Ben Smith recreates swinging sixties for Ridley Road

Ben Smith’s production design is showcased in the four-part BBC period-drama series, Ridley Road, released in 2021 and produced by Red Production Company for BBC One. Set against the backdrop of London in the swinging sixties, the story follows a Jewish woman who goes undercover to combat fascism in Britain. Key to the success of the film, directed by Lisa Mulcahy, was reviving the style and tone of the era.

In an article for Drama Quarterly, A Walk Down Ridley Road, Executive Producer Nicola Shindler said, “The practical challenges of recreating 1960s London on location in Manchester, and staging large-scale set pieces like the riot, were further complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced the UK into its first lockdown two weeks before filming was due to begin in March last year. Production eventually started in September but was forced to pause twice before it wrapped in January this year.”