Kynren Returns for a Spectacular Summer Season
Spellbinding live outdoor show Kynren - An Epic Tale of England, returns for a seven-week run during the summer holidays
‘We’re thrilled to be able to deliver a pulsating show which retells history in a way which captivates and enthrals our audiences,’ says CEO Anne-Isabelle Daulon.
‘Everyone involved in the production has incredible passion, commitment and talent, ensuring that each performance lingers long in the memory of all those families, friends and loved ones who come along to see it.’
Performed by a 1,000-strong cast and crew on a 7.5-acre outdoor stage at 11Arches Park in Bishop Auckland, the multi award-winning show follows a young boy, Arthur, on his travel through time.
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From Boudicca’s battles with the Romans to two world wars, via Vikings, Tudors and the fate of Charles I, Kynren is a family-friendly experience delivering thrills, shocks, tears, laughs, goosebumps and gasps on a panoramic scale.
Each group of actors has undergone rigorous training and hours of rehearsals in four core areas – mass movement, dance, combat and marching. The individual groups then come together at the General Rehearsals.
Members of the cast typically change costume five times and perform on average three dance routines during each performance, walking several kilometres in each show. The show is packed with thrilling choreography, amazing stunts, incredible equestrianism, world-class special effects and pyrotechnics.
It is a sensory feast which takes the audience on an emotional rollercoaster, to a highly evocative, original soundtrack written by young, Swiss composer Nathan Stornetta.
'Kynren is who your people were in the past,
who you are in the present and who you
choose to become in the future'
Kynren is the ancient Saxon word meaning ‘generations’. Kynren is who your people were in the past, who you are in the present and who you choose to become in the future.
Produced by charity 11Arches, the scintillating show was established alongside the Auckland Project by philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer. It has attracted almost 400,000 visitors to the town since its inception in 2016.
Kynren has also put the area firmly on the map for many international tourists, with 40 per cent of its visitors coming from beyond the North East and as far afield as the USA, China, South Africa and the Middle East.
Bishop Auckland, which is just 12 miles south west of Durham and is home to around 25,000 people, stands high above the River Wear, with commanding views of the surrounding countryside. Other established attractions in the town include the April Food Festival, Mining Art Gallery, Bishop Trevor Gallery, Spanish Gallery and Auckland Tower.
