 Music halls , where both Nan and Kitty are employed — and put on display — as male impersonators , allow about half the novel 's action and commentary on gender to take place , according to scholar Cheryl Wilson . When Nan puts on trousers for the first time to perform as Kitty 's partner and realises the impact of their double act together , she states , " whatever successes I might achieve as a girl , they would be nothing compared to the triumphs I should enjoy clad , however <unk> , as a boy " . Male impersonation is common in the world of the novel , and some performers are quite popular . Only certain types of depictions of men , however , were acceptable in reality . Nan and Kitty pretend to be London " swells " : gentlemen on the town who sing about their sweethearts . Wilson provides evidence that such depictions were supported by class divisions , as poorer music hall patrons enjoyed the fun poked at the upper class , and the upper class generally found it harmless enough to laugh at themselves . <unk> such as the famed Vesta Tilley capitalised on the fact that both men and women were able to laugh at common perceptions of femininity and masculinity . 
