Theatre characters

Appears from the start

One of England's most celebrated stage actresses, in her mid-forties and still able to command audiences through precise technique and emotional force. Offstage she is observant, disciplined, and accustomed to shaping the impression she makes, a habit that complicates her sense of where performance ends.

Appears from the start

Julia's husband and the manager of their successful theatre company. Once an actor admired for his looks, he is now more effective at business and production. His controlled manner and limited emotional range make him a stable partner but not Julia's artistic equal.

Appears from the start

Julia and Michael's son, a young man whose clear-eyed distance from the theatre makes him less susceptible than most people to his mother's stage authority and social charm.

Appears from the start

Julia's experienced dresser and personal attendant. Familiar with the labor beneath theatrical glamour, she speaks to Julia with a bluntness that admirers and employees generally avoid.

First appears in chapter 2

A wealthy theatre backer and close associate of the Gosselyns. Her financial support helped establish their company, and her intense devotion to Julia gives her a personal stake in Julia's friendships and marriage.

First appears in chapter 3

The provincial theatre manager who recognized Julia's gifts when she was young and gave both Julia and Michael formative professional experience. His instruction helped turn instinct and ambition into technique.

Also known as Lord Charles

First appears in chapter 6

A titled, long-standing admirer of Julia. Their intimate friendship carries the appearance of an affair without requiring Julia to disturb the practical arrangement of her marriage.

First appears in chapter 8

A young accountant who visits Julia and Michael on professional business and is overwhelmed by Julia's fame. His youth, good looks, and unguarded admiration attract Julia at a moment when success has made much of her life predictable.

First appears in chapter 25

A young actress connected with Tom Fennell who is eager for a substantial opportunity on the London stage. Her beauty and ambition interest Michael professionally and make Julia's response to her more than a casting decision.