ToddB
Tuesday 17th May 2011 11:44am [Edited]
Townsville
563 posts
I am a huge Rik fan and have observed that there are two main types that he does often and very well...
The odious but cunning or smart, machiavillian type who usually succeeds and is usually irresistable to women: Alan B'Stard ("The New Statesman") and Adonis Cnut ("Believe Nothing")
and...
The odious character who fancies himself as cunning or smart and would like to be irresistable to women but is not and is, in fact, rather pathetic: Rik ("The Young Ones"), Richard Dangerous ("The Dangerous Brothers"), the un-named character from "Mr. Jolly Lives Next Door", Richie Rich ("Filthy, Rich and Catflap") and Richard Richard/Thwait ("Bottom"/"Guest House Paradiso").
I read an observation recently that confirmed something that I had thought for years.
The Rik the Poet character from Rik's stage act was the germ of the "The Young Ones" concept - what would it be like to live with him. They added Ade Edmonson's Adrian Dangerous character from Rik and Ade's "Dangerous Brothers" act as well as Nigel Planer's Neil the hippy character from his stage act.
As I have observed, the Rik from "The Young Ones" is a result of mixing the vulnerable/sensitive qualities of Rik the Poet with the aggression and movement of Richard Dangerous - to create quite a pathetic and pretentious character.
Rik's character in "Mr. Jolly Lives Next Door" probably owes a bit more to Richard Dangerous and more of the aggression was to filter through in Richie Rich ("Filthy, Rich and Catflap") and Richard Richard/Thwait ("Bottom"/"Guest House Paradiso") - but always keeping that intrinsic vulnerability of Rik the Poet.