Television series-Tipping The Velvet

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Tipping the velvet is a three part television series adapted from the book of the same name written by Sarah Walters in 1998. The topics covered in the series are sexual identity, class and gender which leads to self-discovery. It is filled with sexual contents and innuendos. The series is told in first person narrative of the life of Nan.

Unfortunately, I have not read the book; usually the book is better than cinematic adaption.

Tipping the Velvet is set in Victorian England and tells the story of Nan, a woman who fell in love with a male impersonator, Kitty Butler who performs at a local theatre. In Kitty’s act one lucky female receives a rose and Nan always goes with the hope that she will be the fortunate one of obtaining one of Kitty’s roses. Kitty realizes that Nan is at all of her show and final presents her with a rose.

The two women started a friendship. Kitty gets an opportunity to perform in London for better exposure and asked Nan to join her.  Nan left her family to be Kitty’s dresser. Their relationship was sisterly to Nan had a strong desire for Kitty. 
 After a fallout with her lover, she admitted to Nan that she had feelings for her but their relationship must remain a secret. Kitty’s manager suggested Nan and Kitty should partner on stage where they posted as brothers. Their ability to impersonate men made them famous.

The blur between masculinity and femininity is contextual and understandable as Nan is comfortable as a man even in her personal life. The gender confusion and identity led Nan towards the boyish side. Kitty appreciated her self expression but also fear it.

Being a young girl, Nan eventually began missing her family and returned home.  But on her arrival back to England she found Kitty in bed with Walter (her manager) and they announced that they are getting married and the act is over. Kitty fear of what people thought about her being a performer whose admirer were females; her greatest fear was being labeled a “tom”. A term used for lesbians and transvestites. 
Her desire for normality overshadowed her desire for Nan.

Astonished by Kitty's rejection, Nan wanders the street as a man. She’s solicited by men who thought she was a man; however she never let them know she was a woman.  I found this part of the series very disturbing.

However, still impersonating a man, she (Nan) called herself Neville, she is attacked one night and a woman named Florence rescued her. But, before the two are acquainted, Nan is hired by a wealthy widow, Diana to be her sexual property. 
Nan becomes an object to Diana and her rich friends; she’s dressed in finest men’s clothes and solicited for entertainment.  Nan sexual identity crisis peaked as she attained the highest point of status; that is being male, upper class and handsome it’s the rank she wished to reach. After years of being a virtual sex slave, Diana threw her out.

Nan goes in search of Florence, they began an affair where she promised to live as a girl which proved to be challenging. She also faced the challenge of class, culture and desire. 

By chance Kitty noticed Nan and asked her to return so they can continue their secret relationship but Nan turns Kitty away and stays with Florence after realizing how much shame she felt because Kitty thought she was too much of a boy for her and her reputation was first priority, Nan also realized how much of herself was compromised during their relationship.

Tipping the velvet- a Victorian euphemism for cunnilingus.

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/tippingthevelvet/