Jane Lapotaire

Jane Elizabeth Marie Lapotaire (née Burgess; 26 December 1944 – 5 March 2026) was an English actress from Suffolk.

Her performance in the title role of Marie Curie (1977) first brought her to wide attention. In 1978, she performed the title role Édith Piaf for Pam Gems's play Piaf for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and in London. Two years later, the show moved to Broadway where Lapotaire won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Additionally, Lapotaire was twice nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress for Marie Curie and Sea Tales: The Return (1977) and Blind Justice (1988).

Lapotaire also wrote three memoirs. Lapotaire was married twice, latterly to director Roland Joffé. Their son is the screenwriter and director Rowan Joffé.

Acting career Lapotaire studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School from 1961 to 1963. At that time, the programme was a two-year course, unlike today's three-year course. Lapotaire had earlier auditioned for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, but failed to get in. She joined the Bristol Old Vic theatre company in 1965 and the National Theatre in 1967. She was also a founding member of The Young Vic Theatre in 1970/1971 and moved to the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1974.

Her performance in the title role of Marie Curie (1977) first brought her to wide attention. In 1978, she performed the title role Édith Piaf for Pam Gems's play Piaf, directed by Howard Davies for the Royal Shakespeare Company, in Stratford-upon-Avon and in London at the Warehouse Theatre, Covent Garden in 1979. Two years later, the show moved to Broadway. Lapotaire won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play that year.

She returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company in October–November 2013 as the Duchess of Gloucester in Gregory Doran's adaptation of Richard II with David Tennant in the title role. This was followed in October–December 2015 as Queen Isobel in Henry V. On Christmas Day in 2014, she appeared as Princess Irina Kuragin in season five, episode nine of Downton Abbey.

Writing Lapotaire wrote a number of memoirs: Grace and Favour (1989), Out of Order: A Haphazard Journey Through One Woman's Year (1999), and Everybody's Daughter, Nobody's Child (2007), which includes an account of her childhood growing up in Levington Road, Ipswich.

Personal life and death Lapotaire was married to Oliver Wood from 1965 to 1967, the relationship ending in divorce.

On 11 January 2000, while preparing to teach a course on Shakespeare at the École Internationale in Paris, Lapotaire suffered a massive cerebral haemorrhage. Four days after her collapse, she underwent a six-hour operation and spent the next three weeks largely unconscious.

Lapotaire died on 5 March 2026, at the age of 81.

Associations Lapotaire was honorary president of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre Club, and was president of the Friends of Shakespeare's Globe.

+Television Year Title Role Notes Sherlock Holmes Annie Harrison Episode: "The Naval Treaty" Jason King French maid Episode: "Buried in the Cold, Cold Ground" Emily Shaw Episode: "The Case of Laker, Absconded Play for Today Alice Stocker Episode: "Stocker's Copper" Owen, M.D. Jennie Hopkins Episode: "It Never Rains" (2 parts) Callan Kristina Episode: "The Contract" Love and Mr LewishamMiss Alice Heydinger Mini-series Armchair TheatreJean Episode: "On Call" Alice Hoatson Episode: "E. Nesbit" Van der Valk Elly Episode: "Rich Man, Poor Man" Country Matters Orianda Episode: "The Black Dog" (S2E02) Crown Court Juliet Tomlin Episode: "Robin and his Juliet" Edward the Seventh Empress Marie of Russia Play for Today Kim Episode: "The Other Woman" Magdalena Sea Tales NarratorBridget Ritsin Episode: "The Return" Marie Curie Marie Curie Wings Anne Boissier Episode: "Another Country" Eleanor of Aquitaine Jackanory Storyteller Episode: "Fanny's Sister" Antony & Cleopatra Cleopatra TV film (BBC Television Shakespeare) Elizabeth Moulton-Barrett Evangeline Macbeth Lady Macbeth TV film The Testament of John Claire Seal Morning Miriam Spencer Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story Letizia Bonaparte Theatre Night Aline Solness Episode: "The Master Builder" Blind Justice Katherine Hughes Episodes: "Crime and Punishment", "White Man Listen", "The One about the Irishman", "A Death in the Family", "Permanent Blue" Madame de la Rougierre Murder on the MoonLouise Mackey TV film Screen Two Helen Episode: "Circles of Deceit" 199293 Love Hurts Diane Warburg (Series 1–2, 20 episodes) Elspeth Cost Episode: "Dead Water"1995 Johnny and the Dead Mrs. Sylvia Liberty Casualty Eileen Jarvis Episode: "We Shall Overcome" Anouk Khoori Episode: "Simisola" Giving Tongue Hilda Jacob McCallum Miriam Konrad Episode: "Sacrifice" Ain't Misbehavin' Clara Van Trapp 2000 Arabian Nights Miriam TV film Midsomer Murders Mary Mohan Episode: "Who Killed Cock Robin?" Bella and the Boys Mrs. Rogers TV film He Knew He Was Right Lady Milborough Fiona Deakin-JonesEpisode: "Word of God" Elizabeth David – a Life in Recipes Ernestine Carter Eleventh Hour Gepetto Episode: "Resurrection" Casualty Maureen Episodes: "Crush" and "Better Drowned" Trial & Retribution Tess Episode: "Ghost Train (Part 1)" Lucan Older Susie Maxwell-Scott Episode: 1 Downton Abbey Princess Kuragin Episode: "A Moorland Holiday"2019 Princess Alice of Battenberg 2 episodes Dalgliesh Lady Lavinia Berowne Episode: "A Taste for Death" Endeavour Madame Belasco Episode: "Prelude" 2023 The Burning Girls Joan Hartman Main role

Theatre Her stage credits include:

Date Title Role Director Company / Theatre 1965 When We Are Married (Stage debut) Ruby Birtle Bristol Old Vic / Theatre Royal, Bristol 1965–1967 Mrs. Warren's Profession Vivie Bristol Old Vic / Theatre Royal, Bristol 1965–1967 War and Peace Natasha Bristol Old Vic / Theatre Royal, Bristol 1965–1967 Ruth Bristol Old Vic / Theatre Royal, Bristol 1967 Judith National Theatre, London 1967 Antoinette National Theatre 1969 Mincing, later Mrs. Fainall National Theatre 1969 Macrune's Guevara Tania National Theatre 1969 Zanche National Theatre 1969 The Travails of Sancho Panza Don Quixote's niece National Theatre 1970 Jessica National Theatre 1970–1971 Scapino Zerbinetta Young Vic Theatre, London 1970–1971 Katherina Young Vic Theatre 1970–1971 Oedipus Jocasta Young Vic Theatre 1970–1971 Measure for Measure Isabella Young Vic Theatre 1971 Lieschen National Theatre 1974 Macbeth Lady Macduff Royal Shakespeare Company 1974 Uncle Vanya Sonya Royal Shakespeare Company 1975 As You Like It Rosalind Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham, then Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh 1975 Twelfth Night Viola Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford, then Aldwych Theatre, London 1975 Vera Royal Shakespeare Company / Albery Theatre, London 1975 Lucy Honeychurch Royal Shakespeare Company / Albery Theatre As You Like It Rosalind Riverside Studios, London 1976 Title role Bristol Old Vic / Theatre Royal, Bristol 1979 Love's Labour's Lost Rosaline Stratford, 1978 then Aldwych Theatre 1979 Piaf Édith Piaf The Other Palace, London, then Warehouse Theatre, London, later Aldwych Theatre 1980 Wyndham's Theatre and Piccadilly Theatre, London – Royal Shakespeare Company / Plymouth Theatre, New York City 1983 Kick for Touch Eileen National Theatre – Dear Anyone agony aunt Birmingham Repertory Theatre – Cambridge Theatre 1984 Venice Preserv'd Belvidera National Theatre – Antigone Antigone and Peter Gill National Theatre / Cottesloe Theatre, London 1985 Saint Joan Title role Compass Company 1986 Double Double Fortune Theatre, London 1986 Misalliance Royal Shakespeare Company 1986 Archbishop's Ceiling Royal Shakespeare Company 1988 Greenland Royal Court Theatre, London 1989–1990 Shadowlands Joy Davidman Queen's Theatre, London 1992 Hamlet Gertrude Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London 1993 Ghosts Mrs. Alving Royal Shakespeare Company / The Other Place Theatre, Stratford – Henry VIII (also known as The Famous History of the Life of Henry VIII) Katherine of Aragon Royal Shakespeare Company / Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon – Royal Shakespeare Company / Young Vic Theatre Royal Shakespeare Company / Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon – Richard II Duchess of Gloucester Royal Shakespeare Company / Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon – Henry V Queen Isobel Royal Shakespeare Company / Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (also known as The Famous History of the Life of Henry VIII) Katherine of Aragon Royal Shakespeare Company / Brooklyn Academy of Music Majestic Theater, New York – Royal Shakespeare Company / John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC 1999 A Master Class with Maria Callas British cities: Theatre Royal, Bath …

Radio Date Title Role Director Station Anna BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Gelda BBC Radio 4 The Monday Play The woman BBC Radio 3 Drama Now Caring Incorporated Judith BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Theatre Dr Piffoel BBC Radio 3 Electra Electra BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Theatre Plenty BBC Radio 3 Boris Godunov BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 4 Saturday-Night Theatre First Things Last Simone BBC Radio 4 That Cunard Woman BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 3 Miss Slighcarp BBC Radio 4 Saturday Night Theatre Pen Pals BBC Radio 4 Globe Theatre 95 Bertie and the Crime of Passion BBC Radio 4 Mansfield Park Mrs Norris BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial Come to Me Greta BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play In Singapore Sally BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Writing Home Mother BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play 7 Dec 2000 Plays of the Severn Voice of the River Sue Wilson BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play I'll Be George BBC Radio 4 The Friday Play 15 Jun 2001 Byron's Women BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Drama Helen BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Arthur: The Sword of the King Morgan BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Arthur: The Black Dog Morgan BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Arthur: The Lake ' Morgan BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Arthur: The Moon Eats the Sun Morgan BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Arthur: The Grail Morgan BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Arthur: The Last Battle Morgan BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play BBC Radio 3 Drama on 3 Scenes of Seduction BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Exiled from Paradise Roznay BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play 30 Sep 2007 Jinny BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial 28 Feb 2010 Plantagenet Queen Eleanor BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial Living with Princes BBC Radio 3 Drama on 3 16 Dec 2012 Haydee Sasha Yevtushenko BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial

+ Radio interviews (available to listen again) Date Title Synopsis Station Link Meridian – British Theatre on a Winning Streak in New York Tony Awards: Jane Lapotaire won best actress as Piaf BBC World Service Meridian – British Theatre on a Winning Streak in New York Meridian Jane Lapotaire on her role in writer-director Peter Gill's Kick For Touch at The National's Cottesloe Theatre BBC World Service Meridian Desert Island Discs In conversation with Michael Parkinson, she recalls her difficult childhood in a foster home, and how she became an actress BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs: Jane Lapotaire Meridian – Treading the Boards Actors who trained at the Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol reflect on their experiences BBC World Service Meridian – Treading the Boards My Classical Favourites BBC Radio 3 My Classical Favourites: Jane Lapotaire

Awards and honours In April 2018, Lapotaire became the 29th recipient of the prestigious Pragnell Shakespeare Birthday Award and gave the 454th Shakespeare Birthday Lecture on 20 April 2018.

Lapotaire was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2025 Birthday Honours for services to drama and attended the investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle in February 2026.

Marie Curie (1977) British Academy Television Award for Best Actress

Blind Justice (1988) British Academy Television Award for Best Actress

Piaf (1978–1981) Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play

Piaf (1978–1981) CableACE Award for Actress in a Theatrical or Non-Musical Program

The Crown (2019) Gold Derby TV Award for Drama Guest Actress