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It was the preview night of a classical Shakespearean tragedy which promised a sensational comeback from a leading light of the theatre after nearly two decades' absence.
But when Sir Ian McKellen emerged at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Courtyard Theatre for a central scene in his lead role as King Lear, the audiences were met by full frontal nudity from the veteran actor.
Sir Ian, 67, who returned to the RSC for the first time in 18 years to act in Trevor Nunn's performance, tore off his kingly regalia in the "storm scene" to stand naked in front of his astonished audience.
The actor's disrobing follows in the best tradition of modern-day theatre, with a host of celebrities baring all in recent times, including Daniel Radcliffe, of Harry Potter fame, who appeared naked in Peter Shaffer's Equus at the Gielgud Theatre last month.
Sir Ian's removal of his trousers, underpants and shirt in the powerful scene, which marks the psychological unravelling of the monarch who wanders across a heath during a storm, was apparently met by gasps from the theatre.
The RSC said they had received no formal complaints but a number of viewers were reportedly dismayed by the exposure.
Anne Wilson, 45, who had been watching Saturday night's performance ahead of the play's opening night on April 3, said she was shocked . "It was a bit gratuitous. I've seen other productions of Lear, but no one has gone this far before."
Another audience member added: "When we went into the play, there were signs warning us about loud noises, but there was no mention of full nudity." But a RSC spokeswoman said when the play officially opens, there would be notices warning audiences of the nudity.
Letters would also be sent to school groups notifying them of the scene.
In act three, scene four of the play, Shakespeare's character speaks explicitly of removing his garments on a heath, saying: "Off, off you lendings! (clothes) Come unbutton here."
But the character has traditionally been stopped from tearing off all his clothes by the Shakespearean "fool" who restrains him, although actors performing King Lear, including Sir Ian Holm in the 1998 film version, have staged the scene naked.
Sir Ian who has known Nunn since they were at Cambridge University together and is one of the biggest names on London's theatre scene, has conquered Hollywood in recent years, featuring as Gandalf in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and in The X-Men. He will play Lear in Auckland later this year.
- INDEPENDENT
