When $H$ is a finite dimensional, semisimple, almost cocommutative Hopf algebra, we examine a table of characters which extends the notion of the character table for a finite group. We obtain a formula for the structure constants of the representation ring in terms of values in the character table, and give the example of the quantum double of a finite group. We give a basis of the centre of $H$ which generalizes the conjugacy class sums of a finite group, and express the class equation of $H$ in terms of this basis. We show that the representation ring and the centre of $H$ are dual character algebras (or signed hypergroups).