The man in black: Zorro in pictures

'Out of the night /When the full moon is bright / Comes the horseman known as Zorro'… Matt Rawle as Zorro in the West End production Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex

The character of Zorro first appeared in The Curse of Capistrano, a piece of 1919 pulp fiction. Many have retold the tale since Johnston McCulley, from comic book artists and TV executives to film producers Photograph: Public domain

Tyrone Power starred in a 1940 movie version, The Mark of Zorro. Douglas Fairbanks Sr had been the first to play the role 20 years previously Photograph: Cine Text/Allstar

Perma-tanned Dynasty star George Hamilton played Zorro, the Gay Blade on TV in 1981 Photograph: Cine Text/Allstar

In recent times, Antonio Banderas, in The Mask of Zorro, is probably the biggest star to have played 'the fox so cunning and free', as he is described in the theme song to Disney's 1950s TV version Photograph: Tristar/Allstar

The London stage Zorro is Matt Rawle. He plays Don Diego de la Vega, a young Californian aristocrat who heads off to Spain to study Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex

Oddly, he ends up joining a gypsy band instead, led by fiery queen Inez (Lesli Margherita). She teaches him a thing or two and gives him some fashion tips Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex

Back in California, meanwhile, Diego's true love Luisa (Emma Williams) is languishing. She's been taken prisoner and, what's more, the whole state has been practically enslaved by greedy baddy landlord Ramon (Adam Levy) Photograph: Donald Cooper/Photostage

Diego returns, having become, it seems, a doltish fop in Europe … Photograph: Tristram Kenton/Guardian

…but in fact it's all a sham, because he also turns out to be Zorro, 'Friend of the weak / And the poor and the meek', who, by way of many aerial tricks, doppelgangers and fancy footwork, manages to rescue Luisa. She nonetheless fails to see through his impenetrable disguise Photograph: Tristram Kenton/Guardian

He even manages to oust former friend Ramon in a swashbuckling rapier duel Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex

Tying all ends up neatly in time for the great big flamenco finish. Olé! Photograph: Tristram Kenton/Guardian