Storied Lands at Kynren is a new type of theme park. Debbie Rolls takes a day trip from Leeds to find out more.
Theme parks in this country have become synonymous with rides, the faster and higher the better. A different type of park has opened, Storied Lands at Kynren is billed as the ‘UK’s first live-action show park’, the park’s theme being history and story telling. It is inspired by Puy du Fou in France, which after Disneyland is France’s most visited tourist park. There are no rides but plenty of spectacle. The two enterprises have worked together to share knowledge about animal training, stunt work and set design.
You can reach Bishop Auckland, the home of Kynren, in about 1 hour 40 minutes by car or train from Leeds.
The park is an extension of Kynren, which has been running every summer since 2016, on a seven-and-a-half acre stage, with a cast and crew of 1,000 volunteers. It immerses audiences on Saturday evenings in an extravagant telling of 2,000 years of history aided by animals, illuminations and fireworks. The Saturday night performances will continue but there is now the opportunity to enjoy daytime entertainment from Tuesday to Sunday. The Storied Lands launched on July 18 alongside the first performance of Kynren and will continue until the last Kynren performance on 12 September.
Whilst Kynren, at 90 minutes, can be a long watch for children or anyone who finds sitting for a long time difficult, the shorter performances of Storied Lands may suit many. There are three new stages, and the Kynren auditorium is utilised for performances of The Trusty Steed. At the preview performances I attended I was pleased to see phones used for photography, and little else.
The Storied Land has four new shows and further interactive areas. The most like Kynren is The Trusty Steed, a story of a fearless female warrior taking part in jousts and other shows of horsemanship. The skills are like those you might have seen at jousting shows at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, with added narrative and pageant.
The Legend of the Wear is based upon local folklore around the Lambton Wyrm. I found the narrative here a little confusing, but there is some great stunt work utilising an elaborate set that includes a water wheel, lighthouse and lake. The water forms spouts but is not as well used as in Kynren. Hopefully, this will be developed further.
The Land of Vikings involves battles using axes, boat hulls and lots of fire. On leaving the Viking show, there is the opportunity to explore a Viking village and watch the blacksmith at work.
Victorian Imaginariums is a walk-through show where visitors have the opportunity to interact with characters in period dress. You are led into a building where you investigate Victorian shops and scenes. When Flambards Theme Park in Cornwall closed, Kynren purchased the scenes and moved them to County Durham.
The final performance area, The Lost Feather, is the least historical and most fantastical. Unless you have seen the bird show at Puy du Fou you will never have experienced anything like this. The range of birds is impressive and builds to a finale of up to 250 free flying birds. I say up to as birds, unlike actors, cannot be contracted. I have seen the performance twice now and each time a different bird decided to go missing in action, but that added to the authenticity and each time they returned to their handlers in their own good time.
I went away from the show with a renewed love and appreciation of our feathered friends. Even local birds traversing the arena: a group of three ducks, a heron and a few swallows, seemed to enhance
the performance.
I saw lots of engaged children at the preview shows. These are multi sensory events with original music, flamboyant costumes and lots of action. You can feel the heat from the Viking flames, the thud of horses’ feet and the waft of feathers as they pass just above your head. There is a playground, picnic areas and refreshment sites to spend time between performances.
This would be a good multi- generational day out, but do not feel you have to take children; adults will be impressed, too. Storied Lands is more like outdoor theatre than what many have come to expect in a theme park. I have always preferred Legoland to Alton Towers. I hope it is part of a resetting of what we understand by an exciting day out.
Tickets for Storied Lands are £30 for adults and £20 for children, which compares well with other theme parks and theatres. Tickets for Kynren vary in price according to where you sit. They start at £21 for children and £31 for adults. Parking at Kynren is expensive so you might want to travel by train, or park in Bishop Auckland town centre, and then take a shuttle bus.
Come prepared for the weather, with rain ponchos, hats and sun screen. The weather changes quickly in the Durham Dales. You might also appreciate a cushion as the seating is wooden benches or rigid plastic, fine for one performance but a bit of comfort is welcome after a few shows.
Tickets can be booked on the Kynren website Kynren.com
