from the BBC America interview promoting Robin Hood, when asked how Richard felt about playing Guy:
I really like playing Guy. I think there’s a bit of a damaged soul there that has some salvation. I don’t admire everything that he does but I have learnt to understand him. I’m quite defensive of Guy, actually.
I like the “working man” focus of this song. The lyrics are just a simple explanation of his day, all the little details about what he did, what he saw, what he ate, etc. and it’s done in such a non-lyrical format. Then the chorus hits you with melody while it brings home the subject matter: this is a working man performing a menial job but it’s his life and he’s proud of it. I love that sentiment. My dad always told me that it doesn’t matter what you do in life, just give it the best you’ve got and be proud that it’s yours.
What’s my line?
I’m happy cleaning windows
Take my time
I’ll see you when my love grows
Baby don’t let it slide
I’m a working man in my prime
Cleaning windows
I adore this interview! Richard’s answers are interesting in their detail but we’re also given a glimpse of that cheeky dry sense of humor too (The Lucas North look doesn’t hurt either). We start off with cuteness right out of the gate when Richard is trying to answer a question about always wearing black, only to realize that he is currently wearing black. That laugh is genuine and carefree, and I love it! I have to snicker to myself when he clarifies the question author’s name because I don’t think he realizes it’s a username. I could be mistaken, Dreamer would be a cool name to have. The quiz I just took said if my parents were more hippie they would have named me Luna.
“your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries”
I like his answers about Guy being a damaged soul and that he feels defensive of him. It shows how connected Richard feels to the character even though, as he says, he doesn’t always agree with everything Guy does. His reactions to the question concerning what part of Guy is the hardest to play is enjoyable too. The question starts out saying that Guy has a brooding anger about him, which causes Richard to give a side-eyed look. What? you’ve never heard the term brooding before? you better get used to it.
I knew I should have bought that joke book
and then after the question goes on, Richard’s eyes widen and he gives a laughing sound at the heaviness of it. He answers it wonderfully though by explaining the humiliation that Guy regularly goes through at the hands of the Sheriff. The next part is my absolute favorite. First, to hear him say “placated” (I don’t know why I like to hear him say that) and then second, for his dry delivery of saying he can use the action-figure horse to practice his horse-riding skills. So funny! I laugh loudly every time I see it. The last question is fun too: the mouth movements while he’s “thinking” and then not only his actual answer and how he laughs at himself, but you can clearly see the moment that answer popped into his head but he still had to act like he was thinking about it and set it up for delivery. Richard teases well.
Nowhere in Particular RA 