Ian McKellen on Stage

In 2019 Ian McKellen is celebrating his 8oth birthday with a new solo show which will play on 80 stages across the UK, including the Royal Court Theatre. For more details about the tour, click here.

Proceeds from the event went towards supporting emerging playwrights at the Royal Court Theatre.

A message from Ian McKellen:

I’m celebrating my 80th birthday by touring a new solo show to theatres I know well and a few that I don’t. The show starts with Gandalf and will probably end with an invitation to act with me on stage. In-between there will be anecdotes and acting. I open at my local arts centre in January and end up by August in Orkney.

Live theatre has always been thrilling to me, as an actor and in the audience. Growing up in Lancashire, I was grateful to those companies who toured beyond London and I’ve always enjoyed repaying that debt by touring up and down the country myself, with the RSC, the National Theatre, Prospect Theatre, the Actors’ Company, as well as with commercial productions.

I’m delighted to be back at the Royal Court, the most precious of London theatres. As a young actor I appeared in new plays by Arnold Wesker, Barry Hines and most memorably in Martin Sherman’s Bent. All profits will support emerging playwrights at the Royal Court. See you there, I hope!

Ian McKellen on Stage is presented by Ambassador Theatre Group