Medieval Times provides alternative entertainment

Do you sometimes feel that you were born in the wrong century? Do you spend all of your time attending Renaissance Festivals and role-playing with a foam sword? If so, then the new Medieval Times dinner theater is the place for you. Even if you enjoy the more mundane aspects of life, like cars, running water and the Interweb, Medieval Times is still a great way to spend a night.

Over the summer, while most Tech students were away, Medieval Times opened a new site at Discover Mills mall. Precise directions are unnecessary - just look for the large castle off I-85. The building, an 87000 square foot attachment to the mall, houses stables, kitchens, gift shops and an 1100 seat arena. Medieval Times is a chain of dinner theaters, offering a medieval-themed live show and a good meal. They have 8 other locations, including ones in Texas, N.J. and Toronto.

When guests arrive and shell out for their tickets, the staff warmly greets you as lord or lady in a terrible British accent. You next receive a crown that looks as if it could have been stolen from Burger King. Then you are assigned a color which represents the section you must sit in as well as the color of the knight you are supposed to cheer for (although you can cheer for others).

Then you pose with the princess for a picture which will later be used in an effort to extort more money. There is a cash bar for guests to enjoy while you wait, and there are also multiple gift shops full of wastes of money.

When you are finally seated, the attending "wench" or "slave" will describes the menu: chicken broth soup, half of a baked chicken, garlic bread, a spare rib, half a roasted baked potato, and an apple pastry. You also have the choice between Pepsi and diet Pepsi, but they only serve 2 glasses, so drink sparingly.

The food is fairly good (much better than the dining hall), and you're free to eat with your hands (there was no silverware back then). But people don't go for the food- they go for the show.

It incorporates acrobatic horseback riding, falconry and a very dramatic magician, all of which are pretty boring. It's not until the joust that things finally pick up. And man do things pick up.

A pair of knights joust until one is knocked off his horse. Then they continue their fight on foot using various weapons, including swords, battle axes and polearms. There are six different knights, so you get plenty of fighting.

This continues until a very dramatic ending, which I won't give away. Most of the choreography looks quite fake, but some is really good and surprisingly entertaining. You will find yourself cheering at the top of your lungs for your knight.

The only downside to the event is the price: an adult ticket is $47.95. This is pretty steep, especially for a college student. However, it is possible to find discounted tickets online, and it is a ton of fun. If you're tired of the same old dinner and a movie deal, and you've got the cash, go out to Medieval Times with a couple of friends. There's nothing like it around, and its an experience that is not easily forgettable.

For more information, visit www.medievaltimes.com.