Amidst the post-war hedonistic frenzy of 1918, a newly empowered generation of female gangs roam the streets of Soho, and a burgeoning underground nightclub scene fuelled by moonshine and cocaine. Depicting the women at the epicentre of London’s criminal underbelly, Bad Wolf Studios’ six-part drama series Dope Girls comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer later this year.
Julianne Nicholson (Blonde) stars as Kate Galloway, a 42-year-old single mother who hopes to provide for her daughter Evie, played by Eilidh Fisher (The Power). Eliza Scanlen (Little Women) plays Violet Davies, an undercover police officer tasked with investigating the illicit world of Soho nightlife. As Kate cultivates her nightclub empire, her reality becomes messily entangled with the dazzling bohemian dancer Billie Cassidy, played by Umi Myers (Bob Marley: One Love).
Described as a ‘spiritual successor’ to Peaky Blinders, Dope Girls promises to be an electrifying illumination on a forgotten history of female gangs in 20th century Britain. Created and written by multi-award-winning writer Polly Stenham (Julie, The Neon Demon) and Alex Warren (Eleanor), the show is directed by Shannon Murphy (Killing Eve) and Miranda Bowen (Women In Love).
The show’s executive producer Jane Tranter has stated the production represents a continuing commitment to growing the creative industry in Wales “from the ground up”. Filmed in the Cardiff-based Wolf Studio Wales, Dope Girls is one of several collaborations between Bad Wolf and the BBC, which include Doctor Who, His Dark Materials and HBO co-pro Industry. Bad Wolf’s meteoric rise has established south Wales as a thriving industrial hub for entertainment production, marking an exciting time for the Welsh creative sector.
Dope Girls is set to be as thrillingly audacious and raunchy as it sounds, blending gritty historical fact with bold and fearless storytelling for an electrifying tale of hard-fought female ambition and survival.
Dope Girls will launch on BBC One later in 2024 (date currently TBC). Info: here
words JULIA BOTTOMS
