Sir Ian McKellen, the acclaimed actor known for roles such as Gandalf and Magneto, has shared personal insights in a conversation with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage on BBC Radio 4. The interview, recorded in Armitage's writing shed in the Pennine Hills, covers McKellen's early life, career, and activism.
McKellen recalled that before theatre, cricket was his first spectacle. Growing up in Wigan, his parents' garden backed onto Wigan Cricket Club, giving him a free view of matches. He even scored for the Second XI after Sunday School, earning half a crown. Despite watching legends like Cyril Washbrook and Len Hutton, he never wanted to play himself, preferring to be an audience.
His transition to theatre began as a spectator, attending plays two or three nights a week. Eventually, he performed in school plays, though his father once said, 'Why didn't you stop rehearsing these dumb plays indoors and go and get some good fresh air on the terraces at Wigan Athletic?'
McKellen's mother died when he was 12, shortly after the family moved to Bolton. He described the loss as 'pretty devastating' and admitted he may never have fully recovered. His father died in a car crash a year after McKellen's 1963 debut at Nottingham Playhouse in Coriolanus, directed by Tyrone Guthrie. Unable to take time off, McKellen attended the funeral and returned for that evening's performance, where a coffin on stage took on new meaning.
McKellen also shared a telegram from John Gielgud after his 1969 performance as Richard II at the Edinburgh Festival, calling it 'a communication from one of the gods.' He noted that acting remains a source of joy, describing it as 'a childish activity' but not indicative of childishness in other aspects of life.
