Ian McKellan To Go On Tour For His 80th Birthday - Tolkien, Shakespeare, others

Big news for fans of British star Ian McKellan, to celebrate his 80th birthday next year, he’s going to go on a national tour around Britain, celebrating his greatest hits and raising funds for theatre.

Here are the details:

Ian McKellen is to celebrate his 8oth birthday next year by raising funds for theatres, with a new solo show which will play on 80 stages across the UK. It all begins in January 2019 with a Tour of London from the National Theatre to the Theatre Royal Stratford East, as well as performances in the West End and Outer London. Then, across the country, he will visit theatres large and small with which he has personal connections, including amateur groups he knew as a child and notable playhouses he has played in as a professional actor over the last half-century.

Accessibly priced tickets will be available everywhere. All profits will benefit specific causes at each theatre.
His intimate show is a mixture of anecdote and acting, including Tolkien, Shakespeare, others…and you the audience.

Ian McKellen says:

“I’m celebrating my 80th birthday by touring a new solo show to theatres I know well and a few that I don’t. The show starts with Gandalf and will probably end with an invitation to act with me on stage. In-between there will be anecdotes and acting. I open at my local arts centre in January and end up by August in Orkney.
Live theatre has always been thrilling to me, as an actor and in the audience. Growing up in Lancashire, I was grateful to those companies who toured beyond London and I’ve always enjoyed repaying that debt by touring up and down the country myself, with the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Prospect Theatre, the Actors’ Company, as well as with commercial productions. Sean Mathias, the director and I have worked together for stage and screen, many happy times.”

Ambassador Theatre Group’s Executive Producer Adam Speers says:

“ATG is proud to be presenting IAN MCKELLEN ON STAGE and is committed to supporting regional touring. The UK’s regional venues are integral in supporting and developing artists and practitioners across all areas of the theatre, both on and off stage. All of us in this industry are united by a passion for the arts and love of what we do and this special show is a rare and excellent opportunity to celebrate what’s best in our industry while at the same time celebrating one of its greatest actors and raising vital funds to keep the lifeblood of theatre in this country flowing.”

Where will he be going? All over Britain, including stops in London and the suburbs. Here’s the complete list:

25-26 January 2019 | The Space 269 Westferry Road, Isle of Dogs, London E14 3RS
28 January 2019 | National Theatre, Lyttleton Upper Ground, Lambeth, London SE1 9PX
30 January 2019 | Young Vic 66 The Cut, Waterloo, London SE1 8LZ
3 February 2019 | Bridge Theatre 3 Potters Fields Park, London SE1 2SG
4 February 2019 | Richmond Theatre Little Green, Richmond, London TW9 1QJ
6 February 2019 | Above The Stag Theatre 72 Albert Embankment, Lambeth, London SE1 7TP
10 February 2019 | Hampstead Theatre Eton Ave, London NW3 3EU
11 February 2019 | Arts Theatre 6-7 Great Newport St, London WC2H 7JB
12-13 February 2019 | Theatre Royal Windsor 32 Thames St, Windsor SL4 1PS
17 February 2019 | The Old Vic The Cut, Lambeth, London SE1 8NB
19-20 February 2019 | Bristol Old Vic King Street, Bristol BS1 4ED
22 February 2019 | Royal Court Theatre Sloane Square, Chelsea London SW1W 8AS
24-25 February 2019 | The Queen’s Theatre Billet Ln, Hornchurch, London RM11 1QT
26 February 2019 | Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre, RADA 62-64 Gower Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 6ED [SPECIAL PERFORMANCE FOR STUDENTS: NOT ON SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC]
1 March 2019 | Donmar Warehouse 41 Earlham St, London WC2H 9LX [SPECIAL PERFORMANCE FOR YOUNG+FREE MEMBERS: NOT ON SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC]
3 March 2019 | Lyric Hammersmith Lyric Square, King St, Hammersmith, London W6 0QL
4 March 2019 | The Questors, Judi Dench Playhouse 12 Mattock Ln, Ealing, London W5 5BQ
7 March 2019 (Mat & Eve) | Duke of York’s Theatre St Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4BG
8-9 March 2019 | Ipswich New Wolsey Civic Dr, Ipswich IP1 2AS
10 March 2019 | Theatre Royal Stratford East Gerry Raffles Square, London E15 1BN
13 March 2019 | Swansea Grand Theatre Singleton St, Swansea SA1 3QJ
14-15 March 2019 | Aberystwyth Arts Centre Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth SY23 3DE
16 March 2019 | The Hafren Llanidloes Rd, Newtown, Powys SY16 4HU
18-19 March 2019 |Theatr Clwyd Raikes Ln, Mold CH7 1YA
24 March 2019 | Theatre Royal Bath Saw Close, Bath BA1 1ET
29-30 March 2019 | Maddermarket Theatre St Johns Alley, Norwich NR2 1DR
2 April 2019 | The Leas Cliff Hall The Leas, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2DZ
5 April 2019 | Chichester Minerva Theatre Oaklands Park, Chichester PO19 6AP
12-13 April 2019 | Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds Westgate St, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1QR
14 April 2019 | Royal & Derngate 19-21 Guildhall Rd, Northampton NN1 1DP
17-18 April 2019 | Colchester Mercury Mercury Theatre, Balkerne Gate , Colchester CO1 1PT
20 April 2019 | Belgrade Theatre Coventry Belgrade Square, Corporation St, Coventry CV1 1GS
24-25 April 2019 | Norwich Playhouse 42 – 58 St Georges St, Norwich NR3 1AB
27-28 April 2019 | King’s Lynn Shakespeare Festival St George’s Guildhall, 29 King St, Kings Lynn PE30 1HA
30 April – 1 May 2019 | Oxford Playhouse 11-12 Beaumont St, Oxford OX1 2LW
3-4 May 2019 | Jersey Opera House 3 Gloucester St, St. Helier, Jersey JE2 3QR
6 May 2019 | Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Exchange St, Aylesbury HP20 1UG
7-8 May 2019 | Cheltenham Everyman Theatre 7 – 10 Regent St, Cheltenham GL50 1HQ
10-11 May 2019 | Cambridge Arts Theatre 6 St Edward’s Passage, Cambridge CB2 3PJ
13-14 May 2019 | Wigan Little Theatre 44 Crompton St, Wigan WN1 3SL
15 May 2019 | The Forum Theatre The Precinct, Romiley, Stockport SK6 4EA
17-18 May 2019 | Liverpool Playhouse Williamson Square, Liverpool L1 1EL
19 May 2019 | Warwick Arts Centre University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL
20 May 2019 | Blackpool Grand 33 Church St, Blackpool FY1 1HT
23 May 2019 | Burnley Youth Theatre Queen’s Park Rd, Burnley BB10 3LB
25 May 2019 | The Albert Halls Theatre Victoria Square, Bolton BL1 1RU
28 May 2019 | The Dukes Moor Lane, Lancaster LA1 1QE
31 May 2019 | Buxton Opera House Water St, Buxton SK17 6XN
1-2 June 2019 | Curve Theatre, Studio 60 Rutland St, Leicester LE1 1SB
3 June 2019 | Sheffield Crucible 55 Norfolk St, Sheffield S1 1DA
4 June 2019 | Theatre Royal Wakefield Drury Ln, Wakefield WF1 2TE
5-6 June 2019 | HOME Manchester 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN
9 June 2019 | Forum Theatre Billingham Queensway, Stockton-on-Tees TS23 2LJ
11 June 2019 | The Civic Hanson St, Barnsley S70 2HZ
12 June 2019 | CAST Waterdale, Doncaster DN1 3BU
14 June 2019 | The Georgian Theatre Royal Victoria Rd, Richmond, Yorkshire DL10 4DW
16 June 2019 | Hull New Theatre Kingston Square, Hull HU1 3HF
17 June 2019 | Grand Opera House Clifford St, York YO1 9SW
21-22 June 2019 | Birmingham Repertory Theatre Broad St, Birmingham B1 2EP
25-26 June 2019 | Nottingham Playhouse Wellington Circus, Nottingham NG1 5AF
27-28 June 2019 | Cardiff New Theatre Park Pl, Cardiff CF10 3LN
1 July 2019 | Northcott Theatre Stocker Rd, Exeter EX4 4QB
2 July 2019 | Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre For The Arts, 21 Kingland Rd, Poole BH15 1UG
3 July 2019 | Marine Theatre Church St, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA
5 July 2019 | The Watermill Theatre Bagnor, Newbury RG20 8AE
15-19 July 2019 | Theatre Royal Brighton New Rd, Brighton BN1 1SD
21 July 2019 | Royal Shakespeare Theatre & Swan Theatre Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6BB
25-26 July 2019 | Lyric Theatre 55 Ridgeway St, Belfast BT9 5FB
27 July 2019 | Waterside Theatre Glendermott Rd, Derry/ Londonderry BT47 6BG
29 July 2019 | The Braid Arts Centre 1-29 Bridge Street, Ballymena BT43 5AE
31 July – 1 August 2019 | Theatre at the Mill Carnmoney Rd N, Mossley Mill, Newton Abbey BT36 5QA
9 August 2019 | Dundee Rep Theatre Tay Square, Dundee DD1 1PB
11 August 2019 | Pitlochry Festival Theatre Port Na Craig, Pitlochry PH16 5DR
12 August 2019 | Eden Court Bishops Rd, Inverness IV3 5SA
14 August 2019 | Aberdeen Tivoli 34-48 Guild St, Aberdeen AB11 6NB
18 August 2019 | Newcastle Theatre Royal 100 Grey St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6BR
20 August 2019 | Theatre by the Lake Lakeside, Lake Rd, Keswick CA12 5DJ
22-25 August 2019 | Edinburgh International Festival at Assembly Hall, Mound Pl, Edinburgh EH1 2LU
28 August 2019 | The Orkney Theatre Kirkwall Grammar School, The Meadows, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1QN
15 September 2019 | National Theatre, Olivier Upper Ground, Lambeth, London SE1 9PX

You can buy your tickets here – buy soon as they are bound to sell out!

Author: jonathan

Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.