Ian McKellen's King Lear to transfer into the West End

It has been confirmed that Ian McKellen is to reprise his recent performance of King Lear in the West End this summer, with the run beginning in July.

The Chichester Festival Theatre production of King Lear, which opened in the Minerva Theatre, will run at the Duke of York's Theatre for 100 performances. Further casting for the show is yet to be announced.

Directed by Jonathan Munby, the production originally opened in October last year, where it garnered a raft of five-star reviews. Shakespeare's tragedy follows an aging king who makes the decision to divide his kingdom between his three daughters.

McKellen, who last performed in the West End in No Man's Land in 2016, previously played the titular role of Lear in 2007, with Trevor Nunn directing the production at the New London Theatre. Tickets for the Chichester production go on sale from noon on 8 February.

In the WhatsOnStage review of the 2017 Chichester show, critic Max Cooter said that "this is a production surely destined for the London stage, Chichester can count itself lucky".

King Lear marks the second Minerva production to transfer to the West End in the last year, with James Graham's Quiz opening at the Noël Coward theatre after the current production of Girl From the North Country ends.

King Lear runs at the Duke of York's from 26 July to 3 November with previews from 11 July.

Buy tickets for the West End production of King Lear now