Theatre-lovers have voted for their favourite characters from stage plays - and the results may come as a surprise.
Readers of the website whatsonstage.com were asked to pick their most-loved roles, with the resulting list blending centuries-old parts with those from the past decade ...
10 LADY MACBETH
Macbeth
A woman infuriated by her husband’s lack of ambition, Lady Macbeth spurs him on to claim what she believes is his destiny. It’s one of Shakespeare’s most sought-after female roles and retains its power and potency 400 years on.
9 SCORPIUS MALFOY
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
It’s among the most ambitious shows in the West End - and not just in its staging. The play depicts Harry Potter’s son as best friends with Scorpius Malfoy, whose father was Potter’s nemesis.
8 WILLY LOMAN
Death of a Salesman
Wendell Pierce’s turn as the mightily mediocre Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s classic won plaudits aplenty last year. The character’s decline is among the most deeply affecting in theatre.
7 INSPECTOR GOOLE
An Inspector Calls
The enigmatic inspector in J B Priestly’s scathing drama reveals the attitudes of a particular British upper-class family to devastating effect.
6 VANYA
Uncle Vanya
Anton Chekhov’s 1898 play tells of two friends, Vanya and Astrov, who both fall for the same woman while bemoaning the boredom of their provincial existence.
5 LADY BRACKNELL
The Importance of Being Earnest
One of the great grand-dames of the stage. “A haaandbaaag?” indeed.
4 BEATRICE
Much Ado About Nothing
The sharp-witted heroine from Shakespeare’s romantic comedy is more than a match for Benedick - or any other man, come to think of it.
3 HAMLET
Hamlet
The defining role for many a stage actor, Hamlet is tragic, comic, and, most of all, profoundly human.
2 CHRISTOPHER BOONE
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Christopher’s particular way of experiencing the world doesn’t always make life easy for him, but it opens up wonders aplenty too.
1 BLANCHE DUBOIS
A Streetcar Named Desire
Tennessee Williams’ tortured, multi-faceted character is operatically epic on a domestic scale. It’s a challenging role, but one that brings rich rewards.