You shall not pass! Sir Ian McKellen has Gandalf spell printed on the back of his underpants as he makes costume change



Sir Ian McKellen made a costume change on stage - and gave spectators a humorous reminder of one of his famous Gandalf lines.

The 74-year-old British actor was caught with his shorts down as he performed at a theatre gala in New York this week - and was wearing a pair of white underpants with the slogan 'You shall not pass' printed on the back.

Clearly the double entendre needs no further explanation, but fans of the Peter Jackson-helmed Lord Of The Rings films, based on the J. R. R. Tolkien books, will be familiar with the phrase.

Quick change: Sir Ian McKellen dropped his gold shorts during a theatre performance in New York on Monday



It was in the first movie, The Fellowship of the Ring, where Sir Ian in character as Gandalf the wizard, blocks the the dragon-like Balrog on a bridge while fleeing through the Mines of Moria.

Gandalf shouts: 'You shall not pass,' banging his staff on the precariously high bridge.



The Balrog falls into the abyss as the bridge crumbles, but not before snaring Gandalf by the leg, prompting him to tell his fellow comrades, as he hangs from a ledge: 'Fly you fools.'

Nice pants! The 74-year-old British actor revealed his white underwear, printed with an iconic Gandalf saying from the Lord Of The Rings



'You shall not pass': The double entendre needs no further explanation

Sir Ian was performing on Monday night at the 14th Annual Only Make Believe Gala at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.

He made a quick change out of a pair of golf shorts, revealing his amusing print underwear.



Only Make Believe is a non-profit organisation which performs theatre for children in hospital in NYC and Washington DC.

Monday's fundraiser will help support the organisation's continuing efforts to entertain chronically ill children. In 2013 alone, Only Make Believe will have performed in 55 hospitals and care facilities.



Getting his kit off: Sir Ian was wearing an odd ensemble of gold shorts, red knee-high socks and trainers

