Dramatics
The play is performed either after the main course has been served, or in small acts between the courses. The theme is lighthearted and romantic, reminiscent of the King Arthur legends and often revolves around the marriage of a prince or princess. Many characters are canonical, including the King, Queen, and Court Jester who appear in every play. Other characters may be minstrels, thieves, wizards, knights, visiting royalty, Greek gods and goddesses, enchanted princesses, or many other mythical figures. The audience is invited to play a role in the proceedings, either as members of the royal court or as guests at a royal event, such as a wedding or Christmas celebration. Audience participation is often used to enforce this role.
In addition, many madrigal dinners employ roving entertainers, who perform for the guests at their tables alone or in groups. These may be jugglers, poets, beggars, instrumentalists, comedians, or singers. At some shows, the singers will break into small groups and entertain among the audience - a practice known as wenching. The songs performed here are usually modern medievally-styled tunes, Christmas carols and other traditional tunes. Most wenching songs are upbeat and quick and many are bawdy.
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