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The News can exclusively reveal that this August, the 82-year-old will star in the world premiere of Hamlet, a new performance concept adapted from Shakespeare’s play, which will also introduce audiences to a brand new Edinburgh venue, the 400-seat Ashton Hall, Saint Stephen's Theatre - formerly the old St Stephen's Church on Stephen Street.
A collaboration with acclaimed producer, director and choreographer Peter Schaufuss, Hamlet will find McKellen joined on stage by dancer Johan Christensen who will dance the role of Hamlet as McKellen performs his famous speeches and soliloquies, in the 75-minute production.
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Hide AdIn his long and distinguished career, McKellen has played Hamlet twice before, in productions 50 years apart. In 1971 he toured the role as well as appearing in the West End and then, last year at the age of 81, he revisited it in a sell-out age, colour, and gender-blind production at the Theatre Royal, Windsor.
Now McKellen is to return to role, performing alongside the Edinburgh Festival Ballet Company in what is already being tipped to be the hottest ticket in Edinburgh this August. Hamlet, which will run from August 2-28, with tickets priced at £30 on sale here.
No stranger to the Capital, McKellen made his Scottish début at the Edinburgh Festival in 1969, playing in productions of Richard II and Edward II. Most recently, he brought his 80th birthday solo show in the Assembly Hall, where he was first introduced to city theatre-goers.
Widely regarded as a national treasure these days, McKellen says, “At a crucial moment in Hamlet, Shakespeare describes in detail a dance, performed by the actors touring through Elsinore.
"Hamlet says, ‘What a piece of work is a man... how infinite in faculties, in form and moving, how express and admirable in action.’ The same could be said of Peter Schaufuss and his company of wonderful dancers. It’s inspiring to watch them and work with them.”
A choreographer, teacher and director, Olivier Award-winning Peter Schaufuss was widely recognised as one of the most talented male dancers of his generation having had ballets created for him by the likes of Sir Kenneth McMillan, George Balanchine, Roland Petit and Sir Frederick Ashton, after whom the new venue is named.
Sharing the title role with McKellen, Danish ballet dancer Christensen joined the prestigious Royal Danish Ballet School as a child prodigy he became a member of Peter Schaufuss Ballet at 16 in 2008.
In 2012 he danced the title role in Shakespeare’s Hamlet to Sir John Gielgud’s famous soliloquies and Tybalt in Sir Frederick Ashton’s legendary production of Romeo and Juliet with Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in performances in London.
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Hide AdThree years ago his career came full circle as he returned to working with Schaufuss as the founding principal of Edinburgh Festival Ballet School. Also performing in the production as Horatio will be Peter’s son Luke. The principals will be joined on stage by artists from the Edinburgh Festival Ballet, founded by Schaufuss in 2019.
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