Character analysis – Lady Homerton

Lady Homerton is only shown as a brief memory from the past.

She isn’t described much in her scene or throughout the play
however we can decipher what she’s like and who she is from
the way she interacts with Baron Earlsfield. Lady Homerton
shuts down his complaints of never loving again and seems as
if she focuses more on facts and figures rather than delusions.
The way she lists “we all have family problems, we work, we get
ill” suggests to me that she understands the reality of life. It’s
almost as if she’s experienced love or limerence at a young age
before. Seeing as Baron is only 16 in our version, I found it hard
to believe he experienced true love and not limerence. I think
Lady Homerton finds it hard to believe as well due to her telling
him he’ll get over it. I did some research on the difference
between love and limerence and the best way I can describe it
is a magical passionate time before the real-world hits.
Limerence is like you’re on a cloud with this person and love is
pushing through thick and thin with this person. Lady
Homerton can see that Baron is only 16 and hasn’t been
through thick and thin with someone his own age yet and is so
adamant he will move on. I like Lady Homerton’s way of
thinking, she almost reminds me of a wise old woman. I’m not
exactly sure whether she was created to present this way
however I always found a comedic side to Lady Homerton when
playing her. She suggests Baron should play tennis instead of
being heartbroken which is such a random suggestion to give to
a heartbroken teenager. I almost feel as if a lot of parents could
relate to Lady Homerton as she knows he’s being dramatic and
stupid, and all her suggestions are completely opposite to what
he thinks he needs. Much like when a parent tries to give advice
and the teenager will shut it down straight away. To me there’s
either a sibling or mother son relationship between these two
where Lady Homerton stands as the older, more
knowledgeable figure in the relationship.

When I played Lady Homerton, I always played her as very well

behaved and polite because it really contrasted her and Baron’s
personalities and let each character shine as their own. I did
this through the way she walked and carried herself. She led by
her chin as if she was observing her surroundings before
making a comment or remark on Baron. This changed during
the last scene as we were at the party. I made it seem like Lady
Homerton was letting herself be free and loosing all that
control she has over how she presents herself. The party was
all about everyone coming together to be themselves and Lady
Homerton isn’t a therapist to Baron she’s a young woman who
needed a night off.