"Tipping the Velvet" (2002) TV mini-series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

9 October 2002 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Set in the 1890's, tells the lesbian love affair between male impersonator music hall star Kitty Butler and Nan Astley.

Plot Keywords:

Lesbian | 1890s | Music Hall | Lesbian Interest | Femininity

Awards:

5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Rachael Stirling	...	Nan Astley (3 episodes, 2002)
Keeley Hawes	...	Kitty Butler (3 episodes, 2002)
Anna Chancellor	...	Diana Lethaby (2 episodes, 2002)
Jodhi May	...	Florence Banner (2 episodes, 2002)
Alexei Sayle	...	Charles Frobisher (2 episodes, 2002)
John Bowe	...	Walter Bliss (2 episodes, 2002)
Sally Hawkins	...	Zena Blake (2 episodes, 2002)
Di Botcher	...	Woman with Cigar (2 episodes, 2002)
Carl Chase	...	Corder (2 episodes, 2002)
Janet Henfrey	...	Mrs. Jex (2 episodes, 2002)
Daniel Mays	...	Jimmy Burns (2 episodes, 2002)
Bernice Stegers	...	Mrs. Denby (2 episodes, 2002)
Sara Stockbridge	...	Dickie (2 episodes, 2002)

Series Directed by
Geoffrey Sax		(3 episodes, 2002)

Series Writing credits
Andrew Davies		(3 episodes, 2002)
Sarah Waters		(3 episodes, 2002)

Series Produced by
Sally Head	....	executive producer: Sally Head Productions (3 episodes, 2002)
Georgina Lowe	....	producer (3 episodes, 2002)
Gareth Neame	....	executive producer: BBC (3 episodes, 2002)
Sally Woodward Gentle	....	executive producer: BBC (3 episodes, 2002)

Series Original Music by
Adrian Johnston		(3 episodes, 2002)

Series Cinematography by
Cinders Forshaw		(3 episodes, 2002)

Series Film Editing by
Kristina Hetherington		(3 episodes, 2002)

Series Casting by
Nina Gold		(3 episodes, 2002)

Series Production Design by
Malcolm Thornton		(3 episodes, 2002)

Series Art Direction by
Leigh Walker		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Susannah Buxton		(3 episodes, 2002)

Series Makeup Department
Suzan Broad	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Meinir Jones-Lewis	....	hair designer / makeup designer (unknown episodes)
Liz Michie	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Sharon O'Brien	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Danielle Brandon	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Martin Harrison	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Finn McGrath	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Rosie Newall	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes)
Charlie Waller	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Steve Adler	....	carpenter (unknown episodes)
Kevin Biggs	....	stand-by painter (unknown episodes)
Joe Cassar	....	carpenter (unknown episodes)
Dempsey Cook	....	dressing props (unknown episodes)
Gina Cromwell	....	production buyer (unknown episodes)
Suzie Davies	....	stand-by art director (unknown episodes)
Raymond Day	....	stand-by carpenter (unknown episodes)
Barry Howard-Clark	....	stand-by props (unknown episodes)
Harry Hull	....	painter (unknown episodes)
Ian James-Culverwell	....	dressing props (unknown episodes)
Simon King	....	stand-by props (unknown episodes)
Tony Lenman	....	painter (unknown episodes)
Ian Newton	....	dressing props (unknown episodes)
Nina Ross	....	assistant art director (unknown episodes)
John Thorpe	....	construction manager (unknown episodes)
Gary Watson	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Kem White	....	assistant buyer (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Chris Burdon	....	dubbing mixer / sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Colette Dahanne	....	assistant sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Steve Finn	....	sound maintenance (unknown episodes)
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer (unknown episodes)
Jim Greenhorn	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Graham Headicar	....	sound designer (unknown episodes)
Luke Neuman	....	assistant sound (unknown episodes)
Ben Norrington	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
Rowena Wilkinson	....	foley artist (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Ed Smith	....	special effects supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Cas Casey	....	digital effects artist (unknown episodes)
Simon Giblin	....	digital effects artist (unknown episodes)
Shane Warden	....	digital effects artist (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
David Bourke	....	best boy (unknown episodes)
Harry Bowers	....	clapper loader (unknown episodes)
Tom Gates	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)
Chris Gilbert	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Dai Hopkins	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Joanne Lee	....	daily clapper loader (unknown episodes)
Charlie Macher	....	stand-by rigger (unknown episodes)
Mark Milsome	....	focus puller (unknown episodes)
Elliot Moine	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Angus Muir	....	special stills (unknown episodes)
Jamie Summers	....	electrician (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Rosalie Clayton	....	casting assistant (unknown episodes)
Tamara Gillon	....	casting assistant (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Liza Bracey	....	assistant costume designer (unknown episodes)
Gemma Evans	....	costume assistant (unknown episodes)
Fiona McCann	....	stand-by costume (unknown episodes)
Gabrielle Spanswick	....	wardrobe supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Simon Giblin	....	on-line editor (unknown episodes)
Vincent Narduzzo	....	colorist (unknown episodes)
Victoria Stevens	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Shane Warden	....	on-line editor (unknown episodes)
Christian Wheeler	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Richard Brown	....	theatre musical director (unknown episodes)
Steve Parr	....	music mixer / music recordist (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Simon Burgess	....	facility driver: unit base stand-by (3 episodes, 2002)

Series Other crew
Gwenda Bagshaw	....	script executive (3 episodes, 2002)
Francesca Jaynes	....	choreographer (3 episodes, 2002)
Devora Pope	....	script editor (3 episodes, 2002)
Sam Breckman	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Alex Gill	....	picture publicist (unknown episodes)
James Grant	....	assistant location manager (unknown episodes)
John Howard	....	production executive (unknown episodes)
Sarah McBryde	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
James McLaren	....	production runner (unknown episodes)
Sophie Moss	....	production secretary (unknown episodes)
Frances Pardell	....	publicist (unknown episodes)
Karen Redman	....	assistant accountant (unknown episodes)
Julie Scott	....	production executive: BBC (unknown episodes)
Sarah Simpson	....	production executive (unknown episodes)
Heather Storr	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Chris Tarry	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Clare Whitaker	....	unit nurse (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Sally Head Productions

Distributors

• AcornMedia (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Be 1 (2004) (Belgium) (TV)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Contender Entertainment Group (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Optimale (2003) (France) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Casting Collective  extras casting
• Production Copier Company  production equipment and services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

177 min (3 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 (re-rating) | UK:18 (original rating) | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Whitstable, Kent, England, UK

Company:

Sally Head Productions

Trivia:

In an interview Keeley Hawes said that she and Rachel Stirling got drunk before shooting the love scenes, but also said kissing a woman was not much different than kissing a man.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The roses Kitty gives out in her act are obviously artificial. But later when Nan shows Kitty she kept the rose she received from her, the rose is wilted.

Quotes:

Nancy Nan Astley:But I didn't want to be her sister... I wanted to be her sweetheart!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Story of the Costume Drama: Affairs of the Heart (#1.3)" (2008)

Done it again, Mr. Davies? Well done, sir!

Tipping the Velvet has just three weeks ago been released in the UK and already I watch as countless letters flood to the national papers and TV guides, claiming that it possesses a thin plot, weak performances and an even weaker script.

You find me incensed. This is heresy.

I would really like to dispel all doubt by first congratulating Andrew Davies on enabling Geoffrey Sax to create this wonderful dramatization of Sarah Waters' novel by cushioning him with such a fantastic script. Kudos. But I fear I must now change tack.

I saw one of the premiere TV guides here in the UK (which shall remain nameless) relentlessly describing Tipping the Velvet as a "lesbian love story". If they are, and I assume they are, trying to promote interest in the film, then this is completely the wrong way to go about it (aside from the phrase being a disappointingly inaccurate description). By saying such a thing, they are either a) turning away those who would instinctively be repelled by "that" subject matter or b) attracting a class of people who will only watch to see some "serious girl-on-girl action". Buy a video! Through this display of serious inconsideration, this and other magazines are cheapening what is a brilliant adaptation of one of recent literature's greatest works. Tipping the Velvet is a story of love, of passion, of moving on, of loss, and of heartbreak. It's not a lesbian love story. No siree.

The end result is a stylish affair, with excellent performances all round (particularly from Stirling, Hawes, Chancellor and May). Direction-wise, it's intoxicating and immersive - sometimes, fast-paced, sometimes not - but it never ceases to be anything less than compelling. As a whole, it's polished and well delivered, the sex is undertaken with tenderness and delicacy - and although many will not class it as a real "film", it will remain among my favourites for some time to come.