australian television information archive

Richard Piper as Richard

Richard is in his mid to late forties. Once (for around a fortnight) he had a finely tuned body, but in his pursuit of personal fortune, this has slipped a little. Sometimes a millionaire, sometimes bankrupt, his business life is akin to his personal life—chaos. He married Candice and became more attached to her than anything else in his shifting life, but after his succession of grubby affairs, they are now apart. He is crass, opportunistic and totally un-reconstructed. He is insightful to absolutely no avail and he only has his killer charm left to trade on.

Richard Piper has had a distinguished theatrical career in England and Australia and has appeared in over 50 stage productions including four West End musicals. He is a graduate of The Central School of Speech and Drama in London, performed in repertory and appeared in the West End in GREASE, ELVIS and OH BOY.

During a five-year tour as lead singer and guitarist with the rock cabaret band, The Bouncing Czecks, Richard came to Australia. It was the mid 80s and Richard fell in love with the place and decided to stay.

His first stage role was as the ‘naked’ policeman in the Melbourne Theatre Company’s WHAT THE BUTLER SAW. He has gone on to play numerous roles, including ten Shakespearean plays with theatre companies across Australia. He recently appeared in the MTC’s BETRAYAL, MAN THE BALLOON, MEASURE FOR MEASURE, TRELAWNY OF THE WELLS and won acclaim for George in Hannie Rayson’s highly successful play LIFE AFTER GEORGE.

His first Australian theatrical tour, two years after he arrived in the country, was with the MTC’s production of Oscar Wilde’s THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST. He was part of a legendary cast including Geoffrey Rush, Ruth Cracknell, Jane Menelaus, Frank Thring and Monica Maughan.

Richard has played leading guest roles in major television series including STINGERS and GOOD GUYS BAD GUYS and appeared as Sam Montelle in CORRELLI with Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Furness and as Robertson in THE DAMNATION OF HARVEY McHUGH with Aaron Blabey.

In 2002 he spent five months overseas, travelling to England, Thailand and Bali. This year Richard had a guest role in BLUE HEELERS and played Justin Fleming in the MTC’s COUP D’ETAT. His latest telemovie was POSTCARD BANDIT.

“The part of Richard is fantastic,” he says. “Richard is a true rascal. Flamboyant with money (whether he actually has any or not) and compulsive with regard to his affairs, he is the needle in the side of his wife, Candice. He’s warm and charming with the moral fibre of a barnyard rooster and does everything to excess without being noticeably affected by it. He lives off his charm and is a survivor in spite of his shocking behaviour.”