Richard Hope (actor)

Richard Hope is a British actor who gained recognition from Brideshead Revisited as the doltish junior officer, Hooper, under Jeremy Irons charge.[1] He is best known for playing Harris Pascoe in the UK TV drama Poldark. His theatre career includes in 1996, when he played Pierre Bezukhov in War and Peace at the Royal National Theatre having starred in another Tolstoy adaptation by Helen Edmundson, playing Levin in Anna Karenina. In 2015, he played Hector in The History Boys. In 2018–2019, he starred in the West End production The Woman in Black as Arthur Kipps.[2]

Richard Hope
2010
Born (1953-10-11) 11 October 1953
Kettering, England
EducationTrent Polytechnic BA (Hons) Law
OccupationActor
Years active1976-present
Websitewww.richardhope.com

Early life

Born 1953 in Kettering, Northamptonshire, Richard Hope attended Oakham School 1967–71. He went to Trent Polytechnic in Nottingham (now known as Nottingham Trent University), graduating with a BA (Hons) degree in Law in 1976. He spent nine months working in the courts at Shire Hall, now the National Justice Museum.

He trained at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain 1972–76 appearing in several new plays by established writers: The Children’s Crusade and By Common Consent by Paul Thompson, both directed by Ron Daniels together with Sight of Glory and Here Comes The Sun by Barrie Keeffe, directed by Michael Croft. By Common Consent was the first commissioned original NYT play adapted for TV, BBC One Play for Today (1975). In 1976 he joined the NYT's professional Dolphin Theatre Company as an acting / assistant stage manager in Romeo and Juliet.

Career

In 1978, Laurence Olivier gave him his first main professional TV part in Laurence Olivier Presents Saturday, Sunday, Monday by Eduardo de Filippo. He worked with him again in 1981 when he appeared in the first and last episodes of Brideshead Revisited in which he played Lieutenant Hooper.

He played Ford Prefect in the first stage production of Douglas Adams The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with Ken Campbell’s The Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool. He also appeared in their 22-hour epic The Warp and The Third Policeman. Campbell introduced him to Jérôme Savary and so Hope made his first West End appearance with his musical theater company Le Grand Magic Circus in 1001 Nights at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1980.

He was Bertozzo in Accidental Death of an Anarchist (1979) UK Tour with Alfred Molina for The Belt and Braces Theatre Company directed by Gavin Richards ending at the Half Moon Theatre in London.[3] Richards played Molina's part when it transferred six months later to the Wyndham's Theatre West End.

In 1981, Peter Gill cast him in Don Juan and Much Ado About Nothing which started his long association with The National Theatre.[4] In 1984, he joined the Richard Eyre / David Hare Company [5] playing Bill Smiley in the premiere of Pravda with Anthony Hopkins [6] and then switching to the role of Eaton Sylvester in two extended revivals in the Olivier Theatre. This also included ensemble productions of The Government Inspector with Rik Mayall and Jim Broadbent and Tim McInnerny’s Hamlet, in which he played Horatio. He met Simon McBurney at the National Theatre Studio, where Hope helped devise and develop The Visit and Street of Crocodiles for Theatre de Complicite.[7] 1988 saw The Visit production as part of the 'Théâtre de Complicité at the Almeida' season, before the theatre closed for refurbishment; the production was revised in collaboration with The National Theatre in the Lyttleton stage in 1991.[8] The production was invited to Spoleto Festival USA .

In 1987, he played Salto in Handmade Films thriller Bellman and True, written and directed by Richard Loncraine, and Hull City A.F.C. fan Malcolm in Mark Herman’s comedy See You At Wembley, Frankie Walsh which won the Student Academy Award. In Piece of Cake (TV series) directed by Ian Toynton he was ‘Skull’ Skelton and he played Mortimer Tundish in both series of Debbie Horsfield's comedy drama The Riff Raff Element, with Celia Imrie and Nicholas Farrell.

In 1996, he returned to the National Theatre as Pierre Bezukhov in the Shared Experience joint production of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace,[9] adapted by Helen Edmundson and directed by Nancy Meckler and Polly Teale. In 1998 he starred in another Tolstoy adaptation by Helen Edmundson, playing Levin in the Shared Experience production of Anna Karenina. Hope was Associate Director of this production which toured internationally, including runs at the Brooklyn Academy of Music [10] and the Lyric Theatre.[11][12] Clive Barnes of the New York Post described it as ‘One of the true highlights of a lifetime of theatre-going’.

In 2000, under coach Geoff Thompson (author of Real Punching), Hope learnt to wrestle for Jim Cartwright’s Hard Fruit at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by James Macdonald. During a performance of Hard Fruit, Hope broke his wrist when he hit a punch post that was missing its padding; he continued the run of the show with an “authentic” bandaged hand.[13] With Mark Rylance he was one of the six actors in Mike AlfredsCymbeline at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 2001.[14] In 2002, the Royal National Theatre staged Simon Bent's adaptation of John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany with Aidan McArdle as the title character and Hope as John Wheelwright.[15]

Hope has been in several police dramas: Superintendent Harold Spence in Agatha Christie's Poirot, Barry Purvis for two series of Murder Investigation Team (TV series) and semi-regular Rod Jesssop, the local headmaster, in The Bill.

Hope's first role in a musical was as Max Kellerman in Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre in 2010, staying for eighteen months. He played Horst Ehmke in Paul Miller’s revival in Sheffield of Michael Frayn's play Democracy, which transferred to London's Old Vic Theatre in 2012.[16] This was the third Frayn play he had performed in having toured the UK in Donkeys' Years and Noises Off.

Hope returned to the Almeida Theatre as Gabriel York in Andrew Bovell’s When the Rain Stops Falling in 2009} and in 2012 as Albany in King Lear with Jonathan Pryce.[17] In 2014, he played Queen Elizabeth I in the UK premiere of Sarah Ruhl's stage adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Orlando at the Royal Exchange with Suranne Jones and directed by Max Webster.[18][19] In 2015, he played Hector in Kate Saxon’s production of Alan Bennett's The History Boys in Sell A Door Theatre Company UK Tour.[20][21] In 2015-16, he continued his long-standing collaboration with Helen Edmundson, playing Sidney Godolphin in the original Royal Shakespeare Company production of her original play Queen Anne,[22] starring Natascha McElhone. In 2017 Queen Anne [23] transferred to the Haymarket Theatre with Romola Garai.[24]

He played recurring characters Malokeh and Bleytal (Silurians) in Doctor Who, and has recorded several related audios with Big Finish including Dr Who - Doom Coalition 3 'Absent Friends' which won the BBC Audio Drama Award 2017.

From May 2018 through March 2019 Richard played Arthur Kipps in The Woman in Black [2] by Susan Hill adapted into a stage play by Stephen Mallatratt at the Fortune Theatre, London. Richard had already played Jerome in the 2004 BBC Radio 4 version [25] directed by John Taylor as a Fiction Factory production.[26]

In 2019, he returned as Harris Pascoe, Ross Poldark's banker and friend, for his fifth season of Poldark with screenplay by Debbie Horsfield: He previously worked with her on The Riff Raff Element. He also filmed an episode of Casualty and The Village in The Woods, his first folk-horror movie, was released in the UK.[27]

Richard was due to start rehearsals in June 2020 for the Royal Shakespeare Company Europa Projekt production Blindness and Seeing, to be directed by Tiago Rodrigues: This has been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Richard is a member of the National Youth Theatre Association and an Associate of Theatre de Complicite.

Theatre work

Year Play Role Theatre
2018-2019The Woman in BlackArthur KippsFortune Theatre London
2015-2017Queen AnneSidney GodolphinRoyal Shakespeare Company, Stratford and

Haymarket Theatre London

2015History BoysHectorSell A Door Theatre Company/UK Tour [21][20]
2015Shostakovich's Hamlet Narrator and PerformerCity of London Sinfonia
2014OrlandoQueen Elizabeth IRoyal Exchange, Manchester [18][19]
2012King LearDuke of AlbanyAlmeida Theatre [17]
2012DemocracyHorst EhmkeSheffield Theatres / transferred to The Old Vic [16]
2011The SwanRussellNational Theatre [28]
2011There Is A WarField Commander GoodmanNational Theatre
2010-2011Dirty DancingMax KellermanAldwych Theatre
2009When The Rain Stops FallingGabriel YorkAlmeida Theatre
2008The Hour We Knew Nothing Of Each OtherThe Wanderer + 25 other partsNational Theatre
Noises OffFreddie FellowesAmbassador Theatre Group / UK Tour
2007Donkeys' YearsNorman TateSonia Friedman Productions/UK Tour [29][30]
2002Life After GeorgeDuffy [31]Duchess Theatre
A Prayer for Owen MeanyJohn Wheelwright [15]National Theatre
2001CymbelineCymbeline [32]Shakespeare's Globe Theatre [14][33]
2000Hard FruitSump [34]Royal Court Theatre [13]
1996War and PeacePierre [35]National Theatre/Shared Experience
1995The ParkWolfRoyal Shakespeare Company
1994BetrayalJerryWest Yorkshire Playhouse
1993–1998Anna KareninaLevin / Associate DirectorShared Experience / UK & World Tours
1991The Gentleman from OlmedoTelloThe Gate [36]
Street of CrocodilesFatherNational Theatre Studio/Complicite
1990Don Gil of the Green BritchesCaramanchelThe Gate
1988 & 1991The VisitThe MayorAlmeida Theatre/National Theatre / Complicite
1986HamletHoratio [37]National Theatre
1985The Government InspectorThe PostmasterNational Theatre
PravdaBill Smiley(1985)/Eaton Sylvester(1986) [38]National Theatre
1982CandidaLexyNational Theatre / British Council Tour of India
1981School for ClownsPuffHalf Moon Theatre / Sylvester McCoy & Ken Campbell
Don JuanPeterNational Theatre
Much Ado About NothingGeorge Seattle [39]National Theatre
1980The Third PolicemanMacCruskeenICA / Ken Campbell's Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool
One Thousand and One NightsSultan, Emperor of the Desert, Baba MustafaLe Grand Magic Circus / Shaftesbury Theatre
1979The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyFord PrefectICA / Ken Campbell's Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool
Accidental Death of an AnarchistBertozzoBelt and Braces Theatre Company / UK Tour
1978The End Is NighJesusNew End Theatre / Ken Campbell
The White DeerTockoUnicorn Theatre
The WarpDr. Snarkle, Paul Crawford, Ed Gale and many othersICA and Roundhouse / Ken Campbell's Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool
1977The SeedJerryBirmingham Rep
Mother CourageYoung Soldier and Young PeasantBirmingham Rep
Henry IV Part 1Gadshill / Sir Richard VernonShaw Theatre
1976Romeo and JulietPeter & Acting ASMShaw Theatre

Television roles

Year Television Show Role Other notes
2020Doctors (2000 TV series) Edwin Thomas in "Legend"
2019CasualtyJoe
2015–20195 series PoldarkHarris Pascoe
2017Broadchurch (series3)Arthur Tamworth
2016Unforgotten (series2)James Gregory
2015And Then There Were NoneInspector Maine
2014The Lost Honour of Christopher JefferiesExam Board Official
2014Father BrownSir St. John Pryde in episode 2.3 "Pride of the Prydes"
2013The Great Train RobberyDCS Malcolm Fewtrell in "The Copper's Tale"
2013The SmokeEric Springer in "Jamais KO"
2013Holby CityFather Mattew Sinclair in "Journey's End"
2013DoctorsSebastion Norris in "House Arrest"
2012Doctor WhoBleytal in "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship"
2011Doctor WhoMalohkeh in "The Wedding of River Song"
2010Doctor WhoMalohkeh in "The Hungry Earth and Cold Blood"
2009Holby CityChristopher Gamble in "Running on Empty"
2008

2007

EastEndersTed Hubbard
Midsomer MurdersNeville HaywardEpisode:”They seek him here”
2006The Shell SeekersGeorge Chamberlaine
2006–2008PoirotSuperintendent Harold SpenceEpisode:”Mrs McGinty’s Dead”
2006–2007The BillRod Jessop
2006The Thieving HeadmistressAndy Pert
Wild WestJudge Spicer
2005Riot at the RiteGrigoriev
Silent WitnessDr Morrie SandersEpisode: "Mind and Body"
DoctorsColin Wheelan
2004Trial of the King KillersJohn Bradshaw
New TricksBrownlow
The Government InspectorRichard Sambrook
2003HeartbeatJames Vincent
Murder CityGeorge Collins
Murder in SuburbiaPatrick
2003–20052 series MIT: Murder Investigation TeamDS Barry Purvis
2003Canterbury TalesArty's father in The Pardoner's Tale
Foyle's WarFrank Vaudrey in "Funk Hole"
2002Tipping the VelvetMr. Astley
Holby CityRoger Stapleton
Forsyte SagaGradman
The BillRussell
William and MaryDr Currie
2001McCready and DaughterTony Smith
A Is for AcidDr. Archie Henderson
Judge John DeedPeter Taylor
High StakesPeter Harrison
2000In DeepDr Kingswood
Midsomer MurdersGordon Brierley
Beef EncounterProsecutor
Happy Birthday ShakespeareColin
RhonaDoug
1999Reach For The MoonMr Fenton
Midsomer MurdersGordon Brierley
19982 series The Demon HeadmasterProfessor Tim Dexter
Children of the New ForestHeatherstone
CasualtyEdmund White
1997A Perfect StateSimon
BramwellTalbot
1996JackanoryStoryteller
1995The VetColin
Peak PracticeRoy Shearer
Band Of GoldRichard
Tears Before BedtimeStuart
19932 series The Riff Raff ElementMortimer Tundish
1991BoonSgt Keogh
The BillDyas
ItchGeoff
19902 series Happy FamiliesMr Jump/ Captain Salt/ Mr Cash etc.
Children Crossing Tom
1989Frederick Forsyth Presents - Death Has a Bad ReputationDonald Spry
Frederick Forsyth Presents - Casualty of WarDonald Spry
Victoria Wood - We'd Quite Like to ApologiseAlan Warburton
1988Piece of Cake'Skull' Skelton
DogplantOwen
Burning AmbitionDick Trout
1986Love and Marriage - The ClingerAlan
1984December FlowerDoctor
WufferWuffer
1983Wayne and AlbertAmbulanceman
Scene - Simulation ExerciseExton
1981Brideshead RevisitedLieutenant Hooper
1979HeartlandSteve
1978Margie and MePoliceman
Crown CourtPC Collins
People Like UsTeacher
Laurence Olivier Presents - Saturday Sunday MondayAttilioProduced by Laurence Olivier
1977Secret ArmySgt. Hose
1975By Common ConsentSecurity Official

Filmography

Year Film Role Other notes
2019The Village in the WoodsCharles[40]
2018Finding Your FeetCare home manager
2011Mr. Morgan's Last LoveAmerican philatelist
2005ChromophobiaSimon Whitemore
2004Sergeant PepperChristopher Fröhlich
BloomRichard NeapShort film
2002The HoneytrapDetective Fowler
2001My Brother TomJessica's dad
1998McLibelJudge
The Sea ChangeAlistair
1995Feast of JulySquire Wyman
The Last PostMan (lead)BAFTA nominated for Best Short Film
1992Swords at TeatimeDennisShort film
1990Antonia and JaneNorman Beer
1987Bellman and TrueSalto
See You At Wembley, Frankie WalshMalcolm (lead)Director Mark Herman won Oscar for Best Short Film
1985PlentyAlistair
1984Singleton's Pluck (aka Laughterhouse)Hubert
ScandalousYoung Detective
1981The French Lieutenant's WomanThird Assistant Director
1980Bloody KidsPoliceman #2
1980Breaking GlassAudition musician

Audio work

Year Production Character Company
2018Dr Who - ShellshockGeneral ReinhardtBig Finish
2017Letters to the Lady Upstairs by Marcel ProustNarratorHarper Collins
2016Survivors - Series 5.2 - New BloodSilus BroomeBig Finish
2016Dr Who - Doom Coalition 3 - Absent FriendsPhillip CookBig FinishWon BBC Audio Drama Award 2017
2015Dr Who - Early Adventures - The Bounty of CeresMorelandBig Finish
2015Counter Measures - Series 4William HeatonBig Finish
2015Dr Who - Damaged GoodsHarry HarveyBig Finish
2014Counter Measures - Series 3William Heaton, MasonBig Finish
2014Avengers - Lost Episodes - Volume 2KollakisBig Finish
2013Chronicles of AIT-The Lotos EffectLen (Norfolk), Paul the VicarFiction Factory / BBC
201341 Rue MongeNarratorChristine Hall / BBC 4
2012Chronicles of AIT-The Saxon StonesThurgisFiction Factory / BBC
2009Ruth Guardian, Thomas, Mr. JonesFirst Writes
2007Man in the WaterNarratorPier Productions/BBC
2005Murder on the LeviathanDr. TruffoGoldhawk Essential Productions
2004Woman in BlackJeromeFiction Factory
2004What Hetty DidMr. BertwistleFirst Writes
2002Diary of a Provincial LadyThe HusbandWatchmaker Productions
1997To the WeddingBBC / Theatre de Complicite
1996The Constant PrinceDon Juan de SilvaBBC
1995People Like UsThe Vicar ( Rev Andrew Treverton in The Vicar)BBC

References

  1. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=21quBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT401&lpg=PT401&dq=anna+karenina+play+helen+edmundson+richard+hope&source=bl&ots=sphETTcvX8&sig=R7hNPRlHsCAGQNi_ZuDV7Y4dKh8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=i7mWVd6IEqW07gbA5Y2QAw&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=anna%20karenina%20play%20helen%20edmundson%20richard%20hope&f=false
  2. https://www.thewomaninblack.com/cast
  3. Billington, Michael (13 October 2016). "Dario Fo's Accidental Death of an Anarchist – a heady blend of vaudeville and politics". the Guardian.
  4. Complicite. "Complicite - Richard Hope". www.complicite.org.
  5. Nightingale, Benedict (14 February 1991). "Review: The Visit (1991)". The Times.
  6. "War of the words".
  7. Marks, Peter. "THEATER REVIEW; A Classic Russian Tale of Infidelity, Sparely Told".
  8. "Red-hot telling of love in a cold climate". 28 September 1998 via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  9. "Hard Fruit - Royal Court".
  10. "Cymbeline / Shakespeare's Globe". www.shakespearesglobe.com.
  11. Hickling, Alfred (15 March 2012). "Democracy – review". the Guardian.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. Anglesey, Natalie (26 February 2014). "Review: Orlando @ Royal Exchange".
  14. host, just. "Welcome thegoodreview.co.uk - Justhost.com". thegoodreview.co.uk.
  15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 December 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. https://www.rscqueenanne.com
  18. Billington, Michael (11 July 2017). "Queen Anne review – Romola Garai is a sensational schemer in gripping history play". the Guardian.
  19. "Woman in Black, The [drama]". Radiolistings.co.uk. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  20. https://www.fictionfactory.co.uk
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5053156/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_1
  22. "Sonia Friedman Productions". www.soniafriedman.com.
  23. "Theatre Reviews - UK, London, West End, Broadway, Fringe - The Stage". The Stage.
  24. Loveridge, CurtainUp, Lizzie. "Life After George, a CurtainUp London review". www.curtainup.com.
  25. "Albemarle - Archive". Archived from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 15 February 2008.
  26. "Programme notes" (PDF). www.shakespearesglobe.com. 2015.
  27. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 April 2004. Retrieved 15 February 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. "Review of The Gentleman From Olmedo". www.cix.co.uk.
  29. "Hamlet, Berry/Dyer, National Theatre Touring, January 1986". www.ahds.rhul.ac.uk.
  30. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 August 2008. Retrieved 15 February 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  31. "Much Ado About Nothing, Gill/Chitty, National Theatre, August 1981". www.ahds.rhul.ac.uk.
  32. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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