Critically-acclaimed novel Ridley Road – a love story set in the ‘Swinging Sixties’ – is getting its very own television adaptation for BBC One.
Aggi O’Casey and Tom Varey star in the lead roles, as award-winning writer Sarah Solemani puts Jo Bloom’s popular book on the small screen.
Ridley Road tells the story of a young Jewish woman, Vivien Epstein, who falls in love a member of the 62 Group – a coalition of men who stood up against rising neo-Nazism in post-war Britain.
The series sees Vivien reject her comfortable middle-class life in Manchester and sign up to join the fight against fascism.
As Vivien descends further into the organisation, her courage and loyalties are challenged.
The Ridley Road series is set to bring together an all-star cast including Rory Kinnear, Tamzin Outhwaite, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Eddie Marsan, Samantha Spiro, Rita Tushingham and Danny Hatchard.
Writer, Sarah Solemani, says: “A young hairdresser from Manchester makes an unlikely hero in this little known slice of British history. But in these unprecedented times, it is the unlikely heroes whose stories are now worth telling.
“Britain’s relationship with fascism is closer and more alive than we like to think. Fortunately, so too is our rich heritage of beating it. Honoured to bring the story of Ridley Road to the BBC and Masterpiece.”
Ayela Butt, BBC Commissioning Executive, says: “Sarah’s brilliant scripts have drawn together an extraordinary ensemble cast of some the finest actors in the UK and we are delighted to have exciting new talent, Aggi O’Casey, in the lead role.
“We are thrilled to be working with RED to tell this hugely compelling and inspiring story about an ordinary woman risking everything to fight against fascism.”
The Ridley Road premiere date is expected to be announced soon.
What's On
Full lineup for Manchester’s city-wide summer art trail Music for the Senses announced
Emily Sergeant
The full lineup for a city-wide art trail with more than 80 artworks, murals, mosaics, and installations celebrating Manchester’s music scene has been announced.
It’s no secret that Manchester is a musical hub, with countless well-known artists getting their start here or calling our city home over the years, and in a fitting way to celebrate this incredible lineup of musical talent, an all-new multi-sensory art exhibition will be taking over the streets of the city centre this summer.
The new exhibition, which is titled Music for the Senses: an art arrangement for a musical city, is a collaboration between global art producer Wild in Art – the creators of the famous Bee in the City project – and Manchester City Council.
It’ll be running across the city centre from early July until the end of August.
Music for the Senses takes over Manchester city centre this summer / Credit: David Oates (via Supplied)
Celebrated musical acts including Busted, Doves, Elbow, Mani, New Order, Oasis, PINS, and Pixies have donated precious instruments to display in windows across the city at locations like Aviva Studios, Piccadilly Records, Band on the Wall, New Century, and many more
Manchester artist Liam Hopkins, known as Lazerian, will also create an interactive installation down on King Street called ‘Guitar Street’ that lovingly-repurposes donated guitars, as well as creating another similar how-stopping installation on St Peter’s Square called ‘Cathedral of Sound’ from 7-20 July, before it moves on to Mayfield Park from 25 July – 31 August.
Meanwhile, more guitars donated by the public have been painted or adorned by a talented collection of professional artists, turning them into individual artworks to be displayed in a wide range of shop windows and venues all across the city.
More than 80 artworks, murals, mosaics, and installations will be dotted around the streets / Credit: David Oates (via Supplied)
There will also be four brand-new murals by internationally renowned street artists Lei-Mai LeMaow (Etihad Campus tram stop), Nomad Clan (Oxford Road Train Station), and .EPOD and AKSE (Great Northern).
And all along the trail, visitors can get involved with Manchester Music Mooch – an interactive journey through the locations of the grassroots music community, with exciting interactive AR experiences at five locations around the city.
“Manchester has always been a place for music and we’re delighted to unveil Music for the Senses,” commented Ben Reed, who is the Head of Creative Development at Wild in Art. “It’s our first ever guitar trail, and we think that there is something really magical about repurposing musical instruments into stunning works of art.
“This is also the first time we’ve put together a trail showcasing brand new art while at the same time highlighting some of Manchester’s iconic music inspired artwork.
“It has enabled us to explore creativity in a range of different art forms including new murals around the city by some of the very best street artists in the business.”
When the art trail draws to close at the end of August, all the guitars featured will be auctioned off for charity, with the funds raised going to support grassroots music projects and venues across Greater Manchester.
Music for the Senses: an art arrangement for a musical city will run from 7 July – 31 August.
Featured Image – David Oates (via Supplied)
What's On
Review | Dua Lipa had Anfield levitating on her first night in Liverpool
Thomas Melia
British-Albanian performer and prolific pop star Dua Lipa is halfway through her first-ever international stadium tour, and it’s nothing shy of a spectacle – night one in Liverpool living, breathing, levitating proof.
To say I wasn’t singing more than half of this setlist verbatim would be a lie; the setlist for Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour is stacked with hits upon mega hits.
Her commanding single ‘Training Season’ kicks things off and besides getting the whole stadium hyped up, it sets the tone for the night ahead, one Dua has full control of, and also features a firework or two.
Within 15 minutes of stepping onto the stage, the unofficial anthem of Anfield’s resident football club and recently re-crowned Premier League champions, Liverpool FC, was played.
Dua Lipa performing ‘Physical’ at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool.Smiles all round at the ‘Radical Optimism’ tour in Liverpool.Credit: Audio North
In fact, ‘One Kiss’ was met with an unmatched electric energy that she ended up playing it again later on, because why the hell not?
This isn’t just a song: it’s a beast. When you’re playing a song that’s spent eight weeks at No.1, has 2.5 billion streams and at an arena with a legacy like Anfield‘s, there was simply no way these fans were going to be tame.
Similarly, partway through the second act, Lipa had the audience wrapped around her fingers once more as she played the dance-inducing smash ‘Levitating’. In that moment, we were all her “sugarboos.”
As we strut our stuff into the third act, we’re met with another dancefloor filler, ‘Physical’, fans were ready and waiting to chant “let’s get physical” with the superstar.
The fourth act, on the other hand, was much more relaxed. Ms. Lipa took some time to show her love to some of the album’s deeper cuts; I greatly appreciated being able to belt out “How looong?” as she played ‘Falling Forever.’
She finished this segment with the song that started it all, one she’s never forgotten to play since bursting onto the music scene back in 2015: ‘Be The One.’
Dua, let us tell you something, you’ll always be the one.
Dua Lipa and Dave McCabe (The Zutons) performing ‘Valerie’.The superstar taking pictures with fans at Anfield Stadium.Liverpool is in for a treat if the second Dua Lipa show is even half as good as night one at Anfield.
The encore felt like the epitome of all things Dua Lipa. It’s like when you hear that one ABBA megamix that has you shouting, “Oh, I know this one… and I know this one too!”
And rightly so, with a back-to-back, four-song medley spanning from ‘New Rules’ and ‘Dance the Night’, to ‘Don’t Start Now’ and ‘Houdini’. Perfect, perfect, perfect.
After this medley, night one of the ‘Radical Optimism’ tour was over, but we and the fans were certainly left feeling radically optimistic.
Come on, how can you not be when the timeless classic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ by Whitney Houston is soundtracking your concert exit?
Lipa had the crowd well and truly in her fingertips.Dua gave quite the performance at Anfield Stadium.An increasing master of not just pop songs but stagecraft too. (Credit: Audio North)
The Manc -
23rd September 2020 
