We were kindly invited by Warwick Castle & Merlin Annual Pass to attend the press event for Dragon Slayer. Before attending, we did little to no research into the show as we wanted it to be raw and fresh! Therefore, here is our spoiler-free review!
Note: This show runs from the 12th – 13th & 15th-21st of August! All views are our own & not influenced by the invite we received.
Pricing & Arrival:
We were kindly gifted our entry to the show. However, normally prices start from £19 & Merlin Annual Pass & Warwick Annual Passes can receive a 20% discount on the pricing. Upon arrival the gates open at 6:15 pm this allows you time to explore the grounds a little and access the food & drink areas.
Food & Drink Offerings:
There are plenty of food & drink options available for guests attending the show. They are the street food & wagon style outlets. There is a bar also. I believe annual passes do not receive discounts on these as they are outsourced from Warwick Castle. The pricing of the drinks was reasonable and free water refills were been offered too.
Seating & Timings.
The seating is in the heart of the courtyard and you are assigned a row & numbered seats ( you choose them at the time of booking). You are expected to be sat in your seats promptly at 8:15 pm and the show begins at 8:30 pm. There is also an interval in between which lasts for half an hour and the show resumes shortly afterwards.
The Show:
The show begins with the story getting explained and lots of activity happening on the stage with the performers. It happens all around you and not just on the stage at the front. The performance includes horses, multiple actors, activities like archery etc. There’s of course lots of special effects. The first half of the show is a very theatrical live actor-led show. Whereas the second half is heavier on the projection mapping etc.
After the interval, the second end of the show was heavily based upon projection mapping which was stunning for the record. Some of the scenes created through this effect were mind-blowing. There was plenty of fire, decent percentage of actor-led storytelling too. Of course, fireworks were also used.
It really felt like 360 show. There was activity pretty much all around you and the audio & sound quality were superb. Nothing could of gone missed as it was so clear and the volume was perfect. The story itself is super easy to follow with a dash of humour, emotional moments & even spooky aspects. It is something that all ages could embrace and enjoy. With any show, Warwick Castle presents there’s always that crowd interaction which did not disappoint in this show. You feel lost in the magic of the story being told & presented & it is amazing. We headed home in shock by how truly incredible it was from start to finish.
Exiting & Parking:
Exiting the arena area is not as bad as you would imagine. The crowd moves quite smoothly and flows well. Parking is free for Platinum & Gold annual passes however other guests do have to pay for their parking. You can pay for your parking on the app or at the pay points on-site.
Overall:
It’s a show that is worth every penny to watch. To me, it was mind blowing how much truly went into the show. All of the casts were outstanding and played their roles so well & all of the effects used were fab. The entertainment/ show team should be incredibly proud of themselves and deserve all the praise possible. If you are in the area this Summer you have to check it out for yourselves to understand just how amazing it is.
Purchase Your Seats HERE
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Once again, a massive thank you to both Warwick Castle & Merlin Annual Pass for inviting us along. We had the best time!
Thank you to you guys for reading this review! Let me know if you visit & your thoughts!
