Ian McKellen’s former understudy weighs in on actor’s shock fall from West End stage

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy David Weston, Sir Ian McKellen’s former understudy, has opened up about the actor’s work ethics and the toll doing theatre can take physically. A vanishing breed.” McKellen, 85, is currently playing John Falstaff in Player Kings, a production of William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, at the Noël Coward Theatre. They have assured me that my recovery will be complete and speedy and I am looking forward to returning to work.” open image in gallery Sir Ian McKellen and castmates at curtain call for the press night performance of ‘Player Kings’ in April Weston, whose book Covering McKellen: An Understudy’s Tale won the 2012 Theatre Book Prize, went on to describe the specific scene in which McKellen was injured, explaining how it has caused injuries to other actors, including himself. “You become slightly deaf and have difficulty hearing your cues, especially from young actors who don’t project like they did in your youth.” open image in gallery Sir Ian McKellen has been playing Falstaff in ‘Player Kings’ at the Noel Coward theatre since April In a statement to The Independent, a representative for Player Kings said: “Thank you to our audience and the general public for their well wishes following Ian’s fall during this evening’s performance of Player Kings.