Sir Ian’s solo tour to visit Dundee and Perthshire

Legend of stage and screen will celebrate 80th birthday with stories from long career

A legend of the stage and the silver screen will bring his solo show to both Dundee and Perthshire next year.

Sir Ian McKellen, known to millions as Gandalf in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy and as Magneto in the X-Men films, will celebrate his 80th birthday with a tour of the country.

The Ian McKellen On Stage: Tolkien, Shakespeare And You! show will be at Dundee Rep on August 9 and Pitlochry Festival Theatre on August 11.

Announcing the tour, Sir Ian said: “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.

He added: “Many of my friends have told me of their happy times working in Pitlochry, so I’m delighted to be at last making my debut at the Festival Theatre.

“All profits will support young people to attend and take part in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s wide range of programming.”

Perthshire North MSP and Scotland’s deputy first minister John Swinney welcomed the news.

He said: “I am thrilled to hear that Sir Ian McKellen will be performing at Pitlochry Festival Theatre (PFT).

“Sir Ian is one of the UK’s most beloved actors, with his inimitable performances endearing him to millions around the globe.

“From Macbeth to King Lear to Gandalf, he has brought to life countless iconic characters of the stage and screen.

“It is a real coup for PFT to attract an actor of Sir Ian’s quality and stature, and it speaks to the phenomenal job the management team are doing, along with the wonderful venue that we are fortunate to have in Perthshire.

“I wholeheartedly congratulate PFT on this fantastic news and would urge the public to buy tickets early in order to avoid disappointment.”

Picture: Oliver Rosser. Actor Sir Ian McKellen will celebrate his 80th birthday with a theatre tour of the country.