Harry Trewe
Harry Trewe is one of the play's two protagonists. A retired white English music-hall actor in his mid-forties, Harry came to Tobago to run the Castaways Guest House. The move was also a way to escape his personal problems in England, where his alcoholic wife had left him and his son had died in a car crash caused by his drunk mother. In denial over his grief, Harry struggles with loneliness, insomnia, and boredom; he also talks casually about suicide and jumping off the cliff. Harry sets the play's plot in motion when he proposes to his handyman/factotum, Jackson, that they play parts in a pantomime production of Robinson Crusoe. Even though Harry calls himself a liberal and pays lip service to the idea of equality between him and Jackson, he becomes incensed when Jackson criticizes imperialism. Harry attempts to clear the air with Jackson, but his behavior becomes erratic when he drinks to excess. With Jackson's prompting, Harry confesses to resenting his wife, who, beyond killing their son, was a more successful and talented actor. Harry also admits that he wanted to redo the pantomime because the first time he staged it his ex-wife humiliated him by playing Crusoe while he played Friday.
Jackson Phillip
Jackson Philipp, a 40-year-old Trinidadian, is a retired calypsonian (singer of calypsos). He works as a Harry's factotum at the guest house in Tobago. Although he gets his work done in a professional manner, Jackson frequently pokes fun at his boss with sarcastic comments. Unlike his boss, Jackson has experience in the hotel business, as he has previously worked in hotels in various positions. Jackson knows that the hotel can only attract guests if it is in good condition, and he focuses on repairing the place while Harry distracts him with romantic ideas of staging a pantomime. A realist, Jackson dismisses the idea of a race-reversed version of Robinson Crusoe as "shit." When he improvises the play with Harry, Jackson presents his criticism of imperialism/colonialism, demonstrating a thorough understanding of English history and culture. Jackson's language skills allow him to switch between Creole and English accents, thus mimicking Harry and the British. Although Jackson speaks of how he retired from performing calypsos for a life of peace and quiet, he agrees at the end of the play to perform in the Robinson Crusoe pantomime with Harry. However, he will only do it if Harry gives him a raise.
Ellen
Ellen is Harry's ex-wife; she doesn't appear as a character on stage. A star performer in the British music hall tradition, Ellen has a history of upstaging her husband, such as when she played Robinson Crusoe and made Harry play Friday in blackface. Following a pantomime performance in Brighton, Ellen got into a drunk-driving accident that killed their son. Ellen subsequently left Harry and remarried.
Harry's Son
Harry's son does not appear as a character on stage. Harry refers to how his son died in a drunk-driving accident that resulted from Ellen's alcoholism. Harry hasn't fully grieved the loss of his son, which contributes to his loneliness, isolation, and insomnia.
The Parrot
The parrot is a captive pet parrot who lives at the Castaways Guest House. Jackson complains that the parrot is racially prejudiced, intentionally provoking him by saying the N-word. Harry defends the parrot, claiming that he is merely saying "Heinegger," the name of the German man who formerly owned the hotel. The parrot only appears on stage after Jackson kills it and throws it at Harry's feet; Harry then tosses the parrot into the sea.
