Pygmalion

A Cockney flower girl whose rough speech and social position clash with upper-class expectations. Through Higgins' elocution lessons, she learns to imitate refined speech and navigate new social spaces. Her journey raises questions about autonomy, ambition, and the price of becoming ‘acceptable’ to high society.

A brilliant but brusque linguist who believes language can determine social rank and control. He treats Eliza as a challenging project rather than a person, and his methods drive the drama and her eventual push for independence. His confidence and occasional arrogance create a friction that fuels the narrative.

A fellow linguist and gentleman who travels from India to study dialects and supports the experiment financially. He offers a steadier, more balanced perspective than Higgins and helps Eliza navigate social situations. His presence adds a cross-cultural layer to the language project.

The practical housekeeper who runs Higgins' household and keeps Eliza on track. She is protective yet firm, enforcing rules while caring about Eliza's welfare. Her domestic realism grounds the experiment in everyday life.

Higgins' perceptive mother, who embodies upper-class sensibilities and questions the humanity of Eliza's treatment. She articulates concerns about respect and the social implications of the experiment. Her perspective highlights the tension between tradition and personal growth.

Eliza's father, a roguish dustman whose wit exposes the contradictions of respectable society. His reluctance to embrace a settled life contrasts with the consequences of his daughter's new status. He becomes entangled in the social upheaval surrounding Eliza's transformation.

A famed Hungarian elocution coach who has gained notoriety for shaping heiresses' accents and reading high society. He appears as a sharp, calculating rival to Higgins, challenging the notion that refinement is purely a matter of speech. His presence heightens the play's questions about authenticity and performance.

A young, romance-minded suitor who is drawn to Eliza's transformed voice and presence. His affections test the boundaries of social class and independence. His gentleness offers a hopeful contrast to Higgins' scientific approach to Eliza.