▁ ▁After ▁four ▁years ▁in ▁regional ▁re pert ory ▁the at res ▁he ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁West ▁End ▁appearance , ▁in ▁A ▁S cent ▁of ▁Flow ers , ▁regarded ▁as ▁a ▁" not able ▁success ". ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Laur ence ▁Oliv ier ' s ▁National ▁Theatre ▁Company ▁at ▁the ▁Old ▁Vic , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁roles ▁at ▁the ▁Ch ich ester ▁Festival . ▁With ▁the ▁Pro spect ▁Theatre ▁Company , ▁McK ellen ▁made ▁his ▁break through ▁performances ▁of ▁Richard ▁II ▁( direct ed ▁by ▁Richard ▁C ott rell ) ▁and ▁Mar low e ' s ▁Edward ▁II ▁( direct ed ▁by ▁T oby ▁Robert son ) ▁at ▁the ▁Edinburgh ▁festival ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁the ▁latter ▁causing ▁a ▁storm ▁of ▁protest ▁over ▁the ▁en act ment ▁of ▁the ▁hom osex ual ▁Edward ' s ▁l ur id ▁death . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁McK ellen ▁became ▁a ▁well - known ▁figure ▁in ▁British ▁theatre , ▁performing ▁frequently ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Shakespeare ▁Company ▁and ▁the ▁Royal ▁National ▁Theatre , ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁several ▁leading ▁Shakespeare an ▁roles , ▁including ▁the ▁title ▁role ▁in ▁Mac b eth ▁( which ▁he ▁had ▁first ▁played ▁for ▁Tre vor ▁N unn ▁in ▁a ▁" g ri pping ... out ▁of ▁the ▁ordinary " ▁production , ▁with ▁J udi ▁Den ch , ▁at ▁Str at ford ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ), ▁and ▁I