Hello everyone! 🙂

Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley!

Last week on Good Friday, my parents and I checked out the ‘Streetwise’ DVD, which was what I got for Dad last Christmas. This has eight biblical stories from the Gospel of Luke, with narration by Roy Castle. It was nice to revisit these children’s bible stories, having watched and heard them as a kid. 🙂

You may have come across Roy Castle in one of the ‘Carry On’ films or perhaps as the presenter of the children’s show ‘Record Breakers’. He also played Ian Chesterton in ‘Dr. Who and the Daleks’ with Peter Cushing. For me, Roy Castle narrated several children’s bible stories for Scripture Union. 🙂

Roy Castle recorded children’s bible stories that were released on audio cassette and VHS in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. I recall these stories, having watched ‘Shipshapes’ and ‘David the Shepherd King’ (I believe) on VHS lots of times as a kid. We also had one audio cassette of Roy Castle readings.

These stories read by Roy Castle helped to shape me as a Christian today. I’m thankful for the fond memories I have of watching and listening to these bible stories as a kid. Roy Castle does well in his readings, providing comic moments as well as delivering the vital messages featured in each story. 🙂

‘Streetwise’ is a 2004 re-released version of ‘Luke Street’, which was first published in 1982. It presents eight biblical stories from Luke’s gospel and can be used in bible holiday clubs at churches during half-term weeks or summer months. Children’s club material are also to accompany the DVD.

I imagine this DVD would have been used at a holiday club before Easter or something like it. The stories themselves have artwork depicting Jesus and his disciples spreading the news about God’s kingdom and attending the sick. Roy Castle’s narration would be provided with the artwork pictures.

On the ‘Streetwise’ DVD, you can either play the stories on their own or you can have the option of playing them with Roy Castle giving us introductions. The Roy Castle introductions are very enjoyable. Some of them are quite funny, especially when Roy Castle gets the chance to over-act. 😀

I joke, of course, but the introductions themselves are helpful in how Roy presents us with a real-life situation and connects it to the story he’s about to tell us. I was touched when Roy shared how one of his sons was terribly injured but thankfully, through the power of prayer, he recovered so quickly.

In terms of the stories included on the ‘Streetwise’ DVD, they have all the word ‘house’ in each title. The first story is called ‘The Sick House’ and is taken from Luke, Chapter 4, verses 38 to 40. This is about the time when Jesus healed many, like Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, at Simon Peter’s home. 🙂

Then there’s ‘The Crowded House’, taken from Luke, Chapter 5, verses 17 to 26, where Jesus forgives and heals a paralysed man. I remember Roy Castle’s reading of this story on the audio cassette tape we used to have. It was nice to see this story in visual form compared to listening to it.

There’s ‘The Rich House’, taken from Luke, Chapter 6, verses 36 to 40 and verses 44 to 50. The story is about Jesus being invited to the house of one of the Pharisees. A sinful woman comes to him, cries over and kisses his feet, wipes her tears with her hair, and pours expensive perfume on his feet.

Next, it’s ‘The Leader’s House’, taken from Luke, Chapter 8, verses 40 to 42 and verses 49 to 56. This is the story of when Jesus went to heal the daughter of synagogue leader Jarius and healed a sick woman. I wish that more time was spent on Jesus healing the sick woman as well as Jarius’ daughter.

The fifth story called ‘The Guest House’, taken from Luke, Chapter 10, verses 38 to 42, is where Jesus goes to visit Martha and Mary. The sixth story called ‘The Cheat’s House’, taken from Luke, Chapter 19, verses 1 to 10, is where Jesus meets Zacchaeus, a tax collector who climbs up a tree to see him. 🙂

The seventh story called ‘The Secret House’ is taken from Luke, Chapter 22, verses 8 to 13 as well as verses 19 and 20; Chapter 23, verses 33, 34 and 46; and Chapter 24, verses 1 to 6. It depicts Jesus having his last supper with his disciples before he gets taken to be put on a cross and he died to save us from sin. 😦

‘The Country House’ is the eighth and final story of ‘Streetwise’ and is taken from Luke, Chapter 24, verses 13 to 43. It’s the story of ‘On the Road to Emmaus’ where two men don’t recognise Jesus, who walks with them. Soon, they do realise it’s him and they’re overjoyed that he’s alive, not dead.

Also included on the ‘Streetwise’ DVD is a theme song that I imagine would have been sung during children’s holiday clubs. It’s not a song that’s connected to Roy Castle and the original ‘Luke Street’ collection. It sounds quite modern as a song, but it’s enjoyable to listen to with its lyrics to go with it.

The ‘Streetwise’ DVD has been nice to check out. I’m pleased my parents and I have seen it to reignite our nostalgic memories of Roy Castle and his readings of biblical stories for children. Incidentally, I recall seeing ‘The Country House’ story when doing a bible study at a summer camp. 🙂

Thanks for reading!

Bye for now!

Tim 🙂