‘The Lord of the Rings’ actor Ian McKellen still in ‘good spirits’ after falling off stage
‘The Lord of the Rings’ actor Ian McKellen is recovering after suffering a nasty fall off stage during a fight scene. According to the latest update, he is in ‘good spirits’.
Producers said actor Ian McKellen was expected to make a full recovery after he fell off stage during a fight scene in London and was hospitalised.
A spokesman for the Noel Coward Theatre said McKellen, 85, was in “good spirits” after doctors said scans showed he was expected to make a full recovery following his fall on Monday night.
Producers said Tuesday’s performance has been canceled, but McKellen is expected to return to the stage on Wednesday.
The stage and film veteran, who played Gandalf in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films, screamed in pain after the fall, according to a BBC journalist present at the theatre.
McKellen was playing the wicked John Falstaff in “Player Kings,” an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s two “Henry IV” history plays, directed by Robert Icke.
Theatre audiences were shocked when McKellen slipped and fell off the stage during a scene with Prince Hal, played by Toheeb Jimoh, and Henry Percy, played by Samuel Edward-Cook.
Spectator Paul Critchley told the PA news agency that “Sir Ian lost his footing as he walked down the stage to take a more active part in the scene.” He said it was a shock.
“As he moved down the stage, his speed increased, resulting in him falling off the stage into the audience,” the theatre said in a statement. Staff in the audience and two doctors helped the actor.
The theater was evacuated and the performance cancelled.
McKellen played Magneto in the ‘X-Men’ films and is one of Britain’s most acclaimed Shakespearean actors, having played roles such as Richard III, Macbeth and King Lear.
He has won a Tony Award for ‘Amadeus’, several Olivier Awards, and has been nominated for two Academy Awards, five Emmys and several BAFTA Awards.
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