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Ian Mckellen, Patrick Stewart to reunite for new play

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Press Trust of India London
Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are set to reunite on the British stage for the first time in seven years.

The "X-Men" co-stars are planning to bring their acclaimed Broadway adaptation of Harold Pinter's play "No Man's Land" to UK theatres in August.

The veterans last shared a British stage when they appeared in Samuel Beckett's "Waiting For Godot" in 2009, reported Radio Times.

After performances in Sheffield, Newcastle, Brighton and Cardiff the pair will head to Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End in September.

Originally staged in 1975 with Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, the play follows two ageing writers who spend a night drinking and telling tall tales.
 

"I made a promise to myself that one day I would play Spooner or Hirst (in the play) but to be doing it back at Wyndham's with Ian McKellen was a fantasy I never entertained," Stewart said.

Directed by Sean Mathias, who was also the man behind their 2009 Beckett production, the play earned rave reviews during its Broadway run.

The "Lord of the Rings" star shared his castmate's enthusiasm, saying, "Playing Spooner to Patrick's Hirst on Broadway was a constant joy, which is why I am delighted to be back with him in the West End."

The actors have not only worked together on the stage, but also starred as sworn enemies Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto in Bryan Singer's "X-Men" films.

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First Published: Mar 13 2016 | 8:07 AM IST

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