Rudy’s Rare Records: The Complete Series 1-4

Lenny Henry stars in this family comedy set in the finest, feistiest old reggae record shop in Birmingham

‘A joy’ Chris Campling, The Times

Rudy Sharpe is the irrepressible owner of a tiny, ramshackle record store, stacked from floor to ceiling with piles of vinyl. It’s a place with real soul, where the slogan is ‘If we don''t have it – them don''t mek it’. Helping out behind the counter is Tasha, Handsworth’s only Black goth girl, while Rudy’s best friend Clifton regularly drops in to talk music, women and rum.

When Rudy has a ''heart attack'', his long-suffering, middle-aged son Adam reluctantly returns from London to look after him, leaving behind his own classical music shop, Bach to Basics. Accompanying Adam is his teenage son, Ritchie, who is less than thrilled with the prospect of going to Birmingham, but bonds with his granddad over their shared love of reggae and ska.

Crammed together, sharing the minuscule flat above the shop, the trio collide on a daily basis. Forced to survive each other’s company, can they put their differences aside, keep the store afloat and keep the vinyl dream alive?

Starring Lenny Henry as Adam, Larrington Walker as Rudy and Joe Jacobs as Richie, this feelgood comedy celebrates three generations of Sharpe men bantering, bickering, breaking up and making up – all to a terrific, toe-tapping soundtrack.



Credits

Starring Lenny Henry

Written by Danny Robins, Dan Tetsell and Paula Hines from an original idea by Lenny Henry

Script edited by Danny Robins

Additional material by Doc Brown and Leah Chillery

Produced by Lucy Armitage and Katie Tyrell

Cast

Adam Sharpe – Lenny Henry

Richie Sharp – Joe Jacobs

Rudy Sharpe – Larrington Walker

Doreen/Ms Rogers/Carolina – Claire Benedict

Jamelia/Tasha – Natasha Godfrey

Clifton – Jeffery Kissoon

Alison/Doctor – Tracy-Ann Oberman

Customers – Colin Hoult/Doc Brown

Francis – Michael Fenton Stevens

DJ Karel/Police officer/Sgt Popper – Andrew Brooke

Landlord – Gresby Nash

Diabolicus – Adam de Ville

Trev the Hoodie/Rapper – Doc Brown

Tunde – Femi Elufowoju

Karen – Susie Riddell

Craig/RSPCA man/Hoodie 2 – Joe Sims

Darnell – Javone Prince

Secret Shopper/Lucinda – Sarah Thom

Ainsley Harriott – Himself

Twitch/Trader/Customer/Dealer/Hoodie/Attila/Receptionist – Adam Nagaitis

Bernard Sheedy – Justin Moorhouse

Brinsley Forde – Himself

Katerina – Liza Sadovy

Miss Reenie – Angela Wynter

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 February-18 March 2008 (Series 1), 14 October-4 November 2009 (Series 2), 18 January-22 February 2011 (Series 3), 9 October-13 November 2012 (Series 4)

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