James Marsters

James, who plays British vampire Spike in the smash hit television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was in Stratford after he was voted the nation’s ideal Romeo in an RSC online poll to find out who the people would like to see playing the parts of Shakespeare’s famous lovers.

He was a clear winner as Romeo, while Pirates of the Caribbean starlet Keira Knightley fought off stiff competition from Titanic star Kate Winslet and top actress and Moulin Rouge star Nicole Kidman to be chosen as Juliet.

More than 2,000 people voted for more than 150 different actors for both roles, and this week, the nation’s ideal Romeo met Matthew Rhys and Sian Brooke, who are currently playing the roles for the RSC. He said: "I’m flattered and excited that people would think of me for the role of Romeo. I think that the themes of violence and social disintegration are as important today as they were in Shakespeare’s day."

Keira, who was unable to make the meeting, said she was "absolutely thrilled" to have come top of the poll, adding: "Juliet is a role I would very much love to play in the future."