Taking a slight detour from their pilgrimage to Canterbury, the Wife of Bath, the Pardoner, the Yeoman and the Nun’s Priest will be making a stop at Wesley United Church Hall this weekend.

The characters from Geoffrey Chaucer’s famed 14th century narrative The Canterbury Tales will be part of a dinner theatre performance by ICHTHYS Theatre Productions on July 24 and 25.

In an interactive, modernized version of Chaucer’s masterwork – which means no Middle English – the audience will tag along with the pilgrims as they make a stop at a local inn to rest and refuel.

“It’s a wonderful evening of entertainment and fun,” said Lorna Stratton, artistic director for the theatre company.

The pilgrims will sit among the crowd during a family-style feast that includes home-cooked chicken, potatoes, corn on the cob, coleslaw and rolls, as well as a variety of fruit and cakes for dessert. 

The stories take on a modern twist, with the Wife of Bath wearing three-inch stilettos and a red hat (a la the Red Hat Society) and the Pardoner taking on the role of a “slick” televangelist. 

“The stories are surprisingly modern in terms of their relevance because they’re talking about people’s foibles,” Stratton said. “So we’ve modernized it in the sense that we’re wearing contemporary clothing.”

The characters will mingle with the audience throughout the evening while stories are being presented.

The audience is invited to play along, too.

During the Wife of Bath’s tale about a knight whose task it is to discover what women want, he ventures into the crowd to ask the audience’s opinion.

At the end of the night, the audience will be brought into the story once more to vote for the tale they liked best.

“It’s very much interactive,” Stratton said. 

The meal will be provided by Friendship House of Brant, a Christian outreach centre that provides before and after-school programs for youth, a food bank and clothing closet. 

All proceeds from the event will go to Friendship House to support the food bank and children’s programs.

“I think it’s just wonderful that (ICHTHYS) thought of us and it is exciting that we can all work together as a big team,” said Carol Owen, program co-ordinator for Friendship House. “We’re trying to be a helping hand in the community. The more (money) we get, the more people we can help.”

Tickets for the ICHTHYS production are $22 for adults or $20 for students and must be reserved. Call 519-751-5411 or e-mail ichthystickets@sympatico.ca for more information.