Aneurin 'Nye' Bevan: NHS founder's life re-told in theatre production starring Michael Sheen
Starring Michael Sheen, the production will be livestreamed into cinemas next month under a national theatre scheme championed by none other than Dame Helen Mirren
Michael Sheen is portraying Aneurin 'Nye' Bevan - the man who spearheaded the creation of the National Health Service (NHS) - in the National Theatre's latest play, aptly named Nye.
Written by Tim Price, the production, according to the National Theatre, takes the audience on a "surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain's welfare state".
But, as the Welshman tells ITV News, the timeliness of the show's release has taken on extra importance given the modern-day pressures felt by the NHS and, what he feels, is the need for radical change.
Sheen said: "I think the NHS has to be reimagined I suppose in many ways.
"The kind of audacity of Bevan's vision and the drive and the determination to bring those fundamental beliefs about: you shouldn't be denied basic healthcare because of your lack of means."
He added: "We really don't want it to go back to the way it was.
"We talk about people having surgery without anaesthetic because they couldn't afford it, I mean just awful, awful stories and we cannot let things go back to that."
Audiences can enjoy performances of the play at the National Theatre, in London, up until Saturday May 11, before it moves to the Wales Millennium Centre, in Cardiff, for several weeks.
'The vision that grew out of that has to be reimagined now because the NHS is in all kinds of difficulties'
And, in a quirk organisers hope will entice greater viewing interest, the production is also available to watch in selected cinemas.
Dame Helen Mirren starred in the 2009 production of Phedre, which was then the first play to be broadcast in cinemas across the UK.
She explained to ITV News the importance of bringing such shows to the big screen, enabling future generations to watch what she hailed as "incredible performances".
"Having spent a lot of my career in theatre, having seen incredible performances you know witnessed them on stage, acted with the person or sitting in the audience and thinking future generations will never know how brilliant this performance was, was always very heartbreaking for me.
"Of course, theatre and film are two completely different disciplines and it's a strange marrying of the two, but at least to save great performances, great plays, great productions for future generations is one very important element."
'I meet people outside of the stage door you know saying 'I've been working in the NHS for thirty years or more' and they're so moved by the production'
Asked about the play's importance in highlighting work done by the NHS, Sheen recounted how an early performance demonstrated a real-life example of the healthcare provided by staff.
He said: "Funnily enough on one of the earlier performances someone, unfortunately, got taken quite ill in the theatre and it was towards the end of the play and we had to bring the lights up and everything and stop the play.
"And someone said 'Is there a doctor in the house?' and there was about fifty of them!
"So, yes, it's well attended anyway. And I meet people outside of the stage door you know saying 'I've been working in the NHS for thirty years or more' and they're so moved by the production and they just want to say 'thank you for doing it'.
"But I mean it's just an opportunity to say 'thank you' to them for their service."
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