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January 30, 2006
Medieval Times in Lincolnshire, Chicago
Americans are known for their out-of-the-box thinking to create and develop businesses. While in Chicago, we went to Medieval Times. It is a restaurant where guests eat while watching a show with knights performing.
Picture from Medieval Times's Webpage
After mingling around in the entry hall, the guests are then escorted into the arena - and their respective place.
Picture of the entry hall
Guests are involved in the show - they are transformed into lords and princesses - each getting a differently coloured crown that represents one of the knights in the show and have to cheer their knight to victory. Our knight, who was the Yellow Knight, lost in the second round.
Food is served - we have to eat with fingers. Nothing new to those coming from Malaysia, but probably unique to Americans. The food, well, basically sucks. Fried chicken, which is way to dry, potatoes, which are tasteless, a soup, which is only hot, but tastes like nothing as well, and bread.
Then, the show begins. It basically tells the story of a follow up to a battle where the king has lost his son. Now, the knights battle it out for the succession to the king's throne.
The knights fight it out. When swords hit each other, sparks are flying.
Fighting with real weapons
Thus a lot of training goes into it, because, well, the swords, and axes are sharp. Real sharp. The show ends after all the knights have battled it out - then, a traitor kills the survivor and claims his rights to the king's throne. A last battle between the king's army and the traitor's followers and the traitor is captured. The king asks the audience if they want to let the traitor live or die.
And wow, the audience really goes for death, cheers for death. The king describes what will happen to the traitor - a very cruel description of torture, ribbing of this and stapping that. Okay, they are playing "medieval times" and life wasn't too good then with torture and death. Pretty dangerous in fact, but it makes me wonder, what goes on in the audience's mind to cheer that passionately for death. And I ask myself, if this is the America of today?
Is Medieval Times worthwhile a visit? Probably. There were some in the audience that had birthday, as announced by the "king" - so it makes for a good and different birthday celebration. An interesting experience for visitors and tourists. A repeat visit? Probably not.
Posted by Andreas at January 30, 2006 11:58 AM
Comments
Is the torture made really?
not like in the theatre?
If not, that's okay then. The audience votes for death,'cause they want Justice triumphs and the mean traitor gets his requital. That the humans are.
Posted by: Walter at May 17, 2006 03:50 PM