King Henry VIII and Pathos

Lately I have been riveted by The Tudors on Showtime (I’ve been watching the series on DVD) partially because the story is so great and partially because much of the acting is really exceptional. The Tudors tells the saga of King Henry VIII of England and the many women he makes his wives, and the politics and religious upheaval at the time. I’d like to talk about Jonathan Rhys Meyers portrayal of King Henry VIII. Playing a historical figure is challenging, especially one so famous, or should I rather say, infamous. And I think one of the key reasons we connect so much with Meyers’ Henry is because he does not create a one dimensional portrayal of the lecherous king. His Henry is at once villainous and virtuous, strong and fragile, guilty and innocent of his crimes against kingdom and God. In essence Meyers had made the storied King Henry VIII human. And as an audience we feel for Henry because of his humanity. This feeling or connection is what the ancient Greeks called pathos. I believe conjuring pathos in the audience is absolutely essential when creating all well acted characters, but even more so in unsavory ones. Although the term is usually used to describe acting evoking pity or compassion, it more simply is the connection an audience feels to a character. If we don’t feel for the character what is the point? And it is much more difficult to feel a connection to a villain, but it can be done - Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs , Heath Ledger as The Joker in Batman: The Dark Knight. What all of these villains have in common is that you can see or sense a reason behind their folly. Maybe they were abused as children, maybe they have a psychiatric illness, or maybe as Henry those who surround him manipulate and deceive to such an extent that he really doesn’t know right from wrong. Of course a lot of the credit for Meyers’ compelling performance also needs to go to the creators and writers of The Tudors, but Meyers brings Henry to life. Ever feel like you're wishing an actor off the screen to get to the next scene with another? It’s probably because they haven’t created a character that you can feel pathos for.
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For more info on Elisa Eliot and Elisa Eliot's Acting Studio please visit www.elisaeliot.com.