Ian McKellen Drops Out of ‘Player Kings’ National Tour on Doctor’s Orders Following Fall

The role of Falstaff in the West End production will be played by David Semark moving forward

ir Ian McKellen attends "The Delaunay Presents An Evening With" in collaboration with Denville Hall, the residential home for all members of the theatrical profession, at The Delaunay, Aldwych, on April 21, 2024 in London, England
Ian McKellen attends "The Delaunay Presents An Evening With" in collaboration with Denville Hall, the residential home for all members of the theatrical profession, at The Delaunay, Aldwych, on April 21, 2024 in London, England (Dave Benett/Getty Images for The Wolseley Hospitality Group)

Following his fall, Ian McKellen has officially dropped out of the West End’s national tour of “Player Kings” and will not be returning to play Sir John Falstaff.

David Semark, McKellen’s understudy, will take over the role moving forward. The national tour will take place from July 3-27.

“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,” McKellen said in a Monday statement on X. “I have been so looking forward to bringing ‘Player Kings’ to theatre-goers in Bristol, Birmingham, Norwich and Newcastle.

Kayla Cobb

Kayla has covered the TV industry for more then seven years. Before joining TheWrap in April of 2023, she was the Senior TV Reporter at Decider, the New York Post’s entertainment vertical that focuses on the streaming industry. She was instrumental to the site’s growth, helping transform a fledging site to a respected name in…

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