringing Welsh National Theatre's inspiring work to the West End for the first time.”