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Richmond Felicity Avenal is the gothic, vampiric worker in the IT Department in Reynholm Industries. He was banished by Moss and Roy to work in the back room of the department, as he, due to his gothic and pessimistic outlook on like, was 'bringing the mood down'. However, when Jen Barber joined the department, she campaigned for Richmond to come out of isolation and return to his original job.
Biography[]
Richmond before his gothic stage
Early life[]
Richmond was hired by Denholm Reynholm to work for Reynholm Industries. Slowly, Richmond was promoted more and more until he eventually became second-in-command of Reynholm Industries. He worked hard and was a valuable asset to Reynholm Industries, until he started listening to the heavy metal band, Cradle of Filth. Richmond's work didn't suffer, but his fellow colleagues were distracted when he grew his hair long and started putting on bizarre make up.
Richmond was eventually demoted to work in the IT Department after attending Denholm's father's funeral, where he was seen wearing ridiculous make up and giving Denholm's mother a Cradle of Filth CD.
Work in the abandoned store room[]
Richmond inside the store room
When Richmond was demoted to work in the IT Department, he met Maurice Moss and Roy. Roy and Moss eventually grew tired of Richmond's depressing and pessimistic outlook on life and made an unanimous decision to banish him to look after some abandoned monitors in a tiny store room without any briefing to what he was meant to do. Richmond did what he was told and worked night shifts, guarding the monitors in the abandoned store room alone.
Eventually, Jen Barber joined the apartment and when she discovered that Richmond was lurking in the store room the whole time she had been there, she campaigned for him to return tohis original job. She succeeded and Richmond was not forced to stay in the store room any longer. Despite this, Richmond had grown fond of his room and often stayed there despite Jen's work to get him out. He made occasional appearances outside of his room, however.
Richmond at Denholm's father's funeral
Work for the IT Department[]
Despite working for the IT Department, Richmond is never seen on or using a computer. Richmond was briefly affected by Jen's menstrual cycle, despite not showing any visible signs. However, he did comment that he was not his 'usual cheery self'.
When Denholm commited suicide in 2007, Richmond did not go to his funeral, but did ring Roy to see if everything was going well. He attended a dinner party hosted by Jen and her new boyfriend, where he met Jessica, who he falls in love with and has a sexual relationship with.
Diagnosis with scurvy[]
In 2008, Richmond was diagnosed with scurvy and left the IT Department.
Characteristics[]
Personality[]
Richmond is most famous for his gothic personality, and is often pessimistic and gloomy. Despite this, he has described himself as cheerful and is often seen smiling. He is also very vampiric, suffering from phengophobia (fear of daylight) and making a bat-like fluttering noise whenever he jumps.
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Richmond in the basement
He has had suicidal thoughts in the past, talking about how easy it would be to kill himself, however, he has never actually self-harmed. Despite his scary and gothic appearance, he is relatively cheerful and quite gentle. He has low self esteem and says that he has a 'tiny little mind'.
Richmond has a habit of staring into space whenever he wants to be dramatic, turning away from the person he is talking to and making melodramtic hand gestures. Doing this confuses his fellow workers, who are baffled to what he is looking at.
Richmond is fascinated by all things dark and strange, including skulls and the heavy metal rock band, Cradle of Filth. Despite this, he finds the idea of an actual cradle of filth disgusting. He has also said that he would be more than willing to eat a live spider.
Sexuality[]
Although it is likely that Richmond is heterosexual, he may be bisexual as he reads Heat magazine when Roy had mentioned that he doesn't know any heterosexual men who reads Heat. He also slept with Denholm Reynholm, however, both were highly drunk at the time and both were horrified when they discovered what they had done the following morning.
Richmond showing his acrobatic abilities
Despite this, he had a sexual relationship with Jessica, a girl he had met at a party. Despite the pair varying in personality, they were attracted to each other immediately. It is unknown if the relationship continued, however, Richmond did not pursue any other relationships, suggesting that they stayed together.
Skills and abilities[]
- Psychic Abilities: Richmond correctly predicted that Roy, Moss and Jen's trip to the theatre would be disasterous, and, despite having strange methods of predicting this (hearing a crow and stepping on a piece of lego), he was correct no doubt.
- Acrobatic Skills: Richmond managed to climb a wall with surprising ease and grace and remained there for a considerable amount of time without any visible foot or hand holds.
Relationships[]
Roy threatening Richmond with a broom
Roy[]
Jen: "What have you got against him?"
Roy: "Just don't like him"
- Roy and Jen discussing Richmond
Richmond first met Roy when he was demoted to work in the IT Department. Roy treated Richmond like vermin, threatening him with a sweeping brush. Both Roy and Moss felt Richmond was depressing them and 'bringing the mood down', and made an unanimous decision to banish him to look after some abandoned monitors in the store room at the back of the office. When Jen joined the office, she campaigned for Richmond to be brought out of isolation and to return to his original job.
After this, Roy got to know Richmond a bit more, and their relationship improved to the extent that they were nearly friends. Roy once offered Richmond to come with them to the theatre, however, he declined. When Richmond was diagnosed with scurvy, Roy inquired about his whereabouts, however, he did not seem too concerned.
Maurice Moss[]
"But Roy's not a desk rabbit, he's my best friend, and unless you do something it's just gonna be you, me and Tim Burton over there"
Richmond discussing suicide with Moss
- Moss comparing Richmond to Tim Burton
Like Roy, Moss first met Richmond when he was demoted to work in the IT Department. Moss' treatment of Richmond was somewhat better than Roy's, however, he and Roy agreed the Richmond should be should be serperated from society. Moss did somewhat care about Richmond's health, and occasionally asked him about his health.
However, Moss strongly believed that Richmond should stay in the store room. When Jen joined the office, she campaigned for Richmond to be brought out of isolation and to return to his original job. Moss, like Roy, got to know Richmond a bit more, and their relationship improved to the extent that they were nearly friends. When Richmond was diagnosed with scurvy, Moss was the only person who knew what had happened to Richmond.
Richmond and Jen
Jen Barber[]
"Well, we're happy to have you"
- Jen after bringing Richmond out of isolation
Richmond first met Jen shortly after she joined the department. After being told by Moss and Roy that she should not open the red door leading into the store room, her curiosity got the better of her and she discovered the existence of Richmond. When she discovered the living conditions that Richmond was forced to endure and his treatment from Moss and Roy, she campaigned for him to be brought out of isolation. She succeeded, and she treated Richmond well.
However, it seemed that she shared the idea that Richmond was depressing and once Richmond frightened her so much that she screamed. Although she would never tell him, she finds Richmond depressing and never considered him a true friend.
Denholm Reynholm[]
"It sounds like you two had a good relationship at one point"
- Jen on Richmond and Denholm's relationship
Richmond and Denholm once had a very good relationship together, so much so that Richmond became his second-in-command. They were even seen skipping through corridors holding hands. However, when Richmond started listening to Cradle of Filth and became gothic, Denholm began to reconsider Richmond's position. He couldn't bear Richmond anymore when he showed up at Denhom's father's funeral, covered in white make up with a tear painted onto his cheek.
Denholm demoted Richmond to work in the IT Department, where he was put in charge of some abandoned monitors. When Jen brought him out of isolation, she convinced Denholm to allow Richmond to return to his original job of second-in-command, however, Denholm quickly reconsidered and Richmond was put back in IT, however, he was no longer forced to work in the abandoned store room.
In 2007, Denholm commited suicide but Richmond, despite them once having a very good relationship, did not attend his funeral. However, he did ring Roy to inquire if everything was going well.
Jessica[]
Richmond met Jessica in 2007 at a dinner party hosed by Jen and her new boyfriend. Despite having varying personalities, Richmond and Jessica were immediately attracted to each other, and were soon seen kissing at the dinner table. Later on at the dinner party, Richmond and Jessica made love in Jen's house, and did it again at the office, in Richmond's store
Richmond, as depicted on a DVD menu
room.
It is unknown whether the relationship continued, however, Richmond did not persue any other relationships, which suggests that they remained together.
Physical description[]
Richmond is nearly always seen in classic gothic attire, wearing a black waistcoat and trousers and a purple necktie. He wears a silver, bat necklace and high leather boots. His make up varies on occasion. He is usually seen wearing make up that makes his face look pale and his eyes droopy, but on special occasions he may paint a tear on his cheek or making his face resemble a skull.
He has straight, long black hair and has blue eyes, but occasionally wears a milky contact lense in one eye, destorting its colour and shape. With all these combined, he looks haunting and vampiric.
Behind the scenes[]
- Richmond is portrayed by comedian and actor, Noel Fielding.
- Due to Fielding's commitments to his own show, the Mighty Boosh, he was unable to portray Richmond in the third series and so Graham Linehan had write Richmond out of the third series.
- Richmond's character was originally going to be called Gully, who was a pale, rat-like man who used to scamper around inside the walls of the IT Department. However, Linehan found it hard to write him into the script and eventually that character was dropped. However, Linehan kept the idea of a strange, pale character and came up with the idea of the depressed goth, Richmond.
Name etmology[]
- 'Richmond' is of Old French origin, and means 'rich hill'.
- 'Avenal' is a city in California. It is similar to the surname 'Avenel' which is of Old French origin and means 'old pasture'.