Sensuous and bawdy, TIPPING THE VELVET plunges the reader into the colourful world of the music hall business in 19th century London. 18-year-old Nan leads an ordinary life, working as an oyster girl in the kitchen of her father’s seaside restaurant. The night she sets eyes on Kitty, male impersonator extraordinaire, however, her life takes a dramatic turn. Nan doesn’t rest until she can meet her heroine and soon after, becomes her dresser. The two of them head for the bright lights of Leicester Square, where their all-singing and dancing double act quickly becomes famous. Meanwhile, behind closed doors, their attraction for each other begins and leads Nan on an extraordinary picaresque journey of self-discovery.