At a stuccoed country house location in the middle of West London, the world of Downton Abbey is being turned upside down. “Oh, I could get used to this,” says Sophie McShera, a.k.a. kitchen maid turned cook Daisy Mason, as she lounges on a velvet sofa in pink organza Dolce & Gabbana, while a toned-down Elizabeth McGovern, a.k.a. Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham, serves tea. “I’m usually carrying trays and wearing a gray sack!”
Next door, in another ornately appointed room, Michelle Dockery, a.k.a. Lady Mary Crawley, has stepped into the shoes of her trusted lady’s maid, Anna Bates, while Joanne Froggatt, the actress who plays her, ponders which designer shoes to wear. “After so many years of playing Lady Mary, it was fun to switch roles and play a maid for Bazaar,” says Dockery. “Anna waited on Lady Mary so faithfully over the years—dressing her, mending her clothes, and brushing her hair. It was nice to be able to wait on Jo for a change.”
Sadly it's a bit bland and the maids are dressed in designer dresses and there is little of it. Could have been a lot more fun if they went further with the idea - there are so many options! I know I would have had a blast if it was me doing the photoshoot. Still worth a look, our imagination will do the rest.
Nice that they're thinking about it though! I do like the uniforms in Downton Abbey. It'd been nice of them to have made use of them.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, that would have been great. Guess they wanted to go a more "conventional" way.
DeleteThis has all the foundations for a story two actresses in a period drama, one the star playing a lady of leisure, the other an aspiring actress with a much lesser role, that of a housemaid, their lifestyles off camera reflecting their respective ranking and wealth. A giggling fun filled exchange of roles and costumes on set leads to....................................................
ReplyDeleteThe director, producer and writers consider such a new plot line
The star being arrogant flaky and vulnerable is exploited by the young upstart when they help each other develop their proposed reversed roles rehearsing at the stars home.
Hugs
Jackie J
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I would most definitely like to read a story like that. It would be nice if it also end with the starring actress becoming the actual maid for the upstart actress.
DeleteAs ever,I am more interested in tales where the downwardly mobile woman experiences an addictive adventure rather than is victimized by someone greedy.
Deletewhen I see the images in this gallery I imagine something like this
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think of a 25-year-old rich woman who dreams of becoming an actress?
Let's say it's 1960.
and in an attempt to become famous she decides to sign up for a Reality Shows that she got to see in an advertisement.
it's kind of a film experiment.
The Reality Shows will last a year and a half behind closed doors and participants will not be informed about the role or activities they will play in the event facilities.
When the start day of the Reality Shows arrives, the woman goes to the facilities but mistakenly confuses the direction and ends up in a kind of school of maids.
where when she is received by the Madan of the place she confuses the 25 year old girl with another woman who requires strong training to become a submissive servant like many other women who passed through her hands.
all this while the young actress thinks she is at the Reality Shows where she registered and imagining that everything is being recorded.
so she decides to adopt the role for which she was assigned.
Trying with all her strength to enter the so-called role of maid.
where without realizing it, little by little, she separates from her true identity.
as she performs the cleaning tasks for which she is being trained
and when he has spent a year of training, punishment and submission, there is nothing left of his old personality.
and then she is taken to another place where she imagines that the Reality Shows will finally end and maybe she will win the award for best performance.
but in reality she is being taken to a mansion where she will be employed by the owners of the place as the new and very well trained bred for the rest of her life.
where from the early hours of the morning she will have to work assuming all the activities that she learned in the maidens boarding school.
offering reverence to the lords of the house and doing the chores of the home for the rest of his life.
Interesting premise, thanks!
Delete