| Rich | |
|---|---|
| |
| Actor | Reece Shearsmith |
| Appearances | |
| Programme | The League of Gentlemen |
| Series | 1 |
| Appears in | "The Road to Royston Vasey" |
| Information | |
| Occupation | Newsagent (formerly) |
| Related characters | Pop (father, disowned by), Al (brother) |
- "Something happened yesterday, Pop. When I was looking after the booth for Al..."
- Rich ("The Road to Royston Vasey"[1])
Rich, portrayed by Reece Shearsmith, is the son of Pop and the brother of Al who appears once in the television series, in the first series[1] of The League of Gentlemen, but goes on to appear in The League of Gentlemen: Live at Drury Lane.[2] He features as the younger son, less capable as working for the family business, and is ultimately disowned for his shortcomings by his father.[1]
Conception[]
Jeremy Dyson explained that Rich, Pop and Al were made foreign because Steve Pemberton was on stage the first time he met him, and remembered him playing Bamboola in Pantaglieze in a heavy foreign accent, but the precise nationality of the three characters has never been explicitly stated.[3] The scene in the warehouse was cut short in his only appearance[1], it was initially going to end with it being revealed that it was Rich who had stolen the Maverick bars.[3] This ending was incorporated into The League of Gentlemen: Live at Drury Lane.[2]
Appearances[]
Television series[]
Pop prepares to attack Rich, before Al manages to calm him down.[1]
Rich's only appearance in the series also marks the first appearances of both Pop and Al. Throughout the episode, both Rich and Al are seen on several occasions discussing an unknown incident which Rich has caused. In the family warehouse, they appear in a full sketch, in which Pop excitedly greets his sons. Once it is revealed what has happened - Rich has accidentally allowed children to shoplift nine Maverick bars while covering the newsagents' stand - Pop is furious. Rich is physically attacked, but is spared further injury when Al intervenes and convinces Pop that Rich is sorry. Pop, although calm, directly states that Al is his only son, thus disowning Rich who is left in the warehouse alone.[1]
Although his relatives return in later episodes,[4][5][6][7][8] Rich does not, nor is he mentioned.
On stage[]
Rich returns on stage with his father and brother in which the sketch of Pop learning Rich has been shoplifted is re-enacted.[2] The full length version of the original sketch is used, in which Rich is revealed as the shoplifter once his family have left.[3]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Series 1, episode 2: "The Road to Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 18 January 1999)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The League of Gentlemen: Live at Drury Lane (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (performed 2001)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "The Road to Royston Vasey" audio commentary (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearmsith) (released 13 November 2000 on The League of Gentlemen - Series 1)
- ↑ Series 2, episode 1: "Destination: Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 14 January 2000)
- ↑ Series 2, episode 2: "Lust for Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 21 January 2000)
- ↑ "Series 2, episode 3: A Plague On Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 4 February 2000)
- ↑ Series 2, episode 4: "Death in Royston Vasey" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 4 February 2000)
- ↑ Series 3, episode 2: "The One-Armed Man is King" (Dyson, Gatiss, Pemberton and Shearsmith) (aired 3 October 2002)