Covering McKellen: An Understudy's Tale

The Royal Shakespeare company, lead by Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Trevor Nunn, set off to captivate the world with their new production of King Lear. It's not long, however, before the star studded cast, including Romola Garai, Frances Barber and Sylvester McCoy, discover it's not all plain sailing on their Shakespearean journey. Enduring injuries, critical backlash, and almost constant controversy, the drama when the curtain falls threatens to overshadow the cast's successes on stage. As understudy to Sir Ian McKellen's King, Weston's frank and funny account takes us right through the London rehearsals to the historical Stratford Season, back to the glittering West End then out across the world - including Singapore, Sydney, LA and New York - before returning to film a DVD of the production. Weston provides entertaining commentary on the countries visited by the tour and charts how England's best loved theatre company are received around the world. Packed with celebrity anecdotes and full of lessons of experience, this story will appeal to theatre goers, students and the general reading public alike.