Ian McKellen - Tour 2019

15 February is a Friday, so it will be Curious at night, won't it?

Me too! Thank you so much for sharing.

Thanks for sharing, just booked (still pondering going sick that day or just taking half a days holiday, going to something like this is on a Friday afternoon is not as good if you can’t tag the hell out of it on social media)

Really enjoyed this tonight at Above The Stag. Some great stories and readings. Particularly enjoyed the Shakespeare focused second act. I wonder if he mentions his first erection at other venues!

Lovely nibbles and drinks as part of the price as well. Even the noise from the trains added drama to the occasion!

Shame about the arsehole who shoved past me at the bar to get served first.

The description for Above The Stag did imply the material would be slightly different with more commentary around his sexuality and his work in plays like Bent which we did get but I can't imagine he doesn't talk about his coming out at other venues. Michael Cashman was there so he got referenced a few times.

And yes he did do the sticker bit.

Blanchett and Fiennes were mentioned at YV (bit of hobnobbing around their current things), there was a nice moment for John Hurt too. He talked about the move of the NT from the Old Vic and creation of Young Vic. He did talk a fair bit about coming out.

Are you implying that Sir Ian is not a fan of the Blessèd SRB?

How could anyone not be a fan of Dame Sir Lord Simon Russell Beale?!

It's all meant to be taken in good fun, I'm sure. He was joshing about Rufus Norris when I saw it at the NT - 'the less said the better'. Then when someone in the audience shouted Pericles he said 'has *anyone* actually seen Pericles?' and when half a dozen people in the front stalls immediately said yes, 'where?!', and they shouted 'here!', he said something or other about Rufus being ok after all. 

The first half of this afternoons show at the Piccadilly Theatre was a joy (how lucky was that man who got to get up on stage with Ian and get a selfie with him wearing a Gandalf hat and a signed programme (although more than a bit cheeky of him to then tell Ian the photo wasn’t all that 😂)): the second half I thought was a bit of a slog to be honest but that’s probably because I saw him do his Shakespeare one man show at the BFI a few years ago and this was pretty much the same thing (it’s on the Blu-Ray/dvd of Richard III and you can spot me in the audience, looking a bit erm, ‘discombobulated’ but I’m willing to autograph any copies people may have for a very reasonable fee)

I got to meet Ian on the way out and shake his hand but as he was collecting for the National Youth Theatre and there were hordes of selfie hunters behind me, this historic encounter was notably brief...

I did shout out 'THE SCOTTISH PLAY!' just so I could say I got into the spirit of things but I could have done without the French couple sat next to me, her translating to him (not so quietly), but thankfully during the second half there wasn't as much of this, probably because her skills didn't stretch to Shakespearean English, but this then caused much 'tssking' and Gallic kissing of teeth on his part because he didn't know what the hell was going on.

I did mumble a few 'shut ups' but this then caused other people to think I was aiming these at them (or Ian, I don't know) so rather than start a ruckus I decided to keep quiet: but honestly, this sort of show, OK so if you're on holiday on London its nice to say you saw a movie/theatre star but why bother if you won't have a clue what they're saying?

That was a bit special and most impressive projection, I was up in the balcony. There was just a feeling that everyone was really up for it and the audience in the main (yes not you lady who sat next to me and whispered a lot) was very well behaved.
There were a few overly keen contributors in the Shakespeare play bit especially the woman who went on bellowing out the same play long after it became clear he wasn't picking it for a reason.
Something of a thrill few hours even if sobered by the fact that he is more sprightly at 80 than I am at less than half the age.

I'm glad to hear this is going well. Ian is so talented and a class act, just a shame about the availability and prices in most venues. I imagine this will be on DVD at some point.