THE Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond is offering free tickets to a show by one of Britain's most celebrated actors, Sir Ian McKellen, marking his 80th birthday next year.

The venue is one of 80 across the UK chosen to stage the one-man performance – Ian McKellen on Stage – Tolkien, Shakespeare, others and you!

Free tickets for the performance on Friday, June 14, are being offered though a public ballot via the theatre's website, www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk, which closes on Thursday, January 31. Those successful in obtaining tickets will be informed on Thursday, February 14, and winners will receive two tickets each for the evening.

Sir Ian was born and brought up in the North of England and began acting at school.

His tour will visit theatres large and small with which he has personal connections, including amateur groups he knew as a child, and notable playhouses where he has played in as a professional actor over the last half-century, including the Georgian Theatre Royal. All profits from the performance in Richmond will benefit the theatre.

The tour begins in London in January with shows at the National Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East, and in the West End and Outer London.

Audiences will be treated to a mix of anecdote and acting, including Tolkien, Shakespeare, and may even be offered the change to act on stage with the award-winning actor.

Referring to the Georgian Theatre, Sir Ian said: "I’m delighted to be back in the country’s oldest working theatre whose intimacy will well suit my new solo show of anecdote and acting. The show starts with Gandalf and will probably end with an invitation to act with me on stage."

“Live theatre has always been thrilling to me, as an actor and in the audience. Growing up in Lancashire, I was grateful to those companies who toured beyond London and I’ve always enjoyed repaying that debt by touring up and down the country myself, with the RSC, the National Theatre, Prospect Theatre, the Actors’ Company, as well as with commercial productions.

Clare Allen, chief executive of the Georgian Theatre Royal, said: “We are thrilled to be hosting Ian McKellen as part of his awe-inspiring birthday tour. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors of our times and it is a huge honour to have him tread the boards of our historic stage.

“We wanted to give as many people as possible the opportunity to share the occasion, whether they are supporters, volunteers and audience members at our own theatre, lovers of the arts or just dedicated Lord of the Rings aficionados, and we encourage people to pitch their names into the public ballot.”

Ian McKellen on Stage is presented by Ambassador Theatre Group and directed by Sean Mathias.

Ambassador Theatre Group’s executive producer Adam Speers said: “ATG is proud to be presenting Ian McKellen on stage and is committed to supporting regional touring. The UK’s regional venues are integral in supporting and developing artists and practitioners across all areas of the theatre, both on and off stage.

To enter the free ticket ballot visit www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk. Other venues in the region include Billingham Forum on June 9 and Newcastle Theatre Royal on August 18.

Sir Ian has been leading man and produced plays, modern and classic, for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre of Great Britain and in the West End of London. Stage triumphs include Richard II, Macbeth (with Judi Dench), Coriolanus, Iago, Richard III (also on film) and most recently King Lear.

Of late he has been Widow Twankey in the Old Vic’s Aladdin pantomime and toured Waiting for Godot and No Man’s Land with Patrick Stewart. As Salieri in Amadeus he won every available award on Broadway.

McKellen is recognised worldwide as Magneto in the X-Men films and Gandalf in Tolkien’s Middle Earth films. He won his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor, as the gay film director James Whale, in Bill Condon's 1998 classic Gods and Monsters.

He starred in The Da Vinci Code, Mr Holmes, Beauty and the Beast, with Cats yet to come. Last year he played The Dresser with Anthony Hopkins. TV roles range from Rasputin to Coronation Street.

The actor was knighted for services to UK theatre in 1991.