Carnival

Jenny Pearl is a gifted dancer who blossoms on stage, captivating audiences with her charm and presence. She navigates the pull between a demanding career, romantic entanglements, and the expectations of a close-knit family. Her choices—between Maurice's touring world and the security of home—drive the drama and test her loyalty to those she loves.

Maurice Avery is an ambitious artist who falls for Jenny's talent and beauty. He offers a life on the road and wooes her with promises of artistic collaboration while avoiding marriage. His presence disrupts Jenny's rehearsals and tests her commitment to family. He embodies a seductive but potentially coercive lure of fame and Europe-bound opportunity.

Mr. Trewhella is a lodger who becomes a protective yet controlling influence over Jenny. He disapproves of the male gaze and the town's ways, embodying conventional country values. His insistence on marriage and order creates tension between Jenny's independence and family duty. He later becomes Jenny's husband, stepping into a paternalistic role after the mother's death.

Mae Raeburn is Jenny's hard-working mother, the family anchor who manages a bustling home. Her death becomes a watershed moment that shifts family dynamics and precipitates changes in Jenny's life. She embodies resilience in the face of hardship and the emotional center of the household.

Florry Raeburn is Jenny's sister, part of the close-knit family that supports or challenges Jenny's choices. She represents the familial bonds that persist through triumphs and trials, and provides a counterpoint to Jenny's public life with a more intimate, domestic focus.

Fuzz is the mutual friend who offers practical and emotional guidance. He explains the complexities of relationships and participates in the social circle surrounding Jenny. His presence provides humor, loyalty, and a grounded perspective within the theatre world.