Sir Ian McKellen has signed up to star alongside Jeremy Corbyn in a drag-heavy Christmas pantomime in Islington.
Lord of the Rings actor Sir Ian will swap Middle-earth for the stage in his new role as Toto, a “washed-up rock star dog”.
Former Labour leader Corbyn, long admired by Sir Ian, is cast as the Wizard of Oz-lington, a playful nod to his north London constituency in the show titled Wicked Witches.
Sir Ian is best known for his portrayal of Gandalf in Hollywood director Peter Jackon’s trilogy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional world.
He and Corbyn will be joined on stage at the Pleasance Theatre by prominent non-binary drag performers between November 18 and December 31.
There will be a mix of child-friendly and adults-only performances, the latter containing strong language and sexual references.
Sir Ian, 86, said of the role: “Having survived – just – my appearance in the film of Cats, I am thrilled, relieved even, to now be offered the role of a dog – Toto, no less, in Wicked Witches.
“I would be barking mad to refuse.”
The pantomime has been described as a comic blend of the musical Wicked and The Wizard of Oz and is written by ShayShay, a non-binary dramatist.
Sir Ian, who lives in Limehouse, has previously spoken warmly about Corbyn.
In an interview in 2017, he said: “Well, if I were a politician I would like to be just like Corbyn.
“I would like to say it how it is, and that 'I don't know how to do this but I would like the world to be a better place' – rather than be someone who talks about the economy. Because, frankly, nobody understands the economy.”
That same year he also encouraged voters to support Wes Streeting, calling him “one of the great young politicians, everything before him but with his principles firmly in place”.
Corbyn, 76, has made previous ventures into the arts, including founding the Peace and Justice Project in 2020, which runs a creative initiative called Music for the Many.
He also made a notable cameo appearance in Adam Deacon’s 2023 British action-comedy film Sumotherhood alongside Ed Sheeran.
Speaking about pantomime, Corbyn said: “Local theatre is where the real wizardry happens, sparking imagination and spreading a bit of joy.”
