By Rachel Hulsart, Marketing Intern
In certain fairy tales, readers are introduced to the princess as a fair and naive damsel in distress. They sit, wait and yearn for the day their prince arrives to rescue them from their troubles in the world. Even though there are princesses out there who can be intelligent and rescue themselves, there are still stories that portray the main male character as the ultimate hero of the story. In Enchantment Theatre Company’s production of The Brave Little Tailor, we meet a princess who isn’t hoping to be saved, but instead is a strong female character who is capable of saving herself and being independent. She does not rely on the help of a prince, or any man for that matter. She is a woman who is not afraid to take charge and do what is best for her.
When our friend the tailor begins his quest to win the princess’ hand in marriage, the king sends him on a series of challenges that test his skills. He successfully manages to kill giants and trap a rhinoceros. Although the king believes it is a result of his physical strength and might, the princess actually has a hunch about who the man trying to pursue her truly is. Earlier in the story, she purchased sewing material from the same tailor, so she knows that his “Seven in One Blow” sash does not in fact advertise a feat of extreme physical strength like the king thinks it does. However, she does not reveal his true identity since it could cause trouble and terrible punishment for the curious tailor. Right there, it is safe to say that this princess is intelligent, compassionate, and willing to give people a fair chance no matter who they are or how much money they have.
In our production of The Brave Little Tailor, we want to emphasize to our audiences that no one is restricted from being clever, strong and competent just because they are a girl. Just as the former Governor of Texas Anne Richards has been remembered for saying, “After all, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels.” I don’t want to give anything away, so I will just say that the princess certainly proves later in the story that she is not only intelligent and independent, but she is also courageous. Yes, in fairy tales, princesses are often seen as the ones who need to be rescued, but sometimes it’s actually the princess who ends up doing the saving.
NEW Activity
Create your own crown to show your support for the princess in our show. Here is a link to help you make your crown!
