Tavern Keeper

Like most tavern wenches, owners, or maids, the Tavern Keeper is a jovial but hardy character. She is appears to be well respected in the tavern, being the only woman, besides Beatrice and the Midwife, in it, and is not afraid to get her hands dirty; with the way she chases Beatrice out of the tavern.

Appearance: Like many characters the Tavern Keeper goes through many transformations in her appearance. One general theme that the designer, Nick Cross, kept in mind was his inspiration of Betty Boop.

Tavern Keeper Sketch1 Nick Cross Character Sketches.[2]

Her first sketches include her dress without her shawl for modesty and apron, and bonnet. This sketch has her face is wider being wider and jellybean shaped with eyes slightly larger for her head. Another sketch has her face much rounder and circle shaped, and appearing aged older.

Tavern Keeper Sketch2 Nick Cross Character Sketch.[2]

A third sketch has her wearing a sleeveless dress with a round neckline and ruffled collar (not a bertha), and revealing her parted, but tied hair, and a different nose. Some sketches have show her face without the rosy blush on her cheeks, some with no bonnet, and with round half-lidded eyes.

What remains consistent in the sketches were her dress length, apron, shawl, earrings, hair style, eyelashes, and nose. Interestingly, none of her preliminary sketches appear to have the choker pendant she wears. Most sketches do have her cheek lines and plump figure.

In Songs of the Dark Lantern when Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice are searching for coverage from the rain and accidentally fall in the path toward her tavern. When they enter she warns them that no animals (likely wild animals) were allowed in her tavern and brings them food. In the introductions of the tavern patrons, and after Wirt's song, she warns him of the Beast and shed light into the perspective that the people of the Unknown have of him. It is in her tavern that the group steals Fred the Horse from the Highwayman.