Monday saw the hospitalisation of British actor Ian McKellen, who portrayed Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. When McKellen was performing in London, he fell off the stage.
The 85-year-old actor was playing John Falstaff in the London West End’s Noel Coward Theatre’s production of Player Kings. According to AFP, he stumbled during a battle scene.
McKellen is said to have fallen off the stage during this moment, and spectators heard him “crying in pain.”
Before the actor was taken to the hospital in a hurry, medical professionals and theatre employees assisted him as soon as the lights came up, according to Express.
As a result, the entire play was cancelled and tickets were reimbursed, and the audience was forced to leave the venue.
A theatre representative said on Tuesday, “After a scan, the amazing NHS (National Health Service) team have reassured us that he will make a speedy and full recovery and Ian is in good spirits.”
“In order to give Ian more time to recover, the production has decided to postpone Tuesday, June 18’s performance.”
On Wednesday, he’s anticipated to take the stage once more.
The spokesperson thanked the audience and the wider public for their well wishes after Ian fell during Player Kings’ performance this evening.
One of the most well-known actors in Britain, McKellen also portrayed Magneto in the X-Men movies and has garnered several accolades over the course of a 60-year career in theatre and film.
McKellen’s Player Kings, which combines two of the Bard’s historical plays about King Henry IV, is a return to Shakespeare.
