HOBSON - owner of a shoe shop and widowed father of 3 daughters; pompous, overbearing, alcoholic - MIKE HARDING.

MAGGIE - eldest daughter, initially seen as plain, runs the shop and Hobson, she sees her marriage prospects slipping away - HELEN ARBON.

VICKY & ALICE - Hobson's other 2 daughters, late teens or early 20s, keen to be married off - JESSICA MILLAR & AGGIE PETTENGELL.

ALBERT & FRED - young business men and suitors of the above - ROBERT CRIGHTON & SEB RANSON.

WILLIE - Downtrodden boot making genius, whose potential is realised only be MAGGIE. It is the development of their relationship from expediency to true love that forms the play's core - JOSEPH JAMES.

MRS HEPWORTH - wealthy benefactor - MONICA MURPHY.

TUBBY WADLOW - workshop foreman - GEOFF BANWELL

ADA FIGGINS - Willie's intended - TRISH BARNARD

JIM HEELER - Hobson's drinking companion - KARL DUFFY

DR MACFARLANE - straight talking Scots physician - RICHARD FAWCETT