Ridley Road (TV series)

Ridley Road

Company type	Television drama series
Industry	Television
Founded	October 3, 2021 (2021-10-03)
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Television drama
Parent	BBC One

Ridley Road is a British television drama series consisting of four episodes, which debuted on BBC One on 3 October 2021. The narrative centers on Jewish resistance to British Fascism during the 1960s. Adapted by Sarah Solemani from Jo Bloom’s 2014 novel bearing the same title, the production was directed by Lisa Mulcahy with Nicola Shindler serving as executive producer.

Plot summary

Vivien Epstein, raised in a traditional Jewish family in 1960s Manchester, opposes her father’s plans for an arranged marriage. When her partner Jack moves to London, Vivien follows and settles in the East End, where she rents a room from Nettie Jones and works as a hairdresser in Soho. As far-right fascism intensifies, her uncle Soly Malinovsky—a black cab driver and anti-fascist activist—enlists her to infiltrate the neo-Nazi faction led by Colin Jordan, headquartered at a rural estate.

Vivien pretends to be romantically involved with both Jordan and his son, allowing Jordan to seduce her. Both she and Jack, who is also undercover within the group, are eventually discovered but manage to escape separately. Vivien obtains evidence exposing Jordan’s unlawful neo-Nazi militia training camp, triggering a police inquiry. Although initially upset by her rebellion, her parents grow proud of her commitment to fighting fascism. The story concludes with Vivien reuniting with her family before departing for Tel Aviv alongside Jack.

Cast

• Agnes O'Casey as Vivien Epstein
• Tom Varey as Jack Morris
• Rory Kinnear portraying Colin Jordan, head of the British Movement
• Romane Portail as Françoise Dior, Jordan’s wife
• Eddie Marsan as Soly Malinovsky, Vivien’s uncle
• Tracy-Ann Oberman as Nancy Malinovsky
• Danny Sykes as Ronnie Malinovsky
• Samantha Spiro as Liza Epstein
• Will Keen playing David Epstein
• Julia Krynke as Roza, a member of the Epstein family
• Tamzin Outhwaite as Barbara, manager of the Soho hair salon
• Gabriel Akuwudike as Stevie, Barbara’s son
• Rita Tushingham portraying Nettie Jones, Vivien’s landlady
• Allan Corduner as Rabbi Lehrer
• Nigel Betts in the role of Mr Gary Burns
• Hannah Traylen as Chrissy
• Danny Hatchard playing Lee
• Hannah Onslow as Elise
• Stephen Hogan depicting American Nazi leader George Lincoln Rockwell

Production

Filming locations included Ashton under Lyne, Bolton, Manchester, and Liverpool, along with scenes shot at Broughton Hall near Skipton, in North Yorkshire.

Reception

Critical response was varied. Gillean Craig of the Church Times described the storyline as "paper-thin" and lamented the series’ failure to deeply explore its central themes. Lucy Mangan from The Guardian rated it three stars, commenting on awkward direction and weak dialogue but recognizing its relevance and timely subject matter. Carol Midgley of The Times awarded four stars, applauding the narrative approach and effective use of archival footage to authentically capture London in the Sixties. Ed Cumming of The Independent praised the series for combining elements of action thriller with period drama, highlighting its portrayal of extremism emerging from ordinary life rather than exceptional circumstances.

External links

• Official site
• Bloom, Jo Ridley Road available at Internet Archive