Ian McKellen fell on ME! Sobbing theatregoer, 30, reveals how legendary actor landed on her as he fell off stage before staff made shaken fan book her own taxi home
- Johanna Dart, 30, had got front row tickets to see Sir Ian in Player Kings
A theatregoer has revealed she too ended up in hospital when Sir Ian McKellen tumbled off the stage and landed on her during a performance this week.
Johanna Dart, 30, from Leatherhead in Surrey, had got front row tickets to see Sir Ian in a production of Player Kings at the Noel Coward Theatre on Monday, June 17.
But during a fight scene, the 85-year-old Lord of the Rings actor lost his footing and fell into the front row where Ms Dart was sitting.
Speaking to the BBC today Ms Dart said: 'Getting crushed by Gandalf the Grey, that's something you don't expect'.
She said it was an 'unforgettable encounter,' but not one she necessarily wanted to have with the acting legend who was playing John Falstaff in the production.
Ms Dart was helped to the foyer by two women who could see she was 'in distress', before a doctor saw her condition and came to provide care. She was later taken to hospital with soft tissue injuries.
She told the BBC she 'went into shock at the whole thing' and had been enjoying the production until the scene where Sir Ian fell.
Johanna Dart (pictured) was shocked and in tears after Sir Ian McKellan landed on her after falling off stage during a performance of the Player Kings at the Noel Coward theatre
Ms Dart (pictured) with her leg up as a doctor and staff come to help
Ms Dart said she 'went into shock at the whole thing' when Sir Ian fell on her while she was sat in the front row
Sir Ian McKellen bows at the curtain call during the press night performance of Player Kings - he will no longer feature in the play on the West End as he recovers from his injuries
Recalling the incident, Ms Dart said the actor appeared to 'trip on this bit of prop' that was on the stage, before falling and landing head-first onto her knee.
She said staff rushed to help Sir Ian, who is said to be recovering 'very very well', but felt they did not adequately respond to her injuries or state of shock.
She told the BBC that staff initially 'seemed unsure' of what the health and safety protocol was and did not immediately provide assistance.
While they did eventually come to her aid, Ms Dart said they did not direct any of the paramedics who had arrived to treat Sir Ian to assess her injuries.
She went on to say that staff told her to book her own taxi home, despite being in shock and tears.
Ms Dart travelled home with her brother before her mother, Angela, joined her in a taxi and they went to Epsom Hospital. She went on to spend all night in the hospital's emergency department.
Ticket holders were evacuated from the theatre at about 8pm while paramedics were called and then told the evening show had been cancelled.
Sir Ian - who plays John Falstaff in the play - was circling a battle scene involving the Prince of Wales and Henry Percy, when he tripped and fell off the stage.
As the house lights came up, the actor known for Lord Of The Rings and X-Men cried out in pain as ushers and two medics in the audience rushed to help him.
Charlie Johnson, a journalist for the Kingston Courier who was in the audience, told ITV: 'As we approached the interval of the play, there was a fight scene going on.
‘There were strobe lights and then it all went dark, at which point you could see the silhouette of Sir Ian come out from the wings. And the way the stage works at the Noel Coward is there's sort of a step down just as the stage meets the audience.
‘I think what happened was he put his foot too far, sort of went off that initial step, at which point he lost his balance and pretty much just went head first into the audience.
‘And within seconds a blood-curdling scream arose from the actor. He was clearly in a lot of pain, he was screaming 'help me'.’
The 30-year-old spent all night in A&E after getting front row tickets to see the production starring the Lord of the Rings actor
Paramedics arrive at the Noel Coward Theatre after Sir Ian's fall
Sir Ian is seen performing in a scene of Player Kings, which is in the West End until June 22
Ambulances rushed to the West End to help Sir Ian, who is in 'good spirits' and recovering in hospital
Kol Baker, who was watching the show from the second tier, told MailOnline that Sir Ian had been 'berating the villain and moving around' during the scene when he 'tripped over' some props and fell off the stage 'in almost a belly flop fashion'.
'Instantly he screamed and honestly the noises were bone-chilling,' the 23-year-old added - as he recalled Sir Ian yelling 'help me, help me' followed by 'my arms, my arms' and 'help me, help me' again.
'The lights were on so quickly the curtains drawn and within seconds they asked to evacuate the whole auditorium. Whilst leaving the theatre within ten minutes he was in the back of an ambulance speeding down Trafalgar Square.'
Describing what caused the actor to fall, he explained: 'The scene in question was a warzone so there was broken up bricks and daggers from the battle and the set which was all torn up for that scene.'
He said there was 'so much concern and shock for Sir Ian', adding: 'Everyone I think is just such huge fans of his work and just really empathetic and almost terrified that it could be life-threatening because of his age.'
Mr Baker said that Sir Ian had been 'performing amazingly with great vigour' before he fell.
When asked how the audience reacted, the theatregoer added: 'Instantly people were standing up, the first two rows completely went to rush to go help Sir Ian and everyone was explaining 'oh my god' and 'that poor man'.
It was announced on Thursday that Sir Ian would not be performing again in London while he has physiotherapy and recuperates.
Understudy David Semark, 52, is taking his place as Falstaff.
Following his performance on Thursday evening, Semark said that Sir Ian had called him to let him know he would be playing the role.
Semark said: 'The wonderful Sir Ian McKellen called me to tell me what was going on, which was amazing, and [he] has been incredibly supportive throughout the rehearsals.
Pictured is an interior shot of the theatre showing the stage Sir Ian fell from
London ambulances are seen rushing to the scene following the shock fall in the West End
Sir Ian pictured above in his role as Gandalf in The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
Richard Coyle, Sir Ian McKellen and Toheeb Jimoh bow at the curtain call during the press night performance of 'Player Kings' at the Noel Coward theatre on April 11, 2024 in London
Sir Ian McKellen is pictured above in his role as Falstaff in 'Player Kings', based on Shakespeare's Henry IV
'The first person I heard it from was Sir Ian. We then had a discussion about the role. I have worked alongside him for months, so we get on, he's a friend.'
He continued: 'Obviously my first thought is for my friend, and the wonderful human being that is Sir Ian McKellen. He called me to tell me what was going on, which was amazing, and has been incredibly supportive throughout the rehearsals.
'I definitely couldn't have had the courage to go on there tonight if I didn't feel that he was behind me with me.
'But I am holding a place open for Sir Ian. I walk in the shadow of greatness...
'I've stolen 90% of what he does in that show shamelessly and tried to make it my own. It's been an incredibly stressful couple of days.'
Asked how Sir Ian was doing following the fall, Semark replied: 'He's doing very very well.'
A post to the Player Kings account on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday said: 'David Semark will be playing the role of Sir John Falstaff for the final three scheduled performances of Player Kings at the Noel Coward Theatre in London while Ian McKellen recuperates following his fall on Monday 17 June.'
It added: 'We look forward to Ian returning to the production, which begins a national tour in Bristol on Wednesday 3 July, before visiting Birmingham, Norwich and Newcastle.'
