Someone I was at university with in America has a career performing at Renaissance Faires in America. Recently some video of these faires has been posted on facebook, and I have to say, I'm kinda confused.

I assumed that they would be kind of like the historical re-enactment stuff you sometimes happen upon here in the UK, where people are adhering as closely as they can to the historical evidence about a particular period, and effectively bringing that period to life.

Watching the videos, it seems I was completely off the mark. People seem to be wearing a whole range of not necessarily Renaissance costumes, and singing songs that seem largely drawn from a Dubliners-cum-Clancys pub-Irish repetoire, augmented by the odd shantey. It was like the Renaissance by way of Disney, all clanking wooden tankards and "bawdy" songs and amusingly-named fast-food stalls...a bit embarrassing, really.

I always think the re-enactment stuff is kind of cool. You can learn a lot about the period being explored, and it's especially useful for schools groups because it brings history to life.

But the ren-faire...well, I don't think I'm getting it. It just seems like a lot of grownups playing dress-up, with no real historical engagement or context. Which is fine, but I don't see why anyone pays to go and watch it.

Am I missing something?