S Poddar
Just yesterday, Sir Ian McKellen announced that he will not be joining the UK tour of his latest theatre production due to an injury he sustained while performing in London.
The esteemed actor suffered a fall last month during a performance of Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre. In a heartfelt statement, Sir Ian shared that he had reluctantly decided to follow medical advice to rest and focus on his recovery.
Stepping into his role as Sir John Falstaff for the national tour, running from July 3rd to 27th, will be his understudy, David Semark. Sir Ian expressed his regret, saying, “It’s with the greatest reluctance that I have accepted the medical advice to protect my full recovery by not working in the meantime.”
He added, “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.”
The production company echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of Sir Ian’s full recovery. “Ian continues to recuperate very well, but he needs the time to rest and ensure a complete recovery,” they stated. “We continue to send him our best wishes.”
Player Kings is a unique production that blends and condenses Shakespeare’s Henry IV Parts One and Two. During a performance on June 17th, Sir Ian lost his footing following an intense fight scene. He was promptly taken to the hospital, leading to the cancellation of that night’s show. Semark stepped in for the subsequent performances in London.
A theatre spokesperson later confirmed that Sir Ian had undergone a scan, and medics were optimistic about his recovery, noting that he was in good spirits.
