We Are Lady Parts
We Are Lady Parts is a British television sitcom created, written, and directed by Nida Manzoor. The series follows a British punk rock band named Lady Parts, which consists entirely of Muslim women.
| We Are Lady Parts | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Nida Manzoor |
| Written by | Nida Manzoor |
| Directed by | Nida Manzoor |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | John Pocock |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 24–25 minutes |
| Production companies | Working Title Television NBCUniversal International Studios |
| Release | |
| Original network | |
| Original release | 20 May 2021 – present |
After airing as a pilot on 21 December 2018 on Channel 4, it was commissioned for a six-episode series, which premiered 20 May 2021.[1] The show has been nominated for awards including two prizes at the Gotham Awards and a Rose d'Or award.[2] In November 2021, creator Nida Manzoor received the Rose D'Or Emerging Talent Award for her work on the show.[3][4]
Premise Edit
An all-female Muslim punk band in the UK takes inspiration from London's rich and diverse collection of cultures. Friendships, relationships and cultural differences are navigated as the band seeks musical success.[5][6]
Cast Edit
- Anjana Vasan as Amina, a microbiology PhD student who is Lady Parts' new lead guitar player
- Sarah Kameela Impey as Saira, Lady Parts' leader, main singer and rhythm guitar player
- Juliette Motamed as Ayesha, Lady Parts' drummer
- Faith Omole as Bisma, Lady Parts' bass player
- Lucie Shorthouse as Momtaz, Lady Parts' manager
- Aiysha Hart as Noor, Amina's best friend[7][5]
- Zaqi Ismail as Ahsan, Ayesha's brother and Amina's crush
- David Avery as Abdullah, Saira's boyfriend
- Shobu Kapoor as Seema, Amina's mother
- Sofia Barclay as Zarina, influencer and magazine culture editor
Episodes Edit
Pilot (2018) Edit
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.K. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Lady Parts" | Nida Manzoor | Nida Manzoor | 21 December 2018 | N/A |
Series 1 (2021) Edit
| No. overall | No. in season | Title [8] | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [8] | U.K. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | "Play Something" | Nida Manzoor | Nida Manzoor | 20 May 2021 | N/A |
| 3 | 2 | "Potential Future Spouse" | Nida Manzoor | Nida Manzoor | 27 May 2021 | N/A |
| 4 | 3 | "Earth Natives" | Nida Manzoor | Nida Manzoor | 3 June 2021 | N/A |
| 5 | 4 | "Godzilla" | Nida Manzoor | Nida Manzoor | 10 June 2021 | N/A |
| 6 | 5 | "Represent" | Nida Manzoor | Nida Manzoor | 17 June 2021 | N/A |
| 7 | 6 | "Sparta" | Nida Manzoor | Nida Manzoor | 24 June 2021 | N/A |
Production Edit
Lady Parts was first ordered as a pilot for Channel 4's "Comedy Blaps" strand in mid 2018.[9] The pilot premiered late same year.[10][11]
The commissioned series contains both original punk songs and cover tracks, written and adapted by Nida Manzoor and her siblings Shez Manzoor (who also scored the show), Sanya Manzoor and Benni Fregin.[11][12][13] The actors in the show all play their own instruments,[14] although some had to learn specifically in order to perform on the show.[15] Manzoor explained that "the band's music is such an intrinsic part of the show. Through the music, we see the characters in their element and singing their truth, capturing them in all their joy and silliness. This soundtrack is best enjoyed turned up to eleven, headbanging alone in one's bedroom."[16]
In November 2021, Peacock and Channel 4 announced that a second series had been commissioned.[17]
Broadcast Edit
We Are Lady Parts premiered on Channel 4 television on 20 May 2021, with all episodes simultaneously becoming available for streaming on All 4.[16][12][11]
International broadcast Edit
The series premiered on 21 May 2021 on Stan (Australia) and Sky New Zealand. The series premiered on Peacock in the United States on 3 June and premiered on Showcase in Canada on 9 June.[16]
Reception Edit
Ratings Edit
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has a score of 100% based on 32 critics with an average rating of 7.96 out of 10. The critical consensus reads, "Infectious energy, great songs, and a magnetic cast come together to make We Are Lady Parts a rocking comedy that is as subversive as it is hilarious."[18] On Metacritic, the series has a score of 83 out of 100 based on 17 reviews indicating "universal acclaim".[19]
Critical reception Edit
Radhika Seth from Vogue described the series as a "riotous comedy that's unlike anything you've seen before"; they stated that it "hinges on a quintet of note-perfect performances".[20] The Financial Times discussed that "progressive representations highlight a truth about being a modern-day Muslim: you can be both God-fearing and weed-smoking; disorderly and devotional. Far from a clash, these things reflect a cultural mish-mash of the tangled and contradictory parts of ourselves that make us delightfully, bafflingly human", and "We Are Lady Parts is among a wave of shows casting off stereotypes and at ease with complexity... The well-worn trope of oppressed Muslim women is nowhere to be seen among these tattooed, anarchic rebels, who are, nevertheless, practising Muslims. When they're not prostrating in prayer, they are ripping through provocative punk anthems such as 'Nobody's Gonna Honour Kill My Sister But Me'".[21] The Guardian said: "We Are Lady Parts's writing is pleasingly knowing. By the end of the first few episodes, a litany of Muslim stereotypes have been poked fun at... What is particularly striking is how refreshingly cheerful it all is. The series is reminiscent of the Canadian sitcom Schitt's Creek and the joy it spread for showing a same-sex couple without the constant terror of homophobia... We Are Lady Parts does something that many diverse shows have not: it delivers on the potential of representation. In short, it actually is funny. And not in an "in-joke" way, but in the classic slapstick way of people falling over, and wry observations about the complexities of modern womanhood."[22]
Awards and nominations Edit
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Edinburgh International Television Festival | Best Comedy Series | We Are Lady Parts | Won | [23][24] |
| Gotham Awards | Breakthrough Series – Short Format | Nominated | [2] | ||
| Outstanding Performance in New Series | Anjana Vasan | Nominated | |||
| Rose d'Or Awards | Emerging Talent Award | Nida Manzoor | Won | [25][4] | |
| Golden Reel Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – 1/2 Hour – Comedy or Drama | Jay Price, Tom Foster, Dario Swade, Sam Walsh (for "Sparta") | Nominated | [26] | |
| RTS Craft & Design Awards | Casting Award | Aisha Bywaters | Nominated | [27] | |
| Editing - Entertainment and Comedy | Robbie Morrison | Won | |||
| Make Up Design - Entertainment & Non Drama | Claire Carter | Won | |||
| Photography - Drama & Comedy | Diana Olifirova | Nominated | |||
| Production Design - Entertainment & Non Drama | Simon Walker | Won | |||
| 2022 | |||||
| National Comedy Awards | Outstanding Comedy Actress | Anjana Vasan | Nominated | ||
| BAFTA TV Awards | Best Scripted Comedy | We Are Lady Parts | Nominated | [28] | |
| Best Female Comedy Performance | Anjana Vasan | Nominated | |||
| BAFTA TV Craft Awards | Best Costume Design | PC Williams | Won | ||
| Best Emerging Talent: Fiction | Nida Manzoor | Nominated | |||
| Best Scripted Casting | Aisha Bywaters | Won | |||
| Peabody Awards | Entertainment | We Are Lady Parts | Won | [29] | |
| RTS Programme Awards | Scripted Comedy | Won | [30] | ||
| Comedy Performance: Female | Anjana Vasan | Won | |||
| Breakthrough Award | Nominated | ||||
| Writer: Comedy | Nida Manzoor | Won |
References Edit
- ^ "We Are Lady Parts". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b Greene, Steve (21 October 2021). "'We are Lady Parts' Is an Inspired Gotham Award Nominee". IndieWire. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
- ^ "Nida Manzoor's award-winning, bold music comedy We Are Lady Parts recommissioned for a second series | Channel 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Horrible Histories Black History special wins Rose d'Or Award". British Comedy Guide. 29 November 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ a b Lang, Jamie (24 March 2021). "Peacock Offers Sneak Peek at Punk Rock Muslim Comedy 'We Are Lady Parts' – Global Bulletin". Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ Swarbrick, Susan (16 May 2021). "We Are Lady Parts: Channel 4's new music comedy series". The Herald. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ Chortle (15 April 2021). "Trailer for We Are Lady Parts : Video 2021 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Chortle. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b "We Are Lady Parts – Listings Series 1". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Comedy Blaps from Rose Matafeo and Nida Manzoor". Chortle. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ Richardson, Jay (21 December 2018). "Channel 4 releases a new batch of Blaps". Chortle. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ^ a b c Yates, Jonny (29 March 2021). "Brand-new Muslim punk comedy We Are Lady Parts is set to be your new obsession". PinkNews. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b Baumgartner, Drew (15 April 2021). "'We Are Lady Parts' Teaser Introduces the Female-Fronted Punk Band of Peacock's Musical Comedy Series". Collider. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (24 March 2021). "Peacock/Channel 4 Reveal First Look At Muslim Punk Comedy 'We Are Lady Parts'". Deadline. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ Webb, Beth (20 May 2021). "'We Are Lady Parts': the anarchic new sitcom about an all-female Muslim punk band". NME. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ Sherwin, Adam (26 March 2021). "New Channel 4 comedy We Are Lady Parts follows the exploits of an all-female Muslim punk band". iNews. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b c Ravindran, Manori (21 May 2021). "Channel 4-Peacock Series 'We Are Lady Parts,' About a Muslim Female Punk Band, Drops Soundtrack (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ Bennett, Steve (22 November 2021). "Second series for We Are Lady Parts". Chortle. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "We Are Lady Parts: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ "We Are Lady Parts". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ Seth, Radhika (14 May 2021). "'We Are Lady Parts', A Comedy Series About An All-Female Muslim Punk Band, Is About To Bring The House Down". Vogue. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "TV's new Muslim female punks: 'They're not having a crisis of faith'". Financial Times. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ Khan, Coco (18 May 2021). "'I can't believe someone's written this': the Muslim punk sitcom breaking new ground". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ Bennett, Steve (21 October 2021). "We Are Lady Parts named best comedy". Chortle. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ "Edinburgh TV Awards 2021". Edinburgh International Television Festival. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ "Rose d'Or 60th anniversary Lifetime, Performance and Emerging Talent Awards announced". Rose d'Or Awards. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (24 January 2022). "Golden Reel Awards: Sound Editors Crank Up Nominations For 69th Annual Ceremony". Deadline. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ "CRAFT & DESIGN AWARDS 2021". Royal Television Society. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "BAFTA TV Awards 2022". 8 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "82nd Annual Peabody Nominees Announced". PeabodyAwards.com. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ "RTS Programme Awards 2022". Royal Television Society. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
External links Edit
- Official website
- We Are Lady Parts at IMDb