Ian McKellen to miss play’s remaining London shows due to injuries

Sir Ian McKellen will not return for the remaining West End performances of Player Kings after he fell from the stage earlier this week.

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The veteran actor was performing at the Noël Coward Theatre on June 17 when he fell from the stage, reportedly breaking his wrist and sustaining other injuries.

According to the play’s production team, McKellen was originally expected to return for yesterday evening’s performance (June 19), after providing a hopeful update on his recovery.

However, it has now been announced that the 85-year-old actor will not perform the remaining three London shows, but will hopefully return to the play when it moves to Bristol on July 3.

In a post made to the play’s X account, the production team wrote: “We look forward to Ian returning to the production, which begins a national tour in Bristol on Wednesday 3 July, before visiting Birmingham, Norwich and Newcastle.”

According to the BBC, McKellen has said that he is having “physiotherapy, light exercise and a lot of essential rest at home”. The actor reportedly spent three nights in hospital.

McKellen’s role, Sir John Falstaff, will be played by understudy David Semark for the remaining London shows.

Following the incident, the Lord Of The Rings actor made a statement thanking fans for “their kind messages and support”. He added: “My injuries have been diagnosed and treated by a series of experts, specialists and nurses working for the National Health Service. To them, of course, I am hugely indebted.

“They have assured me that my recovery will be complete and speedy and I am looking forward to returning to work.”

The play, which started its 12-week West End run in April, is an adaptation by Robert Icke, merging together William Shakespeare’s Henry IV Parts 1 and 2.

When the play began, McKellen told the BBC that he was “intrigued and eventually persuaded” by Icke, and was “finally playing the role he always said no to”.

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