Mckellen campaigns for older actresses

Sir Ian Mckellen has launched a campaign urging theatre bosses to stage more plays with parts for older actresses - because veteran stars are often forgotten by youth-driven productions.

The 70 year old is adamant the public wants to see more of actresses such as Dame Judi Dench on stage, but there aren't enough plays featuring parts for older female thespians.

And McKellan hopes modern playwrights will be inspired to write more material to include the older generation of actresses.

He says, "Everybody wants to see actresses like Judi Dench, it's just up to people to provide the material.

"People might have thought, who wants to see plays about elder women? Well, the general public do. Plays about old age are perhaps going to be more popular than they used to be and that should help playwrights think, well, we can find some fabulous parts for the fabulous actresses there are around..

"If (playwrights) are just titillated by the stories young people have, they are missing out. If Shakespeare hadn't been interested in older people and people in their prime, we would not have had Antony and Cleopatra, and many other characters."

Bosses at actors' union Equity recently called for older female performers to be treated more fairly, launching an online petition in March (09). Stars including Julie Walters and Imelda Staunton have already added their names to the list.