Yesterday we were very fortunate to see Ian McKellen on stage at the Young Vic theatre for his 80th birthday UK tour. His show started with a thunderous intro to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack after which he read a passage from Fellowship of the Ring, doing his famous lines such as "You Shall Not Pass" and "Flee You Fools". He had brought along his wizards hat and Glamdring which he rather casually showed off to the audience before inviting someone up to handle it on stage, he then paused for an autograph and selfie after which the show was ready to begin. He took us on a journey through his early years in life, at school and how he gained an interest in theatre all while acting out real life characters from his past. Often finishing with a resounding poem. |
From his King Lear to Romeo and Juliet he ended his show with a powerful rendition of Macbeth.
It was, despite a relatively small theatre, a grand show in the theatre heart of London at the end he got a standing ovation by the audience and even by Sting who was sitting one row in front of me with his family. Rather unexpected but certainly caught Ilaria's eye right away. Such is London life I guess.
After the show, on the way out, I got a chance to thank and congratulate Sir Ian and to shake his hand. It was a most memorable evening and I'm very glad we went.
I have very little to show right now but since I like posting screenshots and renders here is a one of a minor hacking component I finished yesterday: