Jane Lapotaire was a sensation as Edith Piaf – and a majestic actor you’d never regret seeing on stage

Lapotaire’s portrayal of the French singer transcended impersonation and she revealed her instinctive intelligence in Shakespeare, Chekhov, Ibsen and much moreJane Lapotaire, who has died aged 81, will always be identified with the title role in Pam Gems’s play Piaf.