In eager anticipation of the start of its summer season, Kynren – An Epic Tale of England hosted its preview night, inviting friends and family of the 1,000 strong cast and crew to witness the magic in Bishop Auckland.
Performing to a crowd in the 8,000-seater tribune, Kynren’s ensemble brought to life the tale of England’s 2,000-year history on the seven-and-a-half-acre outdoor stage featuring daring stunts, skilful horsemanship, mass choreography, pyrotechnics and intricate combat scenes.
Preview night attendees were also the first to experience the new pre-show entertainment – with the Return of the Vikings. Featuring an authentic recreation of a Viking Village which is on the brink of a raid, audiences experienced a working blacksmith’s forge where chainmail is created by hand and sparks fly in the process.
They visited the cookhouse, peeked inside the 9th century cottages, wandered through the vegetable patch and met livestock which Vikings would have traditionally kept and farmed.
Guests then took to their seats at dusk. The show started at sunset and ended in starlight to evoke an enchanting atmosphere and create the perfect backdrop for a spectacular firework finale.
Anna Warnecke, CEO of Kynren, said: “The preview night is always a fantastic opportunity for our team to share with friends and family the hard work that has gone into the production – and is great preparation ahead of our first official show later this month. Seeing is believing and I think a world-class show like ours must be experienced in real life – it’s wonderful that we can give this gift to guests attending the preview night.
