No Kidding

David is pragmatic and driven to turn the country house into a successful seasonal home for wealthy children. He favors a tougher, more disciplinary approach to keep order as the venture begins. His plan often clashes with Catherine's gentler instincts, driving the couple’s domestic drama.

Catherine is more compassionate, arguing for giving the children freedom and space. She seeks balance between staff authority and the children's needs, acting as a mediator. Her stance softens the harshness of David's plan and pushes the story toward a humane resolution.

Mrs Spicer is a formidable local councillor determined to block the holiday home project or push it into her own development scheme. She wields municipal power to oppose the venture and influence the inspector’s assessment. Her presence creates external pressure that tests how the Robinsons and their staff manage the children.

The cook is a steadying but frequently drunk presence who undermines the staff's efforts to maintain order. Her unreliability adds to the chaos at mealtimes and heightens the tension between discipline and care. She becomes a catalyst for tensions within the household.

Angus is the Robinsons' son who experiences the holiday house as a testing ground for boundaries alongside the visiting children. He participates in both polite and rebellious moments, providing a human anchor for the parental dynamic.

Fenella, or Vanilla, is the English girl who claims maltreatment by her parents, challenging adults and norms. She speaks up, questions rules, and forces the grown-ups to respond with sensitivity.

Priscilla is one of the visiting children whose sharp, perceptive presence highlights the divide between privilege and conduct. Her interactions reveal social dynamics at the heart of the holiday home scheme.

The matron ensures care and order among staff and children, keeping routines and hygiene under control. She represents the institutional layer of the holiday venture, mediating conflicts with steady authority.

The district nurse attends to health concerns with calm practicality, balancing the care side of the operation against the discipline of the staff.

The father, Angus's dad, is a distant figure who embodies external parental pressure and the option to send children away. He is not a central presence in the action but frames the stakes of keeping the children close.