Sir Ian McKellen Returns to 'Hamlet' This Summer

Fifty years after he first played the role, Sir Ian McKellen will return to "Hamlet" this year, The Guardian reports. Following that production, McKellen will play the role of Firs in the Chekhov classic "The Cherry Orchard" in September.

"I've acted in both these masterpieces before – and seen them scores of times," said McKellen. "They are in that select group of classic plays which bear, even demand, a regular look, even reappraisal. By actors, directors, producers – and audiences." The "Lord of the Rings" star first acted in "Hamlet" in 1971. "I didn't reckon I was any good," he said.

On his upcoming return, McKellen said he never dreamed of returning to the role because in the script, the character is referred to as "Young Hamlet" and generally believed to be around 30 years old. McKellen contends that in playing the role now, it gives the audience an opportunity to "look into how much we need to see what we're hearing."

The new run of "Hamlet" – described as an "age, color and gender-blind" production – will begin previews in June in preparation for a Summer opening at the Theatre Royal Windsor, west of London and neighboring Windsor Castle. Some audience members will be seated on-stage.

Steven Berkoff ("Octopussy"), Jenny Seagrove (BBC's "Judge John Deed"), and Francesca Annis ("Dune"), among others, will join McKellen in both productions, which will be directed by Sean Mathias and produced by Bill Kenwright.

Rehearsals began last year but were halted because of the pandemic. Kenwright said, "Sean, Ian and I started this journey during the first lockdown last summer. At that time it was not to be, but while we will continue to work in steadfast accordance with government and scientific guidelines, and the safety of all our priority, we are hugely optimistic that our rehearsals will lead us to a pretty historic opening on 21 June."

Another staging of "Hamlet" was recently announced by another London-based theatre, the Young Vic, starring Cush Jumbo (CBS's "The Good Wife," "The Good Fight"), running September 27 to November 13 after its 2020 opening was delayed due to COVID-19.