An adorable donkey foal has become the newest member of the UK’s biggest outdoor live theatre spectacular after being born in the middle of rehearsals.
The so-far unnamed female foal demonstrated perfect timing as she made her grand entrance as cast and crew went through their first full run through of the award-winning Kynren – an epic tale of England at Bishop Auckland.
Performed on a 7.5-acre outdoor stage, the show features a 100-strong cast and crew and immerses audiences in the thrilling telling of a 2,000-year tale of history.
The live action outdoor theatre show, takes place on Saturdays from 29th June to 14th September, features incredible choreography, dramatic stunts, equestrianism, special effects, pyrotechnics and a menagerie of live animals.
Anna Warnecke, Director of Cavalry and Estates, said: “We had been expecting mum Matilda to give birth for a few days now but the foal definitely demonstrated perfect dramatic timing by arriving right in the middle of the first full rehearsals.
“Both mother and baby are doing really well and we’re already looking at how we can include her in this year’s performances of Kynren as she’s clearly got star potential,” she added.
In addition to the donkeys Anna and her team look after 33 performance horses who all have a key role to play in the Kynren performances. They are all grey to make sure they stand out when it gets dark, but the breeds vary to include Lusitanos, Percherons, Wielkopolskis and Kladrubers.