Twelfth Night Characters2024
Washington Regency Society presents the Twelfth Night Ball, January 6, 2024
at Wells Hall, Christ Church Episcopal, Tacoma, Washington
The theme for Twelfth Night will be Characters 
This print from 1811 can be found in the Metropolitan Museum and other collections worldwide.
Thomas Rowlandson ( 13 July 1757 – 21 April 1827) was an English artist and caricaturist of the Georgian and Regency Era, noted for his political satire and social observation. A prolific artist and printmaker, Rowlandson produced both individual social and political satires, as well as a large number of illustrations for novels, humorous books, and topographical works. Like other caricaturists of his age, his caricatures are often robust or bawdy.
Twenty-four small figures on the sheet embody the roles of King, Queen, Lord Flutter, Lady Careless, Sir Timothy Spruce, Miss Busy, Lord Zealous, Lady Flutter, Jemmy Dazzle, Miss Sparkle, Sir Simon Solid, Mr. Nimble, Dolly Diligent, Lady Peaceable, Captain Dash, Lady Lydia Blaze, Giles Diligent, Priscilla Prudent, Sir Peter Puff, Lady Racket; Major Matchless, Mrs. Friendly, Sir Charles Worthy, Miss Gadabout.
Once cut into cards, Regency era party-goers could draw these figures out of a hat, then perform the characters–a host might also send such cards to guests in advance to allow them to prepare suitable costumes. Festivities on January 6th, which is also known as Three Kings’ Day or the Feast of the Epiphany, concluded the Christmas season and often included games that disrupted the normal social order; a servant, for example, might be elevated to monarch of the feast. Specially decorated cakes were enjoyed and examples appear here next to the king and queen.
Rowlandson’s figures have no obvious connection to Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” Scholars do, however, posit that that play may have first been performed at the end of the Christmas season, and note how the dramatic shifts of fortune, costume and gender that occur in the plot echo Tudor Twelfth Night revels.
We always want to be inclusive so won’t be assigning WRS ball attendees to any particular character but rather encouraging you to select from these characters, or other Twelfth Night revels characters you may discover in your research. Are you inspired by the Bridgerton characters? Are you inspired by some version of Pride and Prejudice or other Jane Austen work? Do other Regency era people (real or imagined) inspire you? If so, those are the costumes we hope to see at the ball!
Note – when creating the Washington Regency Society, founding members had only one rule: “Be excellent to each other!” Continuing on that path we ask everyone to recognize that even though Cultural Appropriation was rampant in the English Regency, the people attending this ball are modern people, with modern sensibilities. In order to respect each other (and be excellent) we ask that you not appropriate cultures not your own at our event.
The King
The Queen
Or maybe you are more inspired by this modern interpretation of Queen Charlotte and King George III
or the mature Queen Charlotte from Bridgerton?
Do you see yourself as an 18th Century Maharaja?
Lord Flutter
Colonel Andrews from Austenland would have been a great Lord Flutter 🙂
Lady Careless
While in Austenland, wouldn’t
Jennifer Coolidge as Miss Elizabeth Charming
make a great Lady Careless?
Sir Timothy Spruce
Will Mondrich – the former boxer, now club owner, in Bridgerton would make a very fine Buck – in fact better than Sir Timothy Spruce!
Miss Busy
Lord Zealous
Perhaps real life William Murray, First Earl of Mansfield inspires.
As the most powerful British jurist of the century,
Mansfield’s decisions reflected the Age of Enlightenment
and moved the country onto the path to abolishing slavery. 
Lady Flutter
Jemmy Dazzle
Miss Sparkle
Edwina, Kate and Mrs. Sharma are all pretty sparkly in this scene!
Sir Simon Solid
Mister Nimble
Dolly Diligent
Lady Peaceable
Captain Dash
Lady Lydia Blaze
Giles Diligent
Priscilla Prudent
Mature Lady Danbury reminds me of Priscilla Prudent — perhaps it’s the purple pelisse?
Sir Peter Puff
Lady Racket
Major Matchless
Maybe the real Historical figure Ignatius Sancho inspires you – Major Matchless can’t compare to Mr. Sancho, British abolitionist, writer and composer.
Mrs. Friendly
Sir Charles Worthy
Arthur from Sanditon reminds one of Sir Charles Worthy! Who is Miss Lamb like?
Miss Gadabout
Yes – there is a Lydia above but Miss Gadabout’s description fits Lydia Bennet to a T.