Tony Winner Ian McKellen, known for his roles in "X-Men" and "The Lord of the Rings," will finally join the cast of "Player Kings," director Robert Icke's adaptation of William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2.
The play is planned to run for 12 weeks in the Noël Coward Theatre in West End, London, beginning performances on April 1 until June 22. Production previews are set for March 1 to March 9 at the Wimbledon Theatre. Previews will also be held at the Manchester Opera House, running from March 14 to March 23.
McKellan will play "John Falstaff," whom he previously refused to play due to personal reasons.
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: Harriet Walter, Sir Ian McKellen and David Tennant perform on stage as part of a special production of Shakespeare Live! from the RSC on April 23, 2016 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is President of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare Live! from the RSC marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death by celebrating Shakespeare's legacy in theatre, music, opera and ballet.
Ian McKellen's Hesitance Playing the Role in Shakespeare Adaptation
In an interview with Globe and Mail, McKellen expressed his reluctance to play the role of "Falstaff," due to it being a "big part" in the play "Henry IV" and because he admittedly "never quite understood that person."
McKellen's history with Shakespearean stage plays is long, with his credits including roles such as "Richard II," "Coriolanus," "Iago," "Richard III," "King Lear," and "Macbeth." He is even set to reprise his role as "Hamlet," but this time in an upcoming film adaptation under the director Sean Mathias.
McKellan told BBC, that at the start of his career in acting at Cambridge in 1959, he had the opportunity to play at an undergraduate production of Henry IV. Due to that experience, this specific Shakespearean play has been among McKellan's favorites.
This fondness contributed to his eventual agreement to take up the "Falstaff" role, while also citing Icke's "ingenious adaptation" as "irresistible.
"It's a genuine honor to work with one of our greatest Shakespearean actors, Ian McKellen, especially as he tackles one of the most iconic Shakespearean roles - and one he's previously never turned his hand to," Icke shared in a statement.
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