Sir Ian McKellen is set to take on a new role in a play combining parts one and two of Shakespeare’s Henry IV. He will play John Falstaff, a character he has never before portrayed despite his extensive experience in Shakespearean productions. The production, titled Player Kings and directed by Robert Icke, will be performed in Manchester and London next year.
Sir Ian expressed his excitement for the “ingenious adaptation,” stating that he became interested in acting professionally after appearing in a production of Henry IV in his University days. Despite his love for the Shakespearean plays throughout his career, he had previously resisted opportunities to take on the role of John Falstaff, making his acceptance of this new offer all the more significant.
Player Kings will open at the New Wimbledon Theatre in March, before transferring to Manchester Opera House. It will later enjoy a 12-week run at the Noël Coward Theatre in London’s West End from April to June. The show’s text will be composed entirely of Shakespeare’s dialogue, although the storyline for parts one and two of Henry IV are being condensed and reorganized for the new production.
Sir Ian’s previous highly regarded Shakespearean roles include Richard II, Coriolanus, Iago, Richard III, King Lear, and Macbeth, among others. He will also star as Hamlet in a new film directed by Sean Mathias. For over a decade, Sir Ian toured his own one-man show, Acting Shakespeare, in the UK and abroad.
Director Robert Icke’s last production in London, The Doctor, premiered at the Almeida theatre in 2019 and moved to both the West End and Broadway. John Falstaff, Sir Ian’s character in Player Kings, is a recurring figure in William Shakespeare’s work and is praised by the Bard in a fourth play
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