Kynren 2024 – Everything You Need To Know (AD)

The North East spectacular that is Kynren is back for 2024! You’re invited to travel through 2000 years of English history in this large-scale outdoor production that’s a total feast for the senses. After taking a 9 month break to prepare for the new show, the 11 Arches team and the huge number of volunteers are ready to welcome you for this incredible experience.

I had never seen Kynren before, but it was something that always caught my eye. But for one reason or another, I hadn’t managed to get along to see it. So when I was invited along to the press preview, I jumped at the chance! In this blog post, I’ll be giving you all of the details you need to know, plus my review, so keep reading.

Already tempted to grab some tickets? You can book here.

What is Kynren?

Kynren is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s an outdoor show that is set on 7.5 acres of land in an arena (or Tribune) that seats up to 8000 people. The cast is made up of 1000 volunteers (the youngest is five years old!) and 150 live animals who bring together the history of England. “From Boudicca’s battles with the Romans to two world wars, via Vikings, Tudors and the fate of Charles I, Kynren’s a spellbinding, family-friendly experience delivering thrills, shocks, tears, laughs, goosebumps and gasps on a truly cinematic scale.“

The show follows young Arthur as he journeys through time to discover more about himself and his heritage. As an audience, we venture through 29 different historical scenes with him, each its own choreography, special effects, hand to hand combat and pyrotechnics.

Returning for Kynren 2024 is the Viking Village. This is a pre-show experience where you can walk through a living Viking village and chat to the actors to learn more about Viking life. It’s a really dynamic and fun way to start the Kynren journey, and you might just learn something new!

Where is Kynren?

Kynren is based at Flatts Farm, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 7SF. You can see the site from the Newton Cap Viaduct (whose arches are what the parent company, 11 Arches, is named after!). Use the same postcode, DL14 7SF, to get to the car park.

When is Kynren 2024 on?

Kynren is on every Saturday from 27th July to 14th September 2024. The shows start at various times, but each is in the evening and on for 90 minutes. As the show is on in the evening, I recommend wearing clothing that will keep you warm as it gets dark!

How much are Kynren 2024 tickets?

Tickets for Kynren 2024 start from £26 for adults and £16 for children under 18. Children aged three and under can go free when sat on an adult’s knee.

Is Kynren accessible?

The team strive to make the Kynren site as accessible as possible to ensure all guests can come and have an amazing time. The main visitor path is DDA compliant with a natural fine stone surface. Some areas have grass or stone surfaces, so wheelchair users may need some help crossing those.

The site has a number of park benches, providing seating for those who may need it. The Tribune also opens one hour before the start of each performance, so you can find and take your seat earlier if you’d like. For visitors with limited mobility, you are able to choose your seats in the Tribune on the online booking system. This allows you to opt for seats lower down or at the level of your choice.

Disabled toilets are located at the Welcome Plaza, immediately adjacent to the Blue Badge Car Park, and directly behind the Tribune. If you are a blue badge holder, you can book a space in the Blue Badge Car Park A with your show tickets. This can be done online or via the Booking Hotline (+44(0) 1388 436030). 

If you need any more accessibility information or details on how to book Personal Assistant tickets, please visit the Kynren accessibility page.

My thoughts

We found getting to Kynren incredibly easy. The postcode (DL14 7SF) brought us right to the car park and there was clear signage heading into Bishop Auckland to point the way. There were also plenty of volunteers who made sure we knew where we were going, so we didn’t feel lost or overwhelmed at any point.

There was a small gift shop on the walk to the Welcome Plaza, which sold lots of Kynren-branded products, as well as costumes and accessories. Even though it was a fairly small shop, there were lots of fab products! In the Welcome Plaza itself, there was an area to grab a bite to eat and a drink. I liked that the menu was available to see before you joined the winding queue. It means that you don’t have to decide when you get to the front and you don’t have to feel awkward if you don’t want anything. We just grabbed two bottles of water and headed to the Viking Village.

I really enjoyed the Viking Village and it totally set the tone for the rest of the evening for me. It was great to walk between each area and see what all of the actors were up to. There were two men blacksmithing, some cooks, people looking after the animals, people fishing and so much more. There were also a couple of sword fights! The actors were really knowledgeable and were happy to speak to people who had questions. It was such a fun way to kickstart the evening.

Once we’d explored the Viking Village, we headed to the Tribune to take our seats. We were sat right in the middle, so we had a great view over the whole site. Even though it was raining, we were so excited and the atmosphere around us was electric! Then the music started and the show began.

It’s really hard to put into words just how spectacular Kynren was. I honestly think it’s one of the best things I’ve ever seen in my whole life. Everything, from the choreography to the fireworks, was just utterly incredible. I was absolutely blown away by the quality of the whole production!

As I mentioned at the start of this post, there are 29 different historical scenes in the show – some of them I was familiar with and some of them I wasn’t. For example, I recognised Boudicca’s powerful presence as she tore across the stage on her horse, but I wasn’t so familiar with King Charles I. I came away having learned a thing or two!

I also loved that there was a North East history thread running throughout, such as the Prince Bishops of Durham, how Auckland Castle came to be, the terrible pit disaster and the first Durham Miner’s Gala. Seeing it all play out in such a huge venue in the heart of the North East really made me feel proud to be from the region.

It’s so hard to choose a favourite part. There were so many brilliant bits! I really loved when the Viking longboat came out of the lake – look out for that bit and notice the guys who are on it. I also loved the finale, of course. The dancing was fabulous, the music was sensational and the fireworks just topped it all off. But I should also give a shout out to the animals in the show because they are just magical. The horses have such a key role in so many scenes, like jousting, jumping over flames and pulling carts, but the geese, sheep, goats and cows all get their moment in the spotlight too.

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If there’s one thing you do this summer, make it a visit to Kynren. If you like history, theatre, the North East or doing something a bit different, it will be totally up your street. Take a look at the Kynren website for more information or book your tickets here.

I was gifted tickets to Kynren 2024 in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.