91Èȱ¬

Former EastEnders actor Maddy Hill () is currently starring as Imogen in a .

We decided to celebrate Shakespeare's East End connection - and the timelessness of his tales - through the characters and stories contained within 91Èȱ¬ One's flagship continuing drama, .

It has oft been said that, were Shakespeare living and writing today, he’d be a master of the Soap Drama form. In a poll from the Royal Shakespeare Company, one third of people said EastEnders was the contemporary drama which had most to say about today's society...

A bawdy, fun-loving hostess with a darker side and unsavoury connections?

Top contenders:

• – you always knew who was in charge with Peggy behind the bar of the Queen Vic
• – never a dull moment as morbidly fascinated onlookers kept up with the latest shenanigans from Angie and Den
• – giving the Vic a touch of glamour, with a vulnerability underneath
• – high fashion and no-nonsense with a wink for the punters

Think the Macbeths - power struggles, personal trials and fiery relationships

Contenders:

• and - who could forget the classic moment on Christmas Day 1985 when Den served up a real gift for Angie - divorce papers.
• and - they seem a lot more together than the Macbeths but outside forces have threatened their marriage
• and - Frank's constantly pained refrain "what are you doing to me?!" could have been uttered by Shakespeare's tragic king
• and – very much the power couple (when Phil isn’t poorly and waiting on a new liver)

Ruthless, power hungry... but human underneath? (not likely!)

Cindy Beale, played by Michelle Collins - Eastenders (91Èȱ¬)

Contenders:

• - where to start?! Janine has manipulated, plotted and murdered, abusing a string of men - from father figure Terry Raymond to local businessman Ian Beale, and of course, poor poor

• - so frustrated and desperate to escape her miserable marriage, she resorted to hiring a hit man to bump off hubby Ian!

• - she has always been jealous of her sister Sylvie, and wanted her sister’s husband for herself. She's pretty spiteful and nasty, and puts on a nice front for her family - although they know she's not sweetness and light!

Think Feste from Twelfth Night, or King Lear's Fool...

Alfie and Kat Moon (Shane Riche and Jessie Wallace) - Eastenders (91Èȱ¬)

Contenders

• - despite life's problems, Alfie soldiers on with a smile and a cheeky wisecrack.

• - so called because he was always late for work (turning up "after eight") This 'rude mechanical' (see what we did there?!), along with mate Gary, gave the square a bit of light relief

• - worldly wise but has been often mocked and abused like a poor servant (especially by her son, Nasty Nick)

• - the 'super geek' with a blend of sardonic put-downs and dry wit for every occasion

• - a larger than life and hilarious character, but she works hard to enjoy her happy life - described as having "dress sense louder than a speed garage night at R&R, and a mouth to match, you know when Kim Fox has entered the building"

Zainab and Yusef (Nina Wadia and Ace Bhatti) - EastEnders (91Èȱ¬)

• - unlike Desdemona, she was actually guilty - of an affair with Phil, her husband Grant's brother. Who could forget the public humiliation when Grant played 'that' incriminating tape recording in front of a packed Queen Vic pub?!

• - Wrongly jailed for Lucy Mitchell’s death!

• - whose backstory tells us that she was accused of having an affair whilst married in Pakistan, and brutally punished by her husband Yusef's family. Life became very complicated after Zainab left and married Masood

The East End Entrepreneur/ money lender/ ruthless businessman/woman...

Top contender:

• - if you prick him, does he not bleed? Ian has been flying high and at rock bottom over the years. Walford's favourite entrepreneur has been a money lender and run several businesses. He's suffered family tragedy and public humiliation, but somehow manages to keep going.

Other contenders:

• - her entrepreneurial skills came more from desperation than business sense, with drugs and prostitution thrown into the mix
• - smooth as an eel was the former 'Deals in Wheels' car man

"Adieu, adieu! Hamlet, remember me..." - Hamlet's Father's Ghost

"Hallo, Princess" - Den Watts' 'Ghost'

Remember poor, framed ? When slick killed girlfriend Saskia, Rose was set up for the murder, having been forced into helping Steve deal with the body

Upon being acquitted, Rose was obsessed with the idea of revenge, which drove a wedge between him and girlfriend . The two were destined to run away together, like Lysander and Hermia from . But Matthew's behaviour drove Teresa away, so they were more like Hamlet and Ophelia!

Other contenders:

• - riddled with grief and desire for revenge after their son Paul was killed in a homophobic attack earlier this year.
• – Paul's boyfriend was at the point of taking revenge on his partner’s killer, but could Ben go through with it?
• – had a Hamlet like vision which was actually real - seeing her father’s 'ghost' as Den Watts returned from the dead! “Hallo, Princess”

Doomed lovers...(?)

Sonia and Jamie in happier times (Natalie Cassidy and Jack Ryder) - EastEnders (91Èȱ¬)

• and - blissfully happy until Jamie's tragic death. Sonia later paired up with Martin Fowler- an unlikely pair, especially given the fact that

• and Bex - a surreptitious relationship over Snapchat

• Courtney Mitchell and - Grant's daughter, Courtney, and Mark Fowler Jnr had the hots for each other. But Mark turned out to be Grant’s son from a one night stand with years ago - which viewers and Grant very recently found out! Ian and Sharon put a stop to the relationship by flying Mark back to the USA early, as Mark Jnr and Courtney didn't realise they were half brother and sister

Here in Verona, ladies of esteem / Are made already mothers: by my count/ I was your mother much upon these years/ That you are now a maid - Lady Capulet

Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) - Eastenders (91Èȱ¬)

Contenders:

• - Carol is only linked to Lady C by the fact of having been pregnant as a teenager. However, by contrast Carol has had a more hands on parenting role, fiercely protective of her family over the years

• - Who could forget the immortal exchange between and her sister Kat (who was revealed to actually be Zoe's mother - a long kept secret): "You ain't my muvva!" "YES I AM!!"

• - grew up in foster care after being abandoned at 3 years of age, she fell pregnant with Ben Mitchell's child

Think Oliver and Orlando in As You Like It! Or maybe Helena and Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream...

Paul Trueman (played by Gary Beadle) - Eastenders (91Èȱ¬)

Contenders:

• and have obviously had an up and down relationship over the years. Phil slept with Grant’s wife, Sharon, and Grant took revenge, sleeping with Phil’s estranged wife Kathy. (Ouch!)
• Then we come to the Truemans. The clean cut, apple of his father's eye, was – tragic brother Paul was always seen as the black sheep of the family, and lived in Anthony's shadow. But in a shocking twist, it turned out that Paul had taken the blame for a criminal act committed by his brother, to protect Anthony
• and - best friends until Nat’s affair with "Rickay!"
• and- a complex sisterly relationship
• and Sharon - fighting over Phil!

At the launch of our 2016 Shakespeare Festival, we also launched - an innovative digital interactive campaign to inspire the smartphone generation to tap into Shakespeare’s best-loved lines.

Younger members of the Eastenders cast Lorna Fitzgerald and Harry Reid gave it a try and shared their Shakespeare memories.