Tipping the Velvet is a mini-series based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Waters. It aired on the BBC in 2002. The script was handled by Andrew Davies and the director was Geoffrey Sax.
Since birth, Nancy Astley (Rachael Stirling) has only ever known the life of an oyster-girl. From sunup to sunset, she helps her family shuck oysters, prepare dishes, and serve the people of Whitstable. Whenever she needs a break, she and her sister take a train to a theater where they can be entertained by all sorts of acts. One fateful year, a masher (male impersonator) by the name of Kitty Butler (Keeley Hawes) takes the stage, her voice and charisma enthralling the crowd, and Nancy most of all. Before she knows it, she's fallen deeply in love with Kitty.
Of course, this being Victorian England, Nancy has to keep her passion to herself, proven when her sister begins to treat her coldly after Nancy tells her about her newfound feelings. Things get even harder when Kitty takes notice of Nancy's frequent visits to the theater, inviting her to her dressing room one night. They soon form a close-knit bond that Nancy mistakes for friendly affection on Kitty's part. However, their time together soon reveals that Kitty loves her just as much as she loves Kitty.
Before she knows it, Nancy is swept up into theater life, soon becoming a masher herself. Unfortunately, their relationship will be put to the test, and Nancy's new life may come crashing down around her before she can stop it.
This series provides examples of:
- Ambiguously Bi: It's left unclear if Kitty really had feelings for Walter, or he's just her beard, as she also tries to get back with Nan later.
- Attempted Rape: In the series, Nan is nearly raped by one of her gay male customers who won't take "no" as an answer when she refused to do anal sex. She's rescued by Diana's manservant before this happens.
- Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Nancy becomes a kind prostitute, although she technically works as a rent boy. Regardless, she stays her sweet self.
- Informed Ability: In the TV adaptation, Nan's ability to disguise herself as a boy.
- Iris Out: In the TV version, obviously. Usually on Nancy, since she's the narrator. Each episode closes on the scene by doing this, in the last one with a heart shape after Nancy finds true love with Flo.
- Ms. Fanservice: Nancy is quite pretty, and shows a lot of nudity, including in sex scenes. To a lesser extent her first lover Kitty too, who is also beautiful (and shares many of those sex scenes).
- Time-Passes Montage: Used in the BBC adaptation.
- Where Everybody Knows Your Flame: Nancy brings Florence to a lesbian pub after they get together, though at first Florence thinks some of the women there are men, given they're cross-dressing. It's mostly filled with butch lesbians, although some feminine ones are seen too (like the aforementioned two).
