Rosie Sheehy

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Rosie Sheehy is a stage and screen actor, known for her work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, The Old Vic and for her critically acclaimed performances in London theatre.[1] A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), she has been recognised for her emotional range in both classical and contemporary roles.[2] Sheehy received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance as the Young Woman in Machinal at the Old Vic in 2024.[3]

Early life and education

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Sheehy was born and raised in Port Talbot, Wales, a community noted for its vibrant theatrical lineage and for nurturing several prominent performers.[4] She has acknowledged the town's artistic identity as formative in her development as an actor. She later trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.[2]

Career

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Stage

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Sheehy has performed extensively on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and leading London theatres.[1]

She made her London stage debut in The Hairy Ape (Old Vic), playing Mildred, directed by Richard Jones.[5] She went on to appear in Uncle Vanya at Theatr Clwyd and Sheffield Theatre as Sonya, a performance that won the Best Female Performance in the English Language Award at the Wales Theatre Awards.[6]

Other notable stage performances include:

  • The Wolves (Theatre Royal Stratford East) — 13, directed by Ellen McDougall[1]
  • Bird (Manchester Royal Exchange) — Tash, directed by Rachel O’Riordan[1]
  • Anna X (The Vaults) — Anna, directed by Daniel Raggett[1]
  • Oleanna (Arts Theatre West End & Theatre Royal Bath) — Carol, directed by Lucy Bailey[1]
  • King John (Royal Shakespeare Company) — King John, directed by Eleanor Rhode[1]
  • All's Well That Ends Well (Royal Shakespeare Company) — Helena, directed by Blanche McIntyre, nominated for the Ian Charleson Awards 2023[7]
  • Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company) — Lady Anne, directed by Greg Doran, nominated for the Ian Charleson Awards 2023[7]
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream (Royal Shakespeare Company) — Puck, directed by Eleanor Rhode[1]
  • Romeo and Julie (Royal National Theatre) — Julie, directed by Rachel O’Riordan, nominated for Breakthrough Artist, South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2023[8]
  • Machinal (Old Vic & Theatre Royal Bath) — Young Woman, directed by Richard Jones, nominated for Best Actress at the 2025 Olivier Awards[3]
  • An Interrogation (Hampstead Theatre / Celia Atkin) — Ruth Palmer, directed by Jamie Armitage[1]
  • The Brightening Air (Old Vic Theatre) — Billie, directed by Conor McPherson

Reception

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Critics have widely praised Sheehy's performance in Machinal. Time Out described her work as "astonishing," noting how she "nails a different aspect of alienation … her feral screams … become increasingly incapable of suppressing her disgust."[9]

The Reviews Hub wrote: “Rosie Sheehy gives a towering central performance that will be talked about for decades.”[10]

In The Guardian, Arifa Akbar wrote that she "cements her reputation as an astounding stage talent."[11]

Reviewing the transfer to London, The Standard called her "gobsmacking," adding that "once in a while a … lead performance comes along which makes theatre history."[12]

For The Brightening Air, critics again singled her out. Time Out described the play as "a bittersweet drama … Sheehy’s tough but intensely vulnerable Billie … it will be decades before the world is ready for her."[13]

Financial Times praised her as "outstanding as Billie, whose frankness makes her both vulnerable and insightful, and who is … the anchor of the play."[14] The Standard noted: “Rosie Sheehy … adds to her unbroken run of transfixingly vivid roles … She gives the character … a twitchily unpredictable conviction.”[15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Rosie Sheehy". What’s On Stage. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  2. ^ a b "RADA Profiles: Rosie Sheehy, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art". RADA.
  3. ^ a b "Laurence Olivier Awards 2025 nominations". Official London Theatre.
  4. ^ "'To hell with RP' … how surprise Olivier nominee Rosie Sheehy is following in Richard Burton's footsteps". The Guardian. 16 April 2025. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  5. ^ "Rosie Sheehy on starring in Conor McPherson's 'The Brightening Air'". LondonTheatre.co.uk. 2 May 2025.
  6. ^ “Wales Theatre Awards winners”. Wales Theatre Awards. https://www.walestheatreawards.com/winners
  7. ^ a b "Ian Charleson Awards 2023 nominations". Ian Charleson Awards. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  8. ^ "South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2023 nominations". Sky.
  9. ^ "Review: Machinal". Time Out. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  10. ^ "Machinal – Old Vic Theatre, London". The Reviews Hub.
  11. ^ "Machinal review: Rosie Sheehy cements her reputation as an astounding stage talent". The Guardian.
  12. ^ "Critically acclaimed Machinal to transfer to the Old Vic with 'gobsmacking' lead Rosie Sheehy". The Standard.
  13. ^ "Review: The Brightening Air". Time Out. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  14. ^ "The Brightening Air theatre review — a rich family drama with echoes of Chekhov". Financial Times.
  15. ^ "The Brightening Air at the Old Vic review: this slice of 1980s Irish life is hilarious and achingly moving". The Standard.