Michael Sheen’s brilliant story about Kenneth Williams and Richard Burton

As we all know Michael Sheen has plenty of stories to tell and thankfully for us he’s happy to tell them.

Now whether these stories be in the form of his latest stellar projects from the Welsh National Theatre or from the many tales extracted from memory, they are all relentlessly entertaining.

Take the Welshman’s appearance on Dermot O’Leary’s show on Radio 2 this weekend when he told a magnificent story about the chaos that ensued when Kenneth Williams understudied Richard Burton in Swansea.

Now the thought of the Carry On star (who always thought of himself as Welsh) with the distinctive clipped nasal tones stepping in for one of the most fearless actors of all time, who possessed a voice like an oncoming storm, is quite the image in itself.

Retelling the story on the Radio 2 show, Sheen was at pains to point out that he didn’t actually have confirmation if this tale was true or not, but he swore he had heard Williams himself tell it.

He said: ‘I heard this story that Kenneth Williams once understudied Richard Burton in a production of The Seagull by Chekhov at Swansea Grand Theatre.

‘Now I find no evidence for this, but I’ve heard Kenneth Williams telling the story. He said, Yeah, I was understudying Burton. And I thought, well, he’s never gonna be off. And then I come in one day and the stage manager said, Richard’s off. I said, No, no, he can’t be.

‘He said. Yeah, you’re going on, Kenny.

‘Kenny says I don’t know the lines. I don’t know the lines.

‘And he goes up to Richard Burton’s dressing room and Burton’s in there ‘oh I can’t go on Kenny, I can’t go on’

‘Kenny says hang on. And then goes to the bar next door and lined up drinks on the bar, and then went back, dragged Burton down to the bar, made him drink everything, and then shoved him on the stage!’

Watch the clip below. You can listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds

 

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It’s not the first time Sheen has regaled Dermot O’ Leary with some top tier Burton anecdotes.

Three years ago the Welsh actor appeared on O’ Leary’s ‘People, Just People’ podcast, when he told a wonderfully poignant story about his fellow Port Talbot acting titan.

The tale involves a schoolboy’s visit to the acting legend’s house, a bakery and a beautifully touching tale, that leaves the podcast presenter shocked.

Sheen said how hearing this story was an inspiration for him to take on the world of acting.

We won’t give anything away, but it’s a brilliant tale told to Sheen by another Welsh acting legend – and how role models can be found in the most unlikely of places.

Watch and enjoy!