Characters

19th Century Characters

Thomasina Coverly

Aged 13, then 16. She is the child of Lord and Lady Croom. She has a shockingly clear understanding of chaos theory and also theorizes the second law of thermodynamics with unusual ease. Although she is well beyond her years in terms of intelligence, she is still a child with a sense of innocence, humour and curiosity.

Thomasina (left) and Septimus (right)

Septimus Hodge

Aged 22, then 25. He is the tutor of Thomasina Coverly. As an academic, he is continuously working on his own research along with teaching Thomasina. He has a certain charm and a stream of witty responses when interacting with others.

Who wouldn't want him as a tutor?

Ezra Chater

Aged 31. An unsuccessful poet and an amateur botanist. His wife's countless affairs lead him to challenge Septimus - however his character lacks willpower, and he barely resists when the others push him to do something.

Lady Croom

Mid-thirties. The mother of Thomasina and the wife of Lord Croom. As the lady of the house, she rules the Coverly estate with authority. There is a good deal of flirtation between her and Septimus (as well as other gentlemen) throughout the play.

Captain Brice

Mid-thirties. He is the brother of Lady Croom and a sea captain in the Royal Navy. He falls in love with the frivolous Mrs.Chater.

Richard Noakes

Middle-aged. He is a landscape architect and is working on transforming the classical, Arcadia-like landscape of Sidley Park into the Gothic style popular at the time. He is the source of gossip as he likes to know the deeds of everybody in the house.

Jellaby

Middle-aged. A butler of Lord and Lady Croom's house. Sly and nosy, he makes it his business to find out about the personal lives of the other characters. However, he keeps a professional exterior when dealing with his employers.

Augustus Coverly

Aged 15. He is Thomasina’s unruly younger brother. He is a cheeky, undisciplined character as he teases Thomasina and questions Septimus about life and love. Played by the same actor who plays Gus Coverly.

Present Day Characters

Hannah Jarvis

In her late thirties, Hannah is an author, feminist and literary scholar who has sacrificed a social life for her work on the hermit of Sidley Park. She joins forces with Bernard Nightingale to put together the pieces of the early 19th century. She is somewhat of a voice of reason for the other characters. She has already written a highly acclaimed book on the life of Lord Byron and continues to untangle the mystery of Sidley Park.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Bernard Nightingale

In his late thirties, Bernard is a sharply-dressed don, academic and writer whose field of work is literature of the early 19th century; he specializes in the life and work of Lord Byron. He evades the truth for fame and recognition as he attempts to prove that Lord Byron killed Ezra Chater.

Hannah (left) and Bernard (right)

Valentine Coverly

Aged 25-30. The son of the Coverly Estate. A graduate studying mathematics, who spends his time untangling Thomasina’s diagrams and research. He has an unrequited crush on Hannah Jarvis.

Nerd alert!

Chloe Coverly

Aged 18. She is the daughter of the present owner of Sidley Park. She is a modern day version of Thomasina, harbouring similar qualities like her curiosity and some of her intelligence. She argues that a Newtonian universe would be destroyed by the random nature of sexual acts.

Gus Coverly

Aged 15. Gus Coverly is the self-elected mute son of Sidley Park in present day. He is extremely shy and in love with Hannah Jarvis. Played by the same actor who plays Augustus Coverly.