Kynren - Experience England's 2,000 Year History!

Kynren. Photos Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

Kynren - Experience England’s 2,000-year history in all its glory! Taking place in Bishop Auckland, County Durham every Saturday evening from 27 July to 14 September 2024. Next year's dates are on their website.

Review by Ann Evans.

Invasions, battles, legendary heroic characters, royalty in all their finery – all brought to life in a spectacular 90-minute multi-award-winning outdoor show called Kynren. Taking place in Bishops Auckland, County Durham, the show unfolds on a seven-and-a-half-acre stage, which equates to five football pitches that dramatically recreates England’s history before an 8,000-seat amphitheatre known as the Tribune.

Old and Young Arthurs meet, and Vikings invade. Photos Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

Leading us through this spellbinding journey through time is Young Arthur, a young boy from a mining family. He meets with Old Arthur – whose voice is instantly recognisable as actor Kevin Whately, best known for his roles in Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Inspector Morse and Lewis. Old Arthur reveals the secret of time travel to Young Arthur and sets him off on his quest for knowledge and to discover the meaning of ‘Kynren’.

A ghostly spectre walks on water towards the Gateway of Time. Photo Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

Through the Gateway of Time Young Arthur and the audience witness monumental events such as Boudica’s uprising against the Romans, marauding Vikings clashing with Anglo Saxons at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. A Viking longboat sailing in ghostly fashion along the lake, and even witness the future King Arthur drawing the sword Excalibur from the stone, then encountering the dream-like apparition of the Lady of the Lake.

Battles and pageantry. Photos Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

A cast and crew of 1,000 men, women and children bring Kynren to life – these volunteers aged from 5 to 85 are known as Archers. Entire families in some cases take part, who each year engage in a complex and robust set of training programmes taught by highly-skilled performance industry specialists.

A whole menagerie of animals is also involved. Thirty-nine magnificent performance horses, carriage horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, geese, ducks and chickens. There’s a dedicated cavalry team as horses often take centre stage, whether riding into battle, jousting, flying flags or pulling carts. A new addition has recently joined the Kynren team in the form of a rare breed horse. Cosmo is a grey shire horse – of which there are approximately only 200 in the world.

Villagers with livestock and a vision of King Arthur's Round Table. Photos Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

Each Saturday through summer, the show begins at sunset. First though, there’s time to explore an authentic recreation of a 9th century Viking village. Kynren CEO, Anna Warnecke says: “The Viking Village provides a really immersive way for audiences to travel back in time and prepare themselves for the adventure to come.”

Viking Village at Kynren. Photos Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

Then settle down in the amphitheatre to enjoy this epic tale. On our visit to Kynren there was heavy rain, but those dark ominous skies simply added another layer to the atmosphere. From a magical start, the excitement quickly builds as we witness spectacular historic scenes, with stunts, explosions, galloping cavalry, villagers and warriors; hand-to-hand combat, flaming arrows and so much more.

Kynren features a cast and crew of 1,000 men women and children. Photos Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

 It takes 90,000 gallons of water to fill the lake where stunning special effects take place. The first being a ghostly figure ‘walking on water’; later there’s a giant waterjet ballet sequences, a spectacular Viking burial on the Drakkar, with a massive fireball explosion during a Viking attack.

Beyond the lake a life-sized Auckland Castle magically appears and becomes a solid background for historical characters to re-live important moments in time. Amongst them we go back to England’s Civil War and King Charles’ final journey to the executioner’s block. King Henry VIII makes a grand appearance and William Shakespeare steps aboard Queen Elizabeth I’s royal barge to discuss his characters and some of their immortal lines.

Queen Elizabeth I and Shakespeare, and Stephenson's Rocket. Photos Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

As the years roll by, we join in with the celebrations of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and witness the start of the industrial revolution with a wonderful recreation of Stephenson’s rocket.

Spectacular finale. Photo Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

Being in the north-east, Kynren pays homage to the mining communities, their gruelling hard work, and the grief of their families when disasters and tragedies occurred. Many moments through this spectacular show bring tears to the eyes, while other moments provide an awe-inspiring spectacle of colour, flags, banners and pageantry. We also witness moving moments in two world wars and pay homage to Winston Churchill. 

Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, and remembering the miners. Photo Rob Tysall Pro photography.

Throughout the show original rousing music accompanies the action. Award-winning composer Nathan Stornetta has worked alongside film score master Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, The Dark Knight Rises, Pirates of the Caribbean) to create Kynren’s epic soundtrack, that evokes drama and excitement - something Kynren is packed with.

Kynren – an epic and unforgettable experience.

Kynren - Spellbinding entertainment. Photo Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

Kynren takes place every Saturday evening from 27 July to 14 September. Tickets cost from £26 for adults and from £16 for under 18s. Children aged 3 and under are free when sat on an adult’s knee.

For more information and to book your ticket:  https://www.11arches.com/kynren