Stuck in a midlife crisis? Start a band. That’s the hilariously chaotic and heartwarmingly funny solution Happy Valley creator Sally Wainwright has come up with in her new comedy series Riot Women.
Centered upon a ragtag bunch of menopausal ladies finding their second calling as a rock band, Riot Women is a high-volume, foul-mouthed celebration of parenthood, feminism, middle-age, and, of course, rock ‘n’ roll.
If you too find yourself tapping to the tunes of Riot Women, here’s where they filmed their concerts and the rest of their amped-up shenanigans.
Where was Riot Women filmed?
The six-part BBC series was primarily filmed in the West Yorkshire borough of Calderdale, particularly in the towns of Hebden Bridge and Halifax.
The town isn’t new to show runner Wainwright, as some episodes of Happy Valley were also filmed here in the past.
As she revealed in a Q&A session at the series premiere at a Picturehouse (also at Hebden Bridge), Riot Women is ‘even more Hebden-centric than Happy Valley’.
Calder Holmes Park, Hebden Bridge
The Calder Holmes Park is where the Riot Women try out their unique brand of post-menopause punk rock, performing at a music festival in the park. Close to the Hebden Bridge town centre, the park hosted a convincingly real festival stage, surrounded by camera dollies, cranes, and crowds of concert extras.
The Albert Pub, Hebden Bridge and The Old Cock pub, Halifax
With increased age comes somewhat increased drinking. And with Lorraine Ashburn’s Jess as a pub landlady, you can expect several scenes in the tap room. When the ladies of Riot Women aren’t jamming, they’re discussing their midlife woes over wines and pints, with the group’s youngest member, Kitty, even chugging some neat vodka. In fact, it’s in a pub karaoke session where Kitty’s vocal prowess is on full display before the shoplifter becomes the band’s lead singer. The Albert Pub (or The Famous Albert as it’s also known) and Halifax’s Old Cock are where most of this boozy action takes place.
Calderdale Royal Hospital, Halifax
Kitty’s drug habits and run-ins with the law lands her with a couple of hospital visits, with Halifax’s Calderdale Royal providing the backdrop and interiors for such scenes. The hospital has a massive pull among the local community. When the A&E unit was under threat of closure, 5,000 people gathered to protest in the neighbouring town of Huddersfield.
Holdsworth House, Halifax
Once a Jacobean manor from the 17th century but now a four-star luxury hotel, Holdsworth House’s sandstone architecture and lush gardens set up some exterior shots of Riot Women. The Beatles checked in here back in the 1960s and since then, the hotel has been used on productions like Gentleman Jack and Last Tango in Halifax. Both of these shows were also created by Riot Women’s Wainwright.
St Michael’s Church Hall, Mytholmroyd
Lying opposite the St Michael’s Parish Church, this community space is an active hub for artists from the local community, presenting musical shows and various group activities. So, it makes sense for the Riot Women to have a soundcheck or two at this Mytholmroyd church hall. The church and its adjacent hall both suffered great damage during the 2015 Boxing Day floods but have been restored through community and council support since then.
Who stars in Riot Women?
The titular band members in Riot Women are played by Lorraine Ashbourne, Joanna Scanlan, Tamsin Greig, Rosalie Craig, and Amelia Bullmore. All of them play women from different walks of life who eventually use their band as an outlet for all their pent-up angst.
Ashbourne (Sherwood, Alma’s Not Normal) plays the ever-sarcastic publican Jess, while Greig (Friday Night Dinner, Episodes) is retiring police officer Holly. Scanlan (After Love, No Offence) stars as disgruntled teacher Beth and Bullmore (Scott & Bailey, I’m Alan Partridge) is the cranky midwife Yvonne.
While all of these characters are in their fifties, Craig (The Queen’s Gambit, Lovesick) plays Kitty, a woman in her early forties with early menopause. While Kitty often dabbles in illegal pursuits like shoplifting, she finds her life’s purpose as the screeching lead singer of the band.
When does Riot Women come out?
Riot Women premieres on BBC at 9pm Sunday, October 12, with all six episodes streaming on BBC iPlayer.
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