▁kept ▁on ▁a ▁steady ▁di et ▁of ▁g in ▁to ▁keep ▁her ▁looking ▁young . ▁ ▁( Sa id ▁to ▁be ▁inspired ▁by ▁English ▁child ▁actress ▁Jean ▁Margaret ▁D aven port , ▁with ▁her ▁parents ▁the ▁insp iration ▁for ▁Vincent ▁and ▁Mrs . ▁C rum m les ▁as ▁well .) ▁ ▁Mr ▁Fol air : ▁A ▁p antom im ist ▁with ▁the ▁C rum m les ▁company . ▁He ▁is ▁an ▁apt ▁fl atter er ▁but ▁does ▁not ▁hes itate ▁to ▁say ▁exactly ▁what ▁he ▁thinks ▁of ▁people ▁once ▁their ▁back s ▁are ▁turned . ▁Miss ▁S ne vel lic ci : ▁The ▁tal ented ▁leading ▁lady ▁of ▁the ▁C rum m les ▁tr oupe . ▁She ▁and ▁Nicholas ▁fl irt ▁heavily , ▁and ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁mut ual ▁att raction , ▁but ▁nothing ▁comes ▁of ▁it . ▁She ▁eventually ▁leaves ▁the ▁tr oupe ▁to ▁get ▁married . ▁Mr ▁Len ville : ▁A ▁mel od ram atic , ▁self - cent red ▁tra ged ian , ▁who ▁becomes ▁je alous ▁of ▁the ▁attention ▁Nicholas ▁is ▁receiving ▁as ▁an ▁actor , ▁and ▁attempts ▁to ▁pull ▁his ▁nose ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁company , ▁an ▁act ▁which ▁results ▁in ▁the ▁actor ▁himself ▁being ▁knock ed ▁down ▁and ▁his ▁can e ▁broken ▁by ▁Nicholas . ▁ ▁Theatre ▁adapt ations ▁ ▁The ▁novel ▁has ▁been ▁adapted ▁for ▁stage , ▁film ▁or ▁television ▁at ▁least ▁seven ▁times . ▁A ▁large - scale ▁version ▁( from ▁play w right ▁David ▁Ed gar ) ▁was ▁premier ed ▁in ▁ 1