Sir Ian McKellen has expressed his deep regret at having to follow medical advice and pull out from the national tour of Player Kings due to a recent injury, stating it's with "the greatest reluctance" he does so to ensure he fully recovers.
The esteemed actor, 85, suffered a horror fall during a performance at the Noel Coward Theatre after he lost his footing in a fight scene.This led to the cancellation of two shows and hospital treatment for Sir Ian.
His understudy David Semark is set to replace him as Sir John Falstaff in the upcoming national tour starting on Wednesday, 3 July.
Sir Ian shared his progress in a statement: "Two weeks after my accident onstage, my injuries improve day by day." "It's with the greatest reluctance that I have accepted the medical advice to protect my full recovery by not working in the meantime." Despite his disappointment, Sir Ian remained enthusiastic about the production: "I had been so looking forward to bringing Player Kings to theatre-goers in Bristol, Birmingham, Norwich and Newcastle." "But I can assure them that, with David Semark now playing Falstaff, Robert Icke's production and his acting company remain as dazzling as ever.
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