Tipping The Velvet (TV mini-series)
Picture: B-
Sound: B- Extras: C+ Episodes: B
Nan Ashley (Rachael Stirling) is fond of a stage performer
who looks like a boy, but is a girl.
She turns out to be popular performer Kitty Butler (Keeley Havers) and
she has her first love affair. They
also go on to be a popular pair of performers, but that all falls apart and Nan
has to make bold choices in Tipping The Velvet (2002), a British TV
mini-series that almost qualifies as a Backstage Musical, but becomes too
dramatic too often to qualify.
With that said, this is more than just a Victorian Era
tale of Lesbianism, but also paints another less seen portrait of the
oppression of women then and now. Based
on Sarah Waters’ novel, the teleplay by Andrew Davies brings a world alive that
we have rarely seen form this place and time period, but this is done very
convincingly and is an intelligent, pleasant surprise. Though I did not realize it at first,
Stirling is the daughter of the great Dame Diana Rigg and this is a site very
big on Miss Rigg. To get this out of
the way, Stirling is taking the kinds of risks her mother did and the camera
likes her too. Even without knowing this
connection, she makes Nan constantly someone you want to know about and see
what happens to next. Stirling is
amazing in how she carries this mini-series.
The anamorphically enhanced 16 X 9/1.78 X 1 image shot by
cinematographer Cinders Forshaw, B.S.C., which may be cleaner than the
Victorian Era itself in parts. Think
about the alleyway scenes as compared to The Hughes Brothers’ From Hell
(2001). Either way, though done with
some style that either holds back on the fine definition and/or the transfer is
that way, it looks good for a TV production.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo has healthy Pro Logic surrounds that
benefit more than just the songs. The
music is by Adrian Johnston, the songs by Terry Davies, and they all feel as
part of their period, which is another plus.
The few extras include a brief interview (7:49) with the writers, a
slide show with music and seven filmographies of the cast.
As for the title, it is not about tipping hats on stage,
but refers to oral sex, especially where women are concerned. The mini-series is much classier and is
definitely the R-rated kind of product broadcast American TV still could
not handle. Tipping The Velvet
offers the kind of story we have not seen before, taking us somewhere we have
not been before, and is worth your time.
- Nicholas Sheffo
