Sir Ian McKellen withdrawing from Player Kings following his fall
Sir Ian McKellen has pulled out of the national tour of Player Kings after falling from a West End stage during a performance last month.
The legendary actor, 85, said he was pulling out with ‘the greatest reluctance’ but is taking medical advice to ‘protect my recovery’.
Sir Ian was playing John Falstaff in a production of Player Kings at the Noel Coward Theatre on June 17 when he lost his footing in a fight scene and plunged from the stage into the audience.
After the shock incident, he was rushed to hospital to receive treatment and the remainder of his performances for the week were cancelled to allow him to rest.
The production ended in London on June 22 with an understudy, but Sir Ian was expected to rejoin the cast when the play goes on tour – starting in Bristol on July 3.
However, Sir Ian has now revealed that he will not be joining the Player Kings tour following advice from doctors.
Sir Ian McKellen has withdrawn from the national tour of Player Kings after he fell from a West End stage during a performance. He is pictured here during an earlier performance at the Noel Coward Theatre on April 11
Sir Ian said: ‘Two weeks after my accident onstage, my injuries improve day by day.
‘It’s with the greatest reluctance that I have accepted the medical advice to protect my full recovery by not working in the meantime.
‘I had been so looking forward to bringing Player Kings to theatre-goers in Bristol, Birmingham, Norwich and Newcastle.
‘But I can assure them that, with David Semark now playing Falstaff, Robert Icke’s production and his acting company remain as dazzling as ever. Go see for yourself!’
Meanwhile, a statement from the production said: ‘Following Ian McKellen’s injury during the West End run of Player Kings, his doctors’ advice is to take time off from work in order to fully recover.
‘As such, he will not be returning to play Sir John Falstaff in the national tour of Players Kings (3-27 July 2024).
‘Ian continues to recuperate very well, but he needs the time to rest and ensure a complete recovery. We continue to send him our best wishes.
‘As it was for the final West End performances, the role of Falstaff will now be performed by David Semark, Ian’s brilliant understudy, for all tour dates of Player Kings.’
The actor was in a scene involving the Prince of Wales and Henry Percy when he fell off the front of the stage, and was heard to cry out in pain as staff rushed to help.
Player Kings, a production of Henry IV, parts one and two, adapted and directed by Robert Icke, ended its run at the Noel Coward Theatre last month.
The play moves to the Bristol Hippodrome this week before being staged in Birmingham, Norwich and Newcastle.
Audience members told how Sir Ian let out a ‘blood-curdling’ scream when he fell from the stage.
Meanwhile Johanna Dart described the dramatic moment Sir Ian McKellen ‘flew head first’ into her when he fell off stage, adding: ‘Getting crushed by Gandalf the Grey, that’s something you don’t expect.’
Ms Dart, who was in the front row, said Sir Ian seemed to trip on a stage prop before falling – with his head hitting her knee ‘quite hard’.
Sir Ian’s career has spanned more than six decades and seen the actor perform at theatres around the country.
On screen he is best known for playing Magneto in the X-Men films and Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s fantasy trilogy, based on the books from JRR Tolkien.
On the stage he has played a number of Shakespearean characters including Richard II, Macbeth, Coriolanus, and King Lear.
His many acting credits have led to a number of accolades over the years including several Olivier Awards.
