Sir Ian McKellen was rushed to the hospital following a fall from the stage during a performance in London on Monday.
The 85-year-old actor was in the midst of his role in "Player Kings" at the Noel Coward Theatre when the incident occurred. McKellen, portraying John Falstaff in the show, lost his footing during a fight scene and tumbled off the front of the stage, crying out in pain. The BBC, the first to report the news, noted that crew members quickly came to his aid, the house lights were brought up, and the audience was evacuated.
Despite the alarming scene, one audience member told the BBC that McKellen remained conscious after the fall. "I really hope that he is going to be all right," said Sandro Trapani. Meanwhile, others took to social media platform X to express their concern and send well wishes to the esteemed actor. "Audience shocked by Sir Ian McKellen’s fall off stage tonight at Noel Coward Theatre. Staff working hard to help him. Thoughts with him, cast, and crew," wrote Paul Nero, a writer and broadcaster. Another individual responded to Nero’s tweet, noting that McKellen seemed to be in bad shape.
In a statement shared with Page Six, representatives for McKellen thanked the audience and the public for their support and assured fans of his recovery. "Following a scan, the brilliant NHS team have assured us that he will make a speedy and full recovery, and Ian is in good spirits," the statement read. They also expressed gratitude to two doctors in the audience who promptly assisted. However, producers decided to cancel the performance scheduled for Tuesday, June 18th, to allow McKellen to rest.
"Player Kings," a three-hour adaptation of Shakespeare's "Henry IV Part 1" and "Part 2," began its 12-week run in April 2024. The play is expected to continue at the West End until Saturday before touring throughout the United Kingdom until the end of July. This marks McKellen’s sixth stage role in three years since theaters reopened post-pandemic. Earlier this month, McKellen told The Times that he approaches each role with the awareness that it could be his last, given his age. "If you want to know that you are mortal, you just have to look at your address book," he remarked. "When a script comes through or the hint of an offer, you think this might be my last job. No, I'm not doing that," he said. "So if Falstaff is my last job, I’d better get it right, hadn’t I?"
