On Wednesday 24 September, members of the Shiplake Drama Department travelled to the Hackney Empire to see hit comedy ‘Rudy’s Rare Records’. The show has proved popular with audiences and critics alike, and met with Year 12 Drama student James Hargreaves’s seal of approval.
James explained: “The play is based on the BBC Radio 4 series, starring TV star Lenny Henry as Adam, the son of Rudy Sharpe, who both run an old record shop in Birmingham. The play was light-hearted with very witty dialogue and relatable characters. When Adam’s son Richie turns up, we were presented with a hilarious stark contrast between all three generations interacting with each other. What really made the show was Lenny Henry’s upbeat performance that connected so well with the audience.”
When asked which elements of the show were particularly memorable, James replied: “The attention to detail on the set was incredible, it was like looking straight into a record shop cut in half. It was clear a lot of work had been put into producing the show and it allowed the actors and audience to completely immerse themselves in the play.”
The show was filled with laugh out loud comedy and hilarious one-liners, along with a live band on stage playing feel good songs from the likes of Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, Sam Cooke and the Sugarhill Gang.
Overall, a brilliant performance and all round a fantastic piece of theatre!”
