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Rachael
Stirling, Keeley Hawes, Jodhi May and Anna Chancellor star in Tipping
The Velvet, an Andrew Davies adaptation for BBC TWO
Rachael Stirling (Othello), Keeley
Hawes (The Beggar Bride, Our Mutual Friend), Jodhi
May (Last of the Mohicans) and Anna Chancellor
(Four Weddings and a Funeral) star in Tipping The Velvet, an Andrew
Davies' adaptation of the acclaimed novel by Sarah Waters.
Produced by Sally Head Productions for BBC TWO, the three-part drama
also stars Hugh Bonneville and John Bowe.
Set in England in the 1890's, Tipping The Velvet is a colourful,
passionate and entertaining lesbian love story about Nan Astley
(Rachael Stirling), a heroine as appealing and charismatic as Elizabeth
Bennett in Pride and Prejudice.
As she grows into womanhood, Nan realises that she is attracted
to women, not to men - and it leads her into a series of adventures
which recall that earlier heroine Moll Flanders.
Says Andrew Davies: "Sarah Waters writes from a deep understanding
not only of the great Victorian writers, but also the underground
literature of the time - the pornographic fiction and private memoirs
which revealed the truth about what men and women thought and did
in the later years of the 19th century.
"She also writes with an extraordinary, gutsy zest for life
in all its often comic complexity, especially the sexual life. The
effect of this is sometimes shocking, but always illuminating and
life-enhancing."
The glamorous world of 19th century music hall provides the backdrop
for Nan's first love affair with Kitty, (Keeley Hawes), a popular
male impersonator music hall star.
They become a double act both on and off stage, but their manager
Walter (John Bowe) wins Kitty's hand as she ultimately chooses the
safety of a traditional life rather than risking the public disapproval
of her true feelings for Nan.
Devastated
by Kitty's betrayal, Nan takes to the streets to survive, in her
guise as a male impersonator, and finds a niche in the Victorian
sexual underworld.
She
is drawn to Florence (Jodhi May), but is unable to tell her the
truth about her secret street life.
Instead,
she is spotted by the wealthy widow, Diana Lethaby (Anna Chancellor),
a woman in her thirties who is amoral, capricious and predatory.
She
introduces Nan into a world of luxury and debauchery, and makes
Nan her sexual slave.
When
Nan is thrown back onto the streets, she searches for Florence,
who is initially deeply mistrustful, but a strong bond develops
between them that blossoms into real and lasting love.
Jane
Tranter, BBC Controller of Drama Commissioning says: "Tipping
the Velvet is a fun and frolicking story, with Andrew Davies on
top form.
"It's
a very different kind of period drama, which portrays a world and
characters which won't be familiar to most people. We're thrilled
to be bringing such a witty adaptation of Sarah Waters' book to
BBC TWO."
Sally Head is executive producer with Gareth Neame, Head of Independent
Drama Commissioning, Independents and Sally Woodward Gentle, Commissioning
Executive, for the BBC.
Sally Head says "Tipping the Velvet is unlike anything I've
worked on. The emotional and visual extremes of the story are combined
to make a drama that it is fun, humorous and sometimes daring.
"Andrew Davies' script is simply the best, serving Sarah Waters'
novel perfectly."
Notes to Editors
Cast Interviews
Rachael Stirling
plays Nan
Keeley Hawes plays
Kitty
Anna
Chancellor plays Diana
Jodhi May plays
Diana
Andrew Davies
- writer
Cast and production credits
Sally Head, a former controller of drama at both Granada Television
and LWT, was responsible for many of the highly-acclaimed and popular
TV programmes of the 1990's, including Prime Suspect, Cracker, Band
of Gold, London's Burning, The Knock, Jane Eyre and Staying Alive.
She
has found continued success since setting up her own production
company, Sally Head Productions, five years ago.
The company's credits include Four Fathers, Plastic Man starring
the late John Thaw, The Mayor of Casterbridge and The Cry starring
Sarah Lancashire."
Tipping The Velvet, made by Sally Head Productions for the BBC,
is produced by Georgina Lowe (Topsy-Turvy, The Mayor of Casterbridge)
and directed by Geoff Sax (Othello).
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