Harlots is a British period drama and television series created by Alison Newman and Moira Buffini. The series premiered on 27 March 2017 on ITV Encore in the UK and on 29 March 2017 on Hulu in the U.S. The series focuses on Margaret Wells, who runs a brothel in 18th century England and struggles to raise her daughters in a chaotic household. The series is inspired by "The Covent Garden Ladies" by Hallie Rubenhold.
The series has been renewed for a second season, which is set to premiere in 2018.
Video Harlots (TV series)
Plot
London in 1763 is booming, and one in five women makes a living selling sex. Women's opportunity for economic advancement is to marry well or be a prostitute. The city's brothels are run by canny, cruel businesswomen such as Margaret Wells and Lydia Quigley. The prostitutes are reviewed in Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies, which some of the women are seen reading in the premiere episode.
But there is a new morality in the air as religious crusaders demand the closure of brothels, and the constables are happy to launch brutal raids.
Episodes revolve round Mrs Wells' determination to improve her life and fortune by moving her brothel to Greek Street in Soho and serve a better class of Georgian society. To finance the move, after receiving a £100 fine, she auctions the virginity of her younger daughter Lucy as she had done before with her older daughter Charlotte when she was 12 years old. Charlotte is the lover of the besotted Sir George Howard, who wants her to sign a contract with him that makes him her "keeper."
Margaret's move to Greek Street puts her into conflict with Lydia Quigley, for whom she had previously worked as a prostitute. Lydia Quigley operates a high class brothel in Golden Square, serving rich, highly influential people in the judiciary and police, and blackmails a religious reformer into opposing Margaret.
Maps Harlots (TV series)
Production
Harlots was commissioned for ITV by Controller of Drama Victoria Fea. Women served as writers, directors, and executive producers on the series. The production company Monumental Pictures was founded by two women, Alison Owen and Debra Hayward.
Cast and characters
- Samantha Morton as Margaret Wells, madam of a low-class brothel seeking to improve her fortune, and former prostitute of Lydia Quigley
- Lesley Manville as Lydia Quigley, madam of a high-class brothel with clients from the judiciary, nobility, and upper echelons of Georgian society
- Jessica Brown Findlay as Charlotte Wells, eldest daughter of Margaret Wells, prostitute and lover of Sir George Howard whom she views as a path to a better life
- Eloise Smyth as Lucy Wells, youngest daughter of Margaret Wells, inexperienced prostitute learning the trade
- Kate Fleetwood as Nancy Birch, neighbour of Margaret Wells, specialises in flagellation
- Danny Sapani as William North, manservant, protector, and lover of Margaret Wells, born a free man in England rather as a slave.
- Jordan A. Nash as Jacob Wells North, son of Margaret Wells and William North
- Douggie McMeekin as Charles Quigley, son and aide of Lydia Quigley who takes to sampling the girls his mother employs, especially Emily Lacey
- Hugh Skinner as Sir George Howard, soon to be a member of Parliament, generally under the spell of Charlotte Wells
- Steven Robertson as Robert Oswald
- Eleanor Yates as Lady Caroline Howard, wife of Sir George who understands his dalliances can be used to her advantage
- Edward Hogg as Thomas Haxby, manservant and much put upon by Sir George
- Rory Fleck Byrne as Daniel Marney
- Con O'Neil as Nathaniel Lennox, plantation and slave owner, former lover of Margaret Wells
- Pippa Bennett-Warner as Harriet Lennox, comes to England as Nathaniel's wife with two children, former slave
- Timothy Innes as Benjamin Lennox, eldest child from Nathaniel's former marriage
- Lottie Tolhurst as Kitty Carter, prostitute of Margaret Wells
- Bronwyn James as Fanny Lambert, prostitute of Margaret Wells described as a fat jolly girl in the Harris's list
- Josef Altin as Prince Rasselas, a young molly boy who plies his trade on the streets of Covent Garden
- Holli Dempsey as Emily Lacey, prostitute who deserts Margaret Wells for better prospects at Lydia Quigley's brothel
- Alexa Davies as Betsey Fletcher, prostitute, one of Nancy's girls
- Poppy Corby-Tuech as Marie-Louise D'Aubigne, French speaking prostitute of Lydia Quigley
- Ellie Heydon as Anne Pettifer, one of Lydia Quigley's girls
- Rosalind Eleazar as Violet Cross, prostitute, one of Nancy's girls
- Dorothy Atkinson as Florence Scanwell, blind religious campaigner beholden to Lydia Quigley who provides her and her daughter with lodgings
- Jordon Stevens as Amelia Scanwell, daughter of Florence Scanwell, her innocence is of interest to Lydia Quigley
- Roy Beck as Mr. Abbadon
Episodes
References
External links
- Official website
- Harlots on IMDb
- Harlots at TV.com
- Harlots at epguides.com
- Harlots at TV Guide
Source of article : Wikipedia
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