A radio play recording inspired by internationally acclaimed classic The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has been presented for a live audience at Loughborough College.
In the 40th anniversary year of the first BBC broadcast of Douglas Adams’ hit science fiction comedy, performing arts students from the College recreated a studio theatre experience with Still Don’t Panic.
A 12-strong cast delighted the Loughborough College theatre audience with scenes from the story, which has since been adapted for stage, TV, film, comics, a computer game and novels translated into more than 30 languages.
Emma Ledsam, Music, Performing and Visual Arts lead at Loughborough College said: “This is a very funny but also a very challenging play and our students worked incredibly hard to prepare. They listened to lots of different styles of voice performance from classic radio comedies like Hancock’s Half Hour and The Goons to The Archers, from Tom Hanks and Tim Allen recording for Toy Story to Hugh Jackman working on The Wolverine.
“This helped them develop techniques to create their characters and the action through their voices. Then they had to get used to looking at a mic instead of at the other actors, and to taking cues for more than 130 sound effects.
“Our rehearsals included a run through in one of our recording studios then on the night we set up in our College Arts Academy theatre as it would be for a live radio recording at the BBC.
“We had a great audience who really lifted the performance. I think the cast had rehearsed so much they had forgotten what was funny but on the night hearing so many laughs reignited the humour for them. Everyone had a lot of fun.”
Pictured: The Loughborough College cast of live radio play ‘Still Don’t Panic’