LONDON (AP) 鈥 Actor Ian McKellen is expected to make a full recovery after he toppled off a London stage during a fight scene and was hospitalized, producers said.
McKellen, 85, was in 鈥済ood spirits鈥 after doctors said a scan showed he was expected to fully recover from the fall on Monday night, a spokesperson for the production at the Noel Coward Theatre said.
Tuesday's performance was canceled but McKellen was expected to be back onstage Wednesday, producers said.
The stage and screen veteran, who played Gandalf in the films, cried out in pain after the fall, according to a BBC journalist at the theater.
McKellen was playing the roguish John Falstaff in 鈥淧layer Kings,鈥 an adaptation of William Shakespeare's two 鈥淗enry IV鈥 history plays, directed by Robert Icke.
Theatergoers were startled when McKellen lost his footing and fell off the stage in a scene with Toheeb Jimoh's Prince Hal and Henry Percy, played by Samuel Edward-Cook.
鈥淪ir Ian seemed to trip as he moved downstage to take a more active part in the scene,鈥 audience member Paul Critchley told the PA news agency, saying it was a shock. 鈥淗e picked up momentum as he moved downstage which resulted in him falling off the stage directly in front of the audience.鈥
Staff and two doctors in the audience helped the actor, the theater said in a statement.
The theater was evacuated and the performance was canceled.
McKellen played Magneto in the 鈥淴-Men鈥 films and is one of Britain's most acclaimed Shakespearean actors, with roles including Richard III, Macbeth and King Lear.
He has won a Tony Award 鈥 for 鈥淎madeus鈥 鈥 several Olivier Awards, and has been nominated for two Academy Awards, five Emmys and several BAFTA awards.
