This last Saturday, I spent a very strange afternoon at the Muskogee Renaissance Festival. Now, I was very hesitant on going to the fair, but Abby, Jason and Emily all wanted to go so I decided to not be a kill joy and take the trip out there to attend the Renaissance Festival. First of all, I was skeptical on the Renaissance culture in Muskogee, OK. I've driven through this town enough not to expect anything spectacular.
As we were driving into the parking lot, which was a grove of pine trees that surprised me because I was expecting a gravel parking lot, I noticed some of the people getting out of their minivans and pickups were actually dressed as middle ages people. The women were wearing long dresses, the men were in tights and carried swords. I thought it odd the actors would be arriving so late in the day.
Jason offered me a pair of sunglasses for the day. I turned them down because I was wearing a hat and didn't want to wear them. However, after I bought my ticket and saw how people were dressed I had to change my mind and go back and put on some dark sun glasses so I could stare at people because of their ridiculous outfits. I couldn't believe what people were wearing. As soon as we entered there were a bunch of women dressed as wenches or whores (not sure I know the difference). I couldn't believe how much cleavage they were showing. But it wasn't just them because everywhere I looked were women wanting to show off their bust in their wench dress.
We all walked through the "village" with a shocked jaw dropped expression on our face as we didn't talk to each other for a good five minutes. Instead we simply stared at the fake town being manned by the various characters. The thing was, it wasn't just the characters that were dressed up. Apparently, normal (or rather "normal") people were also dressed up in character even though they paid to get into the festival the same as us.
I couldn't believe my eyes all afternoon. I never did get used it. I was shocked by the bad English accents these Okies were trying to pull off. I was shocked by the lack of decency. I was shocked how these people had found themselves. I was left wondering how these people ever got into this. Here is the steps I propose:
1. attend Renaissance festival
2. return to Renaissance festival
3. purchase small piece of costume
4. speak in English accent
5. purchase full costume
I hope I never proceed past step 1.
2 comments:
Entertainment is something that happens to you, but fun is something you do. We were entertained (and surprised) by watching the people at the Renaissance Fair. But we started having fun when my sister kissed a camel on the lips, and when we posed for pictures with people in costumes, and ate some of those goofy turkey legs then had a jousting match with the greasy bones. Having fun is a way to forget the stress of life for a brief time. Some people do it by baiting and shooting deer from an office chair, others do it by dressing up like a wench and speaking with a fake accent. It's a crazy world.
I find it interesting that someone who deems themselves as 'carer of souls' would find it so easy to catagorize and demean somewhere you've only visited ONCE, and find it easier to judge and discriminate those of us who pour ourselves into live theatre.
Did you ever stop to think that maybe people do not enjoy your church choir's sound or your Easter performances? You wouldn't very well go up to your little ones after their Easter play and tell them, "Kids, sorry, this was awful. You did NOT have me convinced of the Resurraction. BAD ACCENTS! You didn't even sound Hebrew, remotely. I hope I never stoop to your level." YES. We are WELL AWARE that we do not sound English. We are AWARE that we aren't in Hollywood movies. And you know what? We don't care. This is a livelihood. We ENJOY it.
I agree with the comment from Stephanie from above. Having fun is different for different people. But sneering your nose, at any group, is wrong. (And you wonder why Christians get deemed 'narrow minded'.)
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