Trying to over-analyze Prince Erics character, because Ive never done it before and I totally did this kind of thinking with John Hale: I think that Erics parents, who were king and queen, probably forced him into an aristocratic life at a very young age and because it was so forced, he never really liked it. Most of his social interaction in his life, if not all, was more than likely forced (thus resulting in him being very socially awkward). Life at sea appealed to him because the sea is more or less no mans land. The seas are not controlled by anyone but God and nature, so Erics getaway was the exact opposite of what his parents pushed him through: a life controlled by strict man-made traditions and customs. When Erics father passed away (and his mother perhaps did the same or abandoned the palace because shes selfish and stuff), Grimsby felt obligated to bring Eric to the throne. As a result, Eric is forced on numerous dates with princesses and other wealthy girls. When the play begins, Eric is reluctant to take the throne because his parents gave him a bad impression of what being royalty should be. All of the comfort he needed was in himself and in the sea. Because he has been forced on these dates with the wrong girls, Eric has thought up a girl in his imagination that is exactly what he wants. Ariel ends up being exactly that. His feelings for her (even when she has no voice) make him realize how terrible he really is at talking and communicating in general. Ariel does make him confident in becoming king, hoping that he can do better than his father. In addition, Eric realizes the importance of companionship because of Ariel, something his parents were probably missing. When you have this kind of information in mind when youre playing a character, it changes the entire performance. I know its ridiculous to have this entire back story for a character like Prince Eric, but why not do it? Its fun to give characters more depth than they usually have. Sure, the audience is never going to get this character information and this is a lot of stuff I just made up and expanded upon, but when youre on the stage acting with that knowledge, the audience will get it.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 04:26:10 +0000