"Proper Ladies," the new BBC comedy, is attracting a lot of attention for the messy, fast-paced and humorous way it portrays the lives of teenage Muslim girls in a religious school.
The short series is being compared to productions like “Derry Girls” and “Some Girls,” thanks to its chaotic energy, absurd situations, and believable teenage girl dynamics. Author Sabrina Ali says the online response has been overwhelming.
"We saw the first montage made by fans and it had 100 thousand likes. We felt like we did it," she said.
“Proper Ladies” is a 10-minute short film set in a religious school, where four girls end up in detention. There, friendships, rivalries, and acts of rebellion develop, all built on the dramatic logic of adolescence, where even the smallest things can take on large proportions.
In one of the most absurd scenes, a schoolgirl delivers a dramatic monologue about setting off the fire alarm, just to hide the fact that she had used the staff toilets.
The project was created by Sabrina Ali and is based on her acclaimed show “Dugsi Dayz.” According to her, the goal was to create a comedy that was “messy, chaotic, and funny,” but also honest about the experiences of young girls.
The story follows Salma, a model student and prefect, played by debutant actress Samira Tahlil. She tries to establish order among her problematic friends, but usually fails. Among the girls' pranks is sneaking laxatives into the teacher's drink, played by Lisa McGrillis.
The consequences are punishments, meetings with the principal, played by Mark Silcox, and a series of embarrassing situations. At one point, Salma accidentally discovers that the principal wears a wig and, unwittingly, the whole school finds out.
Ali herself plays Munira, a girl who secretly runs an energy drink business within the school. Alongside her are Yasmin, played by Ebada Hassan, a fashion-obsessed girl, and Hani, played by Kosar Ali, an aloof student with an “emo” bent who secretly writes Harry Styles fan fiction.
“So many girls I knew were into fan fiction,” says Kosar Ali, reflecting on the script. According to her, it was a real form of escapism for many teenage girls, while almost every girl goes through an “emo” phase at some point.
Together, the four characters create a close and distinct group, built on familiar teenage traits but set in the specific reality of a religious high school.
The pilot is in development and could be turned into a full series, after a four-year journey from stage to screen. “Dugsi Dayz,” which premiered in October 2022, introduced Ali as a new voice bringing Somali-British stories to theater.
The television adaptation began later that year, with the support of executive producers including Michaela Coel. Ali had met Coel at a press night, where she pitched the idea for the show. She then developed the first draft at Coel’s “River Library,” a creative space for women of color in her home.
"Her support feels like a beautiful circle. It has given me the confidence to further develop my writing," says Ali.
According to the author, the transition from theater to television did not change the perspective of the work. She did not want to lose the way the world is seen through the eyes of girls.
"I didn't want the audience to be led from the outside. I just wanted to get a glimpse into their lives," she explains.
The selection of the actresses was done through an open call on Instagram and TikTok, where girls with little or no acting experience were also invited. For many of them, this was their first audition.
Ali says it was important to make the process seem more open and less intimidating, as many young people never pursue the film or television industry because they feel like they don't have access.
Beyond the humor, Ali hopes the series will change the way black and Muslim characters are often portrayed on British television.
"Sometimes, when characters look like us, there's an expectation that they have to appease the audience. Especially with Muslim characters. It's like we have to show why we deserve to be here. I didn't want that," she says.
Instead, Ali believes that comedy creates recognition without the need for explanation.
"Once you laugh at a character, you recognize something human in them," she says.
However, along with the positive attention, the cast has also faced racist and Islamophobic comments online since the short film aired. Some of the actresses have been forced to temporarily withdraw from social media.
“If our mere existence causes this level of abuse, it shows how rare people like us are on British television,” Ali says. “But it also shows why shows like this need to exist.”
According to her, however, support has been much more important than hatred.
"For every message of hate, there has been a wave of love. And those messages are worth more than anything," she concludes. /GazetaExpress/
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