Ridley Road BBC

[Aquarius1234]

Ridley Road on BBC 1 starts Sunday 9pm.
Drama set in the 60s.

Ridley Road follows the fight of Jewish British people in a post-world war II London against rising Neo-Nazism.

I'm getting confused now. Wouldn't Jack warn her to leave, then?

@shrugshrug

I missed that *@MyOtherProfile* - when did that happen? Episode 1 or 2.

Yikes sorry - didn't realise not everyone has seen all 4 eps so it's a spoiler.

I’ve watched the whole thing and won’t spoil, but it was a bit of a curate’s egg IMO. Dodgy accent from Agnes O’Casey who seemed to forget she was supposed to be Manc 75% of the time but she was very good overall. The chap who played Jack was excellent (and extremely hot!). Eddie Marsan a bit OTT but I do like him in general. Young man who played his son was a bit over-mannered and hamming up the Apples n’ Pears accent/geeza swagger. Could tell as an east London gel meself that this was shot nowhere near London, red brick houses straight on to cobbles?! Could practically hear the strains of the Corrie theme tune. Very interesting story, especially to me as my Nan lives round the corner and my dad grew up practically on Ridley Rd market.

Script was diabolical IMO, far too modern (‘right side of history’, ‘the community have lost faith in the system’ - said in 1962?? Do me a favour). I’m sure not every single policeman in 1962 was a wolf-whistling sex pest or a violent myopic thug either, but Sarah Solemani is clearly enjoying hitting every luvvietopical button going so portrayed them thusly (except of course the Irish inspector at the end..!). Would hope that this drama would keep antisemitism in the spotlight but more likely just get the usual parallels drawn with Brexit instead, so everyone who voted Leave can sit there feeling thoroughly ashamed of themselves, even though 99.9% of them are probably more likely to walk over hot coals than throw a Molotov cocktail through a Yeshiva window. I’d be interested to see how many of the cast are Jewish too; I’m no purist but I feel that the more important stories around faith/culture and oppression should really be told by those who feel it in their bones. With that in mind, it’s always great to see Tracy-Ann Oberman and Samantha Spiro (local girl!) on screen.

That being said I do love Rory Kinnear in absolutely everything I’ve ever seen him in!

Definitely too modern in expressions - someone was 'raised' when back then we were 'brought up', or for some feckless types it was said that their kids were dragged up.

I wonder how it is that Jack as a Jew can pass for a non -Jew? Without being too crude wouldn't it be obvious when he did a pee?

I'm on the 'Sally Rooney boycotting Israeli publishers' thread. The perfect way to see modern ignorance, naivety and obtuseness about antisemitism. We need more programmes like Ridley Road highlighting this issue.

@Peregrina flippin heck I didn't even realise he was Jewish. I thought he was a brave non Jewish guy that didn't like seeing innocents being attacked! But you're right he is Jewish not sure how I missed that. Maybe I just wanted to believe the former.

Really good so far. Absolutely love the use of actual film of the time.

@Fi1982

That being said I do love Rory Kinnear in absolutely everything I’ve ever seen him in!

What, even the inspiration for my NN Count Arthur Strong? PS, I was a big fan of that show.

Can we try and keep the thread spoiler free please? I'm really enjoying it so far.

At least Colin Jordan's lot were quite open that they when they attacked "Zionists" it was a code for attacking Jews. Sally Rooney's supporters could learn from this....

What, even the inspiration for my NN Count Arthur Strong? PS, I was a big fan of that show.
DoctorTwo I can tell from your MN name. I must go back and watch them all again. Sorry for hijack

I don't know if it's still available on BBC Sounds but Richard Dimbleby's account of how he was at the liberation of Belsen, brought tears to my eyes when I heard it 75 years on. And to think that people in the 1960s could pretend that these atrocities never happened less than 20 years afterwards is truly shocking.

@Peregrina - yes, that DD account at Belsen is amazing. Unfortunately, I tried to find it again recently but couldn't. But Reverend Hardman, who was the real chaplain to the 62 Group - he was one of the first people at Belsen.You can definitely find an audio piece on You Tube or elsewhere that covers this. It's so moving. I sobbed.
And yes, it's astonishing that antisemitism was still rife for years after. I think that's what Ridley Road is trying to show more than anything. Less than 2 decades after the slaughter of so many Jews, and here they were still facing Neo-Nazism. And it was allowed/legal to praise Hitler and be openly antisemitic. There were no laws stopping it.

The programme isn't really trying to say that the likes of Colin Jordan would have ever got into power, but trying to show that Jewish people had enough. They just had organise themselves and oppose the sort of dangerous, insidious antisemitism that faced them EVERYWHERE back then

There are obvious parallels with BLM - grassroots organisation, direct action etc

@Liveonyournerves, here's the recording of Richard Dimbleby at Belsen: www.bbc.co.uk/archive/richard-dimbleby-describes-belsen/zvw7cqt

Though this is a recollection, so possibly not what you're referring to.

Thank you so much @Iomaamina, that's wonderful

I think that was the one I heard.

Tonight’s was so tense and upsetting - the scene where they were trying to escape from the synagogue, and then that ferocious beating by Jack.

It is tense and yet because of a spoiler on here I'm looking at some of the interactions between 2 characters very differently.

I know - that spoiler was such a pain.

The spoiler didn't really affect me, and I have now seen all the episodes on I player. Like others, I have a question arising from one of the spoilers but I will wait until next week before raising it again. Plus an observation but I had better hold off on that too because I can't remember which episode that was.

All in all, I think it's been a good series, although not comfortable watching.

I’ve watched the first two episodes so far and am really enjoying it, although I also had no idea about the extent of post war antisemitism. The period details are great, especially the houses being full of 30s furniture because you would hardly ever get new things, the candlewick bedspreads, drinking tea with every meal.

I noticed that the actor who plays Vivien’s fiancé in the first two episodes is Preston Nyman, who does the voice of Ben Elf in Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 🤣

Also didn’t realise Rory Kinnear is Roy Kinnear’s son, and now I know I can’t think why I didn’t spot the resemblance before

Please no spoilers til it's finished.
Would @Aquarius1234 mind amending the title?

Drinking tea with every meal did not die out in the 60s. The custom is still alive and well in our house.