Hundreds Turn Out To See Sir Ian Mckellan
The event was organised by artistic director of the Viva drama group Dan Schumann, he said: “It was a fantastic evening, we had a packed house that was totally sold out and Ian was brilliant.
HUNDREDS of people packed into The Brook in Soham on Sunday to catch a glimpse of acting icon Sir Ian Mckellan.
The star of Hollywood blockbusters Lord of the Rings and The Da Vinci Code, Sir Ian wowed crowds with a three-hour set of performances and talks accompanied by long-term friend Michael Burrell.
The evening started with an extract from Shakespeare’s Henry IV, which the duo first performed together in Cambridge in the fifties. This was followed by a fascinating incite in to their lives within the acting profession over many years, from the days of performing in local repertory companies for wages hardly enough to live on, to their more professional and successful careers of today.
The event was organised by artistic director of the Viva drama group Dan Schumann, he said: “It was a fantastic evening, we had a packed house that was totally sold out and Ian was brilliant.
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“He performed for a full two hours, including some really rare pieces that he hasn’t performed since the 1950s and he was full of praise for the venue and said on stage how important it is for people to support local venues.”
Sir Ian is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and was awarded the CBE in 1979 and he was knighted in 1990 for services to the performing arts. More recently, he has become well known for his portrayal of Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s epic production of Lord of The Rings, and Coronation Street fans will remember him as con-artist Mel Hutchright.
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Michael Burrell first worked with Ian McKellen whilst studying English at Cambridge and is also a member of the RSC as well as leading roles in the West End productions of The Mousetrap and Woman in Black.
The evening concluded with questions from the audience and a the pair were given a standing ovation by the 300 guests attending.
