Slaying Dragons At Warwick Castle

We were invited to Warwick Castle this week to watch the new evening show. Dragon Slayer is on for selected dates throughout the summer with the last show on Bank Holiday Monday. I haven’t been out much lately due to some health issues. I thought it would be a great way to test the waters and spend some quality time with the kids.None of us have ever been to Warwick Castle before so we were excited about discovering somewhere new. It’s only around half-an-hour’s drive from home. I’m surprised we’ve never been before.

We decided to only go in the evening for the show itself. I would really like to explore the castle, the dungeons and the grounds but I feared walking around all day would tire us out and I wanted us to be able to enjoy the evening entertainment.

A large group of us headed down to the ‘silver’ entrance, which led down to the gardens. We had quite a wait at the gate before we were allowed in but as it was the first night, there were bound to be some teething problems.

A Knight stood at the entrance. I warned Shivam he had to be on his best behaviour as the Knight had been sent solely to point out the naughty children and take them down to the dungeon.

It sounds worse than it was – it was quite a little humorous story I had made up to keep Shivam in check. He was in good spirits too and kept wanting to catch the Knight’s attention.

Upon entering the gardens, a peacock immediately caught my eye. As we neared the fountain, we spotted several peacocks. They looked so stunning and colourful in the backdrop of the beautiful garden. It was a glorious evening and the sun was shining. Everyone seemed to be excited for the evening’s entertainment.

Dinner was a hog roast. We each had a bap with stuffing and helped ourselves to a side salad and drinks. Once we had our food, we walked around the corner to the lawn, where the castle came into view.

The kids were really impressed with the layout and the historic building. They’ve asked to come again on another day when we could spend time exploring the castle.

Everyone had laid out picnic blankets around a fenced area and we joined them. We laid down our picnic mat and tucked into our food as the pre-show began.

It was a nice touch to have a fire eater keeping the huge crowds entertained. Following him, there was a birds of prey show which was just as interesting.

At 8:30pm, everyone headed over to line up for the main show, which took place in the jousting arena.

The show is split into two acts. The first, in the arena, is full of live action and stunts. It follows the story of Lady Felice, the daughter of the Earl of Warwick. Guy is the Steward’s son and arrives at the arena to show off his skill against Knights.I won’t give too much of the plot away, but it leads to Lady Felice and Guy falling in love. The crowd seemed to be having a great time cheering Guy and boo-ing the villains, during the jousting and sword-fighting.

Even though you’re standing throughout the first act, there is plenty going on so you don’t feel tired. I was surprised when the kids didn’t complain once.

Suddenly there is news of a fire-breathing Dragon attacking the castle. Guy and Felice tell the ‘Lords and Ladies’ of the crowd to follow them to the castle to fight the beast. That is the end of act one, which is immersive and really involves the audience.

Staff then ushered us back the way we came – across the bridge and up the hill across to the courtyard. We managed to grab a great spot at the front because Sukh, the kids and I are fast walkers. Everyone laid their blankets out again and it was lovely to sit down now for the second act.The story continues with Guy fighting the dragon. There is some live action but it’s mainly through projection on the castle walls and tower. It looks breathtakingly beautiful all lit up as it changes colours when the scenes change. The Dragon scenes are extraordinary. Light bathes the courtyard; the reds, yellows and oranges are so vibrant.Again, I won’t reveal what happens next but it’s a gripping fifteen minutes with a lovely display of fireworks at the end. It was warm and balmy and it was the perfect way to spend a summer’s evening and definitely worth the trip out for me. Warwick Castle has done something unique for the summer and it’s impressive.There is something for kids and adults alike. I wish we had been staying the night in one of the lodges or tents to complete the experience but we will definitely be back to see what that’s like, I’m sure.

Shalini’s Review:

I loved the entertainment while people were eating. I thought the show was really good. It was fun being in two different areas. We all felt a part of it.

The actors were really energetic and portrayed their parts really well. It added a whole different feel sitting outside in the courtyard. The light show was so cool especially as it was night time. I loved the fireworks.

Verdict: 8/10

Shivam’s Review:

I enjoyed my burger. I liked the action in the arena and the tournament and sword fighting was my favourite. The projection show with the dragon was amazing. It was so nice to see the fireworks. I liked the atmosphere.

Verdict: 10/10

Read about our day out watching Wicked The Musical.