When Kynren – The Storied Lands opens this summer, it will mark an ambitious new chapter for the creators of Kynren – An Epic Tale of England, the internationally acclaimed night show that has become one of the North East’s leading cultural attractions.
Rather than positioning itself as a traditional theme park, the new daytime venture is being described as the UK’s first “live-action show park” – an attraction built around large-scale live experiences and productions rather than rides and queues.
The phrase was chosen deliberately, says CEO Anna Warnecke: “Our entire experience is built around live performance, storytelling and immersive worlds.”
Set against the backdrop of Auckland Palace in Bishop Auckland, the park combines cinematic music, horsemanship, birds in flight, water effects, fire and theatrical staging across settings inspired by myth, folklore and history.
“At its heart, Kynren – The Storied Lands is about stepping into living stories rather than simply observing them,” says Anna. “This is about emotional connection, atmosphere, spectacle and storytelling on a huge scale.”
Visitors will journey through five major experiences during the first phase of development, from Viking battles and medieval horseback combat to Victorian storytelling mazes and large-scale arena productions.
Among the most anticipated is The Legend of the Wear, a retelling of the Lambton Worm legend, in which a vast lake becomes the stage for a mythical battle beneath the water’s surface.
Another centrepiece is The Lost Feather, an ambitious production exploring humanity’s relationship with birds and the natural world.
“I think people may arrive expecting a spectacular bird show,” Anna says, “but what they experience is something much deeper and more moving than that.”
Accompanied by an original score recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra, the production combines soaring birds, cinematic staging and music to create one of the park’s defining moments.
“When hundreds of birds take to the skies within that vast nest-inspired arena, there’s a genuine sense of awe that’s difficult to describe until you experience it,” she explains.
The same ambition runs throughout the attraction.
“We want visitors to leave feeling as though they’ve travelled through different worlds and emotions in a single day,” says Anna.
Importantly, the attraction remains deeply rooted in the North East. From Viking history to regional folklore, the park draws heavily on the landscape and cultural identity of County Durham and the wider region.
For further information, head to kynren.com.
