A woman has described the moment Sir Ian McKellen fell on her as the actor tumbled off the stage during a London theatre performance. Johanna Dart, from Leatherhead in Surrey, was in the audience when Sir Ian, 85, fell during a fight scene in a performance of the Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre on Monday. Ms Dart said she felt the theatre staff did not adequately respond to the injuries and shock she suffered.
The BBC has contacted the theatre and Sir Ian's agent for comment. "Getting crushed by Gandalf the Grey, that's something you don't expect," said Ms Dart, who was taken to hospital with soft tissue injuries after the actor's fall. The 30-year-old had got front row tickets to see the classic play with her brother and friend.
She said it had been a "fantastic production" and the three of them had been enjoying it, until the scene in which Sir Ian fell. Ms Dart said the Olivier Award winning actor appeared to "trip on this bit of prop" that was on the stage. "As he tripped on that he built up momentum and flew head first into me in the audience," she said.
Ms Dart said she had her legs crossed and Sir Ian's head hit her knee "quite hard". She said the actor screamed out for help and she "went into shock at the whole thing". She said staff rushed to help Sir Ian and the theatre was evacuated.
Meanwhile, she was helped to the foyer by two women who could see she was "in distress". Once in the foyer, a woman, who turned out to be a doctor, saw Ms Dart's condition an.
