ago ▁in ▁O th ello , ▁in ▁award - win ning ▁produ ctions ▁directed ▁by ▁N unn . ▁Both ▁of ▁these ▁produ ctions ▁were ▁adapted ▁into ▁television ▁films , ▁also ▁directed ▁by ▁N unn . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Royal ▁Shakespeare ▁Company , ▁in ▁produ ctions ▁of ▁King ▁Lear ▁and ▁The ▁Se ag ull , ▁both ▁directed ▁by ▁Tre vor ▁N unn . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁he ▁appeared ▁in ▁a ▁very ▁popular ▁rev ival ▁of ▁Wait ing ▁for ▁God ot ▁at ▁London ' s ▁Hay market ▁Theatre , ▁directed ▁by ▁Se an ▁Math ias , ▁and ▁playing ▁opposite ▁Patrick ▁Stewart . ▁He ▁is ▁Pat ron ▁of ▁English ▁Tour ing ▁Theatre ▁and ▁also ▁President ▁and ▁Pat ron ▁of ▁the ▁Little ▁Theatre ▁Gu ild ▁of ▁Great ▁Britain , ▁an ▁association ▁of ▁amateur ▁theatre ▁organis ations ▁throughout ▁the ▁UK . ▁In ▁late ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁he ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁opening ▁ceremony ▁of ▁the ▁London ▁Par al ym p ics , ▁port ray ing ▁Pro s per o ▁from ▁The ▁Temp est . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁McK ellen ▁played ▁King ▁Lear ▁at ▁Ch ich ester ▁Festival ▁Theatre , ▁a ▁role ▁which ▁he ▁said ▁was ▁likely ▁to ▁be ▁his ▁" last ▁big ▁Shakespeare an ▁part ". ▁He ▁performed ▁the ▁play ▁at ▁the ▁Duke ▁of ▁York ' s ▁Theatre ▁in ▁London ' s ▁West ▁End ▁during ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁Popular ▁success