Entertainment
Sir Ian McKellen rushed to hospital after dramatic fall from West End stage-Brooke Ivey Johnson-Entertainment – Metro
The audience was immediately evacuated.
Sir Ian McKellen has been rushed to hospital after falling off the stage at a performance of player kings (Picture: Getty Images)
Legendary actor Sir Ian McKellen was rushed to hospital after a dramatic fall during a performance of Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre in London.
The 85-year-old reportedly stumbled during an intense fight scene, causing him to fall off the stage.
The incident occurred during a battle sequence between his character, John Falstaff, and the Prince of Wales and Henry Percy.
After McKellen lost his footing and tumbled from the stage, the house lights quickly came up, and he was heard crying out in pain.
Theatre staff and medical personnel promptly attended to the actor.
Following the accident, the audience was evacuated and informed that the evening show was cancelled and there tickets would be refunded.
As of now, there has been no update on the extent of Sir Ian’s injuries.
McKellen reportedly cried out in pain following the incident (Picture: Getty Images Europe)
Zack McCann, who was in the audience during the show, told Metro.co.uk of the incident: ‘It was pretty awful to see! Close to the end of Act One there is a fight scene between Prince Hal and Hotspur and Falstaff (Sir Ian’s character) came onstage.
‘During the fight Sir Ian looked to have tripped and fell into the first row. As he called out for help, the cast came to help him and the lights came up.’
He continued by saying that the employees of the theatre were quick to take action: ‘The staff at the Noel Coward Theatre were wonderful and lept into action to attend to him, evacuated the theatre and made sure to let us know quickly that they were waiting on an ambulance and would be canceling the remainder of the show.’
Eyewitnesses said that employees and other cast members quickly rushed to the actor’s aid (Picture: Getty Images)
McCann continued that while he wasn’t close enough to see the specifics of the injuries McKellen sustained, he was ‘definitely crying out in pain.’
When asked about the energy in the audience as the theatre goers filed out, McCann emphasised that no one was resentful about the cancellation, only concerned for the actor’s well being, saying that everyone seemed, ‘Very somber and full of concern. No one was upset at the cancellation and the only questions were about his condition.’
Several of the audience members who witnessed the event took to social media to share their experience of the harrowing moment.
One X user @iamnotshouting, who was seemingly at the performance, wrote: ‘Just witnessed an awful accident with Sir Ian McKellen tripping off the stage in London. He seems badly hurt. We are all in shock and tears.’
User @paulnero1 wrote: ‘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. #playerkings’
User @CEJohnson99 posted: ‘Just witnessed Ian Mckellan severely injure himself after falling off stage at Noel Coward Theatre. Sir Ian could be heard screaming in pain as ushers rushed to his aid. Show cancelled as he is treated by ambulance crews. Wish him all the best. #playerkings #ianmckellan’
McKellen is set to tour the country with the production (Picture: Getty Images)
Player Kings, a production encompassing Henry IV, Parts One and Two, began its 12-week West End run in April.
The show has been highly anticipated, drawing large crowds eager to see McKellen’s portrayal of the iconic Shakespearean character.
Playing the role of Falstaff has been a long held dream of McKellen’s, and he told the BBC earlier this year: ‘Actors who have taken on the role say it is verbally very challenging – it seems that the role was written for a particular actor and comedian in Shakespeare’s time, so it’s a bit like being given a script for Michael McIntyre.’
The show was due to move from the West End to Bristol, Birmingham, Norwich and Newcastle in coming months.
McKellen said: ‘The play itself has so many settings across England, from the taverns of the East End to the rural peaceful countryside of Gloucestershire and so it only makes sense that we take this show all around, giving the opportunity to as many people as possible to see it.’
Metro has reached out to Sir Ian McKellen’s representatives and The London Ambulance Service for comment.
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