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| Ian McKellen to play King Lear in London | Ian McKellen to play King Lear in London |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Ian McKellen is to star in London’s West End as King Lear, reprising what he has suggested will be his last major Shakespearean role. | Ian McKellen is to star in London’s West End as King Lear, reprising what he has suggested will be his last major Shakespearean role. |
| The production, directed by Jonathan Munby, is a transfer from Chichester Festival theatre, where it had a short, sold-out run in 2017 and was praised by critics. McKellen’s “superbly detailed performance” in an intimate staging, wrote Michael Billington, offered “a permanent closeup of a soul in torment”. | The production, directed by Jonathan Munby, is a transfer from Chichester Festival theatre, where it had a short, sold-out run in 2017 and was praised by critics. McKellen’s “superbly detailed performance” in an intimate staging, wrote Michael Billington, offered “a permanent closeup of a soul in torment”. |
| McKellen previously played Lear in a 2007 production, directed by Trevor Nunn for the Royal Shakespeare Company, which also received a West End transfer. Munby’s production will run at the Duke of York’s theatre, where McKellen made an award-winning West End debut in 1964 in A Scent of Flowers by James Saunders. | McKellen previously played Lear in a 2007 production, directed by Trevor Nunn for the Royal Shakespeare Company, which also received a West End transfer. Munby’s production will run at the Duke of York’s theatre, where McKellen made an award-winning West End debut in 1964 in A Scent of Flowers by James Saunders. |
| “It’s a small theatre,” tweeted McKellen on Thursday, “but we shall make it even more intimate by removing half the stalls seats.” | “It’s a small theatre,” tweeted McKellen on Thursday, “but we shall make it even more intimate by removing half the stalls seats.” |
| Full casting for the transfer is yet to be announced. King Lear will run for 100 performances at the Duke of York’s from 11 July to 3 November. Tickets go on sale on 8 February, with some available at £5 for people aged 16-25. | Full casting for the transfer is yet to be announced. King Lear will run for 100 performances at the Duke of York’s from 11 July to 3 November. Tickets go on sale on 8 February, with some available at £5 for people aged 16-25. |