8.560 minSeason 1 • Episode 3
LatestDiana throws out Nan and Blake and Blake disappears with all of the money leaving a totally destitute Nan. The only person she can think to turn to ends up unwelcoming to her. So begins a very different phase for Nan, which leads ultimately to her making the most important decision of her life...
A tempestuous tale of love and life as a naïve girl discovers both romance and pain in the hidden, decadent world of bohemian London in the 1890s. Nan Astley embarks on a voyage of emotional and sexual discovery with Kitty Butler, a music hall male impersonator.
Costume
Every outfit screams 'I have secrets and excellent tailoring.'
Acting
Rachael Stirling's wide-eyed transformation from naive to knowing.
Production
Grubby, glittering London recreated with unflinching detail.
Creator
Andrew Davies
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Sarah Waters wrote Nan's seaside hometown based on Whitstable, where she grew up — those oyster details are autobiographical.
The BBC broadcast this at 9pm in 2002 and received 200 complaints — mostly about the 'unnecessary' explicitness of lesbian scenes that hetero period dramas had featured for decades.
GB
