For Women Scotland TV Drama / Mumsnet the Movie - Official Discussion thread

Or just take clips of the real news footage.

It would be much wiser not to name the character, or to detail their background.

otoh, at least one person in brightly coloured leggings with a lumpy bit would be visually useful.

ChatGPT, but I'm redacting suggested names:

'In a hypothetical dramatization of "Mumsnet Saves the World", casting someone to play Isla Bryson — a real-life and highly controversial figure — would be a bold and delicate move. Given the real-world sensitivity surrounding Isla Bryson (a convicted rapist whose gender identity raised legal and media debate in the UK), the portrayal would likely spark debate regardless of approach.

If the dramatization aimed for a serious, nuanced treatment (as opposed to satire), the actor would need to balance complexity with careful representation.

Potential Casting Approaches:

1. Satirical/Dark Comedy Version

If the dramatization were in the vein of The Thick of It or Black Mirror, the role might be cast with someone known for sharp, edgy performances:

– skilled in morally ambiguous roles.
– known for transformative, unsettling characters and gender-fluid portrayals.

2. Serious Legal/Political Drama

If the tone were more akin to Line of Duty or Bodyguard:

– for her ability to portray morally grey characters with psychological depth.
– known for portraying complex characters with sensitivity (though casting a cis man in a trans role would be controversial today).

3. Realistic Political Drama with Trans Representation

For authenticity, a trans actor might be cast — though few trans actors currently have mainstream recognition in UK drama, that is changing:

* could play a character inspired by, but not named as, Bryson — to avoid legal/ethical complications.

Important Note:

Due to the real and disturbing criminal context of Isla Bryson’s story, dramatizing it (especially naming the character directly) would almost certainly provoke ethical and legal challenges, especially if presented without fictionalization or anonymization.'

Dare I ask would someone have to play Isla Bryson?

Alex Kingston for Maya. Obviously with dyed hair.

I can see Eileen McCallum in it. She'd be brilliant at having no fucks left to give and calling a spade a gardening imp£ement.

I sort of imagine Jackie Bird as Arabella (though I think you're a bit younger Arabella).

I mean this as a compliment btw! She's always struck me as articulate and straight forward.

Love it! And all the photos could keep multiplying and it slowly becomes obvious that they're arranged together to make an image - the suffragette flag or the letters XX or something.

Love it !😂

Not Olivia Colman for JKR. I think she should be allowed to pick her own actress.

This is great, so clever and funny - I actually thought the op was a joke until I got to the link.

I'm going to break rank in the TV adaptation and play myself, along with a thousand other mumsnetters who tend to read and not post on the basis that saying thank you for the millionth NHS Fife thread will just make the thread fill up even more quickly, especially if I chip in every time I want to say "This is horrifying/hilarious." We will start off as big pictures of us reading the threads, then the pictures of us get smaller and smaller as more of us are added to the screen and it becomes clear that legions of us follow this, silently learning and finding solace.

I was thinking more of normal women sitting on bar stools, having a laugh amongst themselves, glasses in hand, making witty comments and knowing nods....

But, BUT!

They could transform into Furies at appropriate junctures (running off for a very, very quick costume change) and do a bit of calling down of all the pestilences...

OR....

They could be more like the Witches in Pratchett when they are accidently on stage during 'Wyrd Sisters', around a paper and cardboard fire...

Or a mix of all three. Hmm..

I'm going to be played by a rotating cast of 6 Russian bots

Ooh, could the 'trio of Mumsnetters set slightly off stage, making bon mots' be a chorus of Furies?
And could they be "terrifying, monstrous hags, with snakes for hair and around their arms, with bloodshot eyes that dripped blood" (courtesy of google AI)?.
And could the bon mots be tinged with promised vengeance in the form of torments in the underworld etc?

I'll be honest, I see it more as a stage show. The use of staging, spot lights and trap doors is too good not to utilise.

The (slightly overused) use of characters coming down the aisle from the back of the stalls as well as opening up doors at the side of the stage so that TRA shouting can be heard in the background (off stage) could be used for scenes where women's meetings are surrounded by TRA'S determined to disrupt.

And the Greek chorus/narrator/trio of bon motters could sit in the wings, like all knowing beings.

She is indeed according to wiki, though at 78 might not want the part.

Frances Barber has to be in it somewhere - she has been vocal about the absurdity of gender ideology for ages and she's got an utterly amazing lip curled, look of derision that she uses to fabulous effect when speaking to idiots.

I like Beetle actually being a beetle - very meta. Have to throw in a touch of interpretive dance.

An all knowing narrator - the Fifer from the Sandie Peggie threads, along with a trio of Mumsnetters set slightly off stage, making bon mots.

Tilda Swinton for Nicola?! No. The suggestion of Karen Dunbar (from Chewing the Fat) above is spot on.

Nicola Sturgeon should be played by the same lady who played Umbridge in the Harry Potter films 😁

I love the "encyclopedic knowledge of Hansard" !😂

Is Janette Krankie still alive?

Perfect.

I always suspected ChatGPT had some dodgy programming bias but to describe Nicola Sturgeon as, “ethereal and intimidating”, is jaw droppingly removed from the pugnacious reality. I think Karen Dunbar in full “set-phasers-to-malky” mode would make an excellent First Minister.

I like the idea of Harriet Walter as DawnOfTheMods. That suggests the idea of telling the story as a horror movie. There could be a TRA troll, ThreadieKrueger, played by Ralph Fiennes, and a blue-haired zombie horde.

Why oh why did Mumsnet get rid of the laugh reaction? Have been chuckling all the way through this thread, but particularly at the idea of having an actual beetle to play Boiled. A knowing nod to Kafka is exactly what this story needs.

I want Boiled to be played by an actual beetle .

Good call. That could be the means of introducing the required Kafka-esque vibe created by the TRA's persecution:

As [Boiled's real name] awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, she found herself transformed in her bed into a gigantic insect. ... 'What has happened to me?' she thought. I was a woman - someone has nicked my material reality...