Kynren - An Epic Tale Of England Review

AD - Invited.

On Saturday night we were kindly invited along to Kynren - an epic tale of England, a live-action outdoor show performed here in the North East in Bishop Auckland, Durham. The show tells the story of England, spanning over 2,000 years of history, myth and legend, mostly based here in the North East. With a cast and crew of over 1,000 it really is a truly amazing show that is not like anything I have ever seen before.

Before seeing the show I had seen lots of advertising for Kynren but I still did not really know what to expect. Seeing it for myself I was blown away, it is easy to see why it has so many 5* Tripadvisor reviews and is currently ranked among the top five must-see performances here in the UK. It exceeded my expectations and was so well organised. 

So what is Kynren?

Kynren is a live-action outdoor show, set in Bishop Auckland with the stunning backdrop of Bishop Auckland castle in the background. They have a special outdoor set with a lake, amazing pyrotechnics and a huge cast and many, many animals. 

The audience sits in an 8000 seat outdoor amphitheatre, or Tribune as they call it, giving you amazing views of the set in front of you. Shows start when it gets dark (different show times depending on when you visit), which make the whole show breath-taking. 

The show is presented by Eleven Arches, a charity who aims to make Bishop Auckland a tourist destination. I think it is safe to say they are succeeding as people from all over the country and even the world are flocking to the area to see Kynren.

 The name Eleven Arches comes from the bridge you pass to get to Kynren, which has eleven arches and can be seen from the Kynren site. Many of the 1000 strong cast and crew of Kynren are actually volunteers which is just incredible. 

The show starts with a young boy called Arthur who travels back in time to find out the story of us. From Vikings, the English civil war, World Wars one and two and mining disasters we are swept along through 2000 years of history. 

Each scene seamlessly blends into the next as the show runs for 90 minutes without a break. Everywhere you looked something was going on, sets appeared in the blink of an eye, horses jostled and geese waddled on by. There were stunts that made you want to hide behind your hands and scenes that took your breath away, as well as many that make you feel proud to be British. 

As the night got dark we watched on in wonder as the cast entertained us in the most spectacular show I have ever seen. The special effects were mesmerising, the galloping horses, fire, music and amazing cast really made the show so uplifting and wonderful. I really did not want the show to end, it was that good! But it ended with a bang in the most spectacular way. 

Where is Kynren?

As I mentioned Kynren is located in Bishop Auckland in Durham, it was around 45 minutes drive from our home in Tyneside. Kynren is clearly signposted with signposts directing you to your car park (you need to pre-book parking), we were in car park C which was about a 10-15 minute walk from the entrance. We had park and ride passes through so we could get the double-decker shuttle bus down the hill to the entrance, well worth the few extra pounds to book. 

After the show finished everything was clearly signposted and colour coordinated so we managed to find our way back to our car park easily. The show finished at 10pm and we walked back to the entrance, got the bus back to the car park and were on the road home within half an hour. Pretty impressive when you think there was up to 8000 people all leaving at the same time.

What is there?

As you enter Kynren be aware that bag checks are in place and that no backpacks or food and drink items are allowed in. You are also not allowed to take photographs during the show, so cameras are not permitted either. 

Once you pass security there is a shop selling souvenirs like toy wooden swords and keyrings. They also sold blankets and ponchos as the whole show is outdoors so you will get cold and if it is raining you will get wet. 

They also have a food village area outside the Tribune with fish and chip, waffles, ice-creams, alcohol, hot & cold drinks and sweets available to buy. A lot of people mentioned the prices were expensive but we didn't think so, we paid £1 for a can of pop, £1 for a cup of a tea, chips were £3, three bags of traditional sweets from a sweet van were £5. There was also lots of very clean toilet blocks dotted around the site too. 

It is recommended you arrive early, the show we watched started at 8.30pm so we arrived around 6.30pm (car parks open at 6pm). We managed to see the blacksmiths at work and see the animals before the show and get something to eat and drink. 

Is It suitable for kids?

I didn't take my little two children with me (just turned four and five-years-old) as the show was on too late for them and I wasn't sure if they would sit and watch it. Instead, I visited with my Dad and my teenage daughter (15-years-old). My teenager loved the show, she really enjoyed it and thought it was brilliant and we noticed lots of other teenagers in the audience too. After seeing the show myself I would say it is suitable for children and I think my 5-year-old would have loved it. 

How do I book?

Kynren runs from late June until mid-September, it is only on Saturday nights with a few Friday shows. The next shows are Saturday the 1st, 8th or 15th of September 2018. Tickets start from £25 per person or £12.50 per child (4-11 years) teens (12-15) start at £18.75, children under three years of age are free if they sit on an adults knee. You can also book parking and the park and ride shuttle bus service when booking. 

Tickets can be purchased online and must be booked in advance. 

We had a wonderful evening watching Kynren, the show was spectacular and without a doubt, the best show that I have ever watched. It really was an epic tale of England and I would recommend the show to anyone, it really is a must-see show that the whole family will enjoy. 

Kynren 

Bishop Auckland

DL14 7SF

Parking available but must be pre-booked in advance