Veteran actor Ian McKellen recently suffered an injury and had to be taken to a hospital after falling off the stage during a performance in London. The incident occurred during the staging of Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre in London’s West End.
The 85-year-old actor was reportedly involved in a battle scene when he lost his balance and fell. The audience was asked to exit the theatre, and the evening show was subsequently canceled. Ian was immediately transported to the hospital. A representative for the theatre released a statement saying that Ian McKellen will “make a speedy and full recovery” and that the 85-year-old actor is “in good spirits.”
The statement read, “Thank you to our audience and the general public for their well wishes following Ian’s fall during this evening’s performance of ‘Player Kings’. Following a scan, the brilliant NHS team has assured us that he will make a speedy and full recovery and Ian is in good spirits. The production has made the decision to cancel the performance on Tuesday 18 June so Ian can rest. Those affected will be contacted by their point of purchase as soon as possible tomorrow. Thank you to doctors Rachel and Lee who were on hand in the audience and to all the venue staff for their support.”
Regarding Player Kings, Ian McKellen portrays John Falstaff in the production. It is a staging of William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Parts One and Two, which began its 12-week run at the West End in April. This is not the first time Ian McKellen has taken on a Shakespearean role. He has previously performed in stage roles such as Macbeth, King Lear, Richard II, Coriolanus, Iago, and Richard III. Earlier this year, he also played Hamlet in a film adaptation directed by Sean Mathias. In film, Ian is well-known for his roles as Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy and as Magneto in the X-Men movies.