Character descriptions
Willie Mossop (age 20 to 40)
Will is not an
idiot, nor is he stupid. He simply has not had
the advantage of an education. The brains are
there but he has never been encouraged to use
them. He only needs to be shown or told
something once to retain it and make use of it
but he lacks confidence in his abilities, in
spite of becoming the best shoe maker in
Hobson’s shop.
Henry Hobson (age 50+)
Henry is described
as “successful, coarse and florid”. However,
since the death of his wife his continuing
success has been solely due to his eldest
daughter Maggie. These days he is far too fond
of drinking in the Moonraker’s Inn. His control
of his shop and family is slowly slipping away
from him and he is aware of it. Once a
controlling and typical stern Victorian father
he is reluctant to relinquish the role but is
unable to prevent it. When Maggie and Will take
his trade away he consoles himself in drink and
sinks into depression.
Alice and Vickie Hobson (ages 23 and 21
respectively)
Henry’s youngest
daughters are both very pretty and they know
it. They are both rather vacuous young ladies
who have no real clue how to do anything
useful. Their sole purpose in life is to get a
husband and be looked after, preferably a
husband who will lift them out of “trade” into
“carriage class”. Consequently they look down
on Will whom they consider even lower than
trade. Both have boyfriends. They are slightly
afraid of their father but like today’s
teenagers are happy to do behind his back what
is forbidden to his face.
Fred Beenstock (age 20 to 30)
Vickey’s
boyfriend. Not the carriage trade she would
like but the son of a respectable tradesman. He
is very good looking and dresses very
fashionably. His appearance justifies his
attraction in Vickie’s eyes.
Dr
Macfarlane (age 40+)
A dour Scotsman.
Perceptive and no pushover.
