Caz and Caitlin Morans semi-autobiographical sitcom, Raised By Wolves, feat.
I like wank away the pain nods Helen Monks, beaming.
Im talking to Davies and Monks before theRaised By Wolvespress launch in one of Channel 4s fishbowls.
Monks hopes it will have the same effect on the shows audience.
In the sense that it will provoke thoughts of thats what happened to me.
Lets talk about howRaised By Wolvesputs new patterns of teenage girls on TV.
Alexa Davies:So now everyone can be Germaine and Aretha!
Helen Monks:yo!
That would be the best.
Its important for audiences isnt it, to see a broader, more varied representation of people on TV?
It validates normal existence in a way that I dont think has happened on TV before.
Itisnew and refreshing, but it shouldnt be because its just normal life.
Germaine and Aretha couldnt be more different to the teenage girls on say,90210orThe OCor whatever.
Theyre new, arent they?
And that feels like its overdue.
Whats so exciting is that finally somethings being done about it.
As great as Caitlin and Caz are, theyre also in this time where its a real market product.
AD:Were not standing alone.
Were a part of it.
Cretins cant treat funny women as one-offs any more.
Were so lucky to be coming up at the time that we are.
To be part of this is so unusual and so exciting, and itshouldntbe.
AD:Were joining the line.
How political would you sayRaised By Wolvesis?
Some of Caitlin Morans best writing, arguably, is when shes furious about inequality.
HM:It is political, but in the way that we all are in ordinary life.
Its not preachy and there arent big speeches and soliloquies.
Were all products of it.
AD:My character, Aretha, sort of is [political].
She stands by what she believes, but shes not grandstanding or anything.
Shes quite pessimistic about it all.
[Pause]
HM:Maybe theres something political in the fact that I wank to theQuestion Timetheme tune?
Any teenage girl that watches that…
HM:Unless theyre a strawberry…
A strawberry?
AD:Everyone can relate to it, surely, because its so real.
Do you hope thats what the audience will do?
HM:I hope so.
Its that thing I said about TV either reflecting or…
I think that it will make them feel more normal about it, I hope.
Theyre living under Cameron not Thatcher as Caz and Caitlin were and in a world whereBenefits Streetexists.
How, if at all, doesRaised By Wolvesaddress that stuff?
HM:Just by presenting things as they are.
HM:Its day-to-day life.
Its so normal, but its done in such a funny way.
I grew up on free school meals and the rest of it.
That insidious skivers not strivers rhetoric is really damaging.
Social privilege is a big story in the arts at the moment.
AD:Oh God yeah, Im a princess in Wales.
You are the PrincessofWales I understand?
AD:One day.
HM:I think its an enormous problem.
The arts used to be this thing that working class people used to give themselves a voice.
Which is exactly Caitlin Morans story, and Julie Walters, and Kathy Burkes…
HM:Completely.
But that can no longer exist if…
They still use that workshop to their advantage, but they dont give it money anymore.
HM:Because I was already a massive fan of Caitlin Moran, so I just knew the part.
[To Helen] It flipped.
Caz knew a lot about Caitlin for you to delve into.
Theyre unusual, but theres a universality to them too.
Youve just got to think about what does this line mean and why am I walking over there?.
AD:HowdoI say that line?
HM:What isthisword?
Her writing is able to articulate thoughts that we all already have?
I hope thats what the programme does.
Its the discourse around the programme that I think will be interesting.
Finally, your characters, Germaine and Aretha, are named after female role models.
AD:Caitlin Moran, Caz Moran, Rebekah Staton.
HM:Outside of those incredible women?
AD:My mum.
AD:Julie Walters I adore, Emma Thompson.
HM:Emma Stone.
AD:Emma Stone is a legend.
HM:And obviously Jennifer Lawrence.
AD:ObviouslyJennifer Lawrence.
AD:She talked about wanting a McDonalds on the red carpet!
She talked about how hungry she was and how excited she was that shes about to get chips.
It just starts to change things.
Helen Monk and Alexa Davies, thank you very much!
Raised By Wolves starts tonight, Monday the 16th of March, on Channel 4 at 10pm.