Beautiful People
I was all ready to be all cynical and bitchy about this … it concerns me how many of my posts start like that … anywho, i was pleasantly surprised when a short way into this new bbc2 show had me laughing out loud.
The series, created by Jonathan Harvey of ‘GimmieGimmieGimmie’ is adult Simon Doonan, a ‘slightly fey window dresser in New York,’ reminiscing about his youth in urban Reading, in the 90s – a painful experience, i’m sure.
The most notable cast members are Meera Syal, her of Umi from the ‘Kumars at no.42′; and Olivia Colman, her of ‘Mitchell and Webb’ and ‘Peep Show’ fame. Syal plays the blind lodger, known as Auntie Hailey, and does a very convincing extract from the exorcist when she’s being weaned off amphetamines by the mum (Colman), who has a very convincing Reading accent, which she must’ve been working on for ages.
The first episode is about how Simon got the ‘varse’ he’s using in a window display in NY – Aunt Hailey went to a health guru who convinced her only to eat nuts and berries. Hailey’s conviction got mother doonan in the mood to cure her alcoholism. Simon catches Hailey eating McDonalds and is paid £30 to keep quiet, just enough to buy a vase he’s fallen in love with…thats about it.
So whilst the plot wasn’t the strongest in the world, the jokes were actually pretty good – Simon’s (white) sister getting her hair done like Heather Small (no relation i’m afraid) from MPeople so she could chat up the local ghetto kids was pretty good, and the spice girls music to accompany mother doonan and Simon’s friend’s mother fighting over a dress, in a boxing ring, with blind Meera selling popcorn was a funny, if weird image.
I’d also like to point out how 10 years or ago, or even 5, there would’ve been huge tabloid headlines about young gay (or at least comfortable playing gay) actors being typecast in roles such as Simon or Kylie (aka Kyle). I think its a great move forwards that roles such as those, and Justin from ‘Ugly Betty’ for example are accepted and applauded. Well done young gays.
Finally, huge amounts of credit goes to Luke Ward-Wilkinson and Layton Williams who had to dress up in 90s gay clothes for the roles, bodywarmers anyone? and Simon’s character had curtains…..bad memories, very bad.
So yes, well done, looking forward to the rest of the series.
NB. have just discovered that Kylie and Dannii Minogue recorded ‘The Winner Takes it All’ for the theme tune <3
