I know I may be just a pup, but I sees it as this...
The Public at large seems to derive most of it's "Knowledge" of historical subjects from movies (I.E. Pirates wore bucket Boots, eye patches and said ARRRRH all the time, and a 6'6" Scottish Hero looked like a 5'7" Aussie..) and the people who tell these stories are entertainers...
It is my beleif that re-enacting SHOULD involve some manner of entertainment and a bit of charicter acting since that seems to be the best way to educate the people, get them interested in it all, and most importantly help them to remember it.
It just seems a lot more interesting to me to hear someone speak and act as if they were from that time period and was a real persona that was individual, than someone wearing the clothes who gave schpiel in modern speak....