The Gun Powder Plot Immersive Experience
Hero or villain? That is the question you’ll be asking yourself about Guy Fawkes when you leave The Gunpowder Plot.
In this immersive experience, travel back to London in 1605. An England divided by religious tensions- Catholics vs Protestants. The Protestant King James 1 of England and Scotland sits on the throne, following the death of Elizabeth 1. In an effort to end the persecution of Catholics, there is a plot hatched to blow up the King at the opening of Parliament. Whose side are you on? Will you join the conspirators? Or will you work for the Crown? With spies and informants everywhere, it’s important that you trust no one if you want to stay alive.
Live theatre, digital technology and physical sensations combine to create a multilayered 360 experience. Being located in the Vaults at the UNESCO World Heritage Tower of London, really helps to bring the story to life and heightens the stakes. Having small groups of up to 16 people allows everyone to hear and engage. Our recommendation is to fully immerse yourself in the experience- wear that cloak, crack that code, engage with the actors- but it’s entirely up to you. There are times when you’ll need to listen to the actors, put on a virtual reality headset, or move through the various rooms but there’s plenty of direction. Although you can have phones on you, you can only use them at the interval so we’d recommend leaving them in the locker provided at the start of the experience.
I’ve done this experience twice now and throughly enjoyed it both times. This time I knew what to expect in terms of layout and plot but as the actors and group are different it’s still a unique experience. As a history lover, I enjoyed being transported back in time and getting a sense for how it must have been to live at this complex time and to make decisions about religious faith and loyalty to your king and country. I also loved the epilogue where you’re informed about what characters and events are historical and which have been embellished or fictionalised.
The experience lasts for about one hour and 40 minutes including a 15 minute interval about 45 minutes in. It’s not a physically demanding experience but you’ll be standing for the majority of the time and there are a couple of small flights of stairs so wear comfy shoes. At the interval you’ll have an opportunity to buy a drink at the recreated Duck and Drake pub and use the bathroom. You can enjoy a drink or meal at the main bar before or after your timed entry.
It’s produced by multi award-winning Layered Reality (The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience) and Historic Royal Palaces (curators of The Tower of London). Tom Felton plays Guy Fawkes albeit digitally.
The Gunpowder Plot is fun activity. The history lover in your life will love it, but equally you don’t need to know anything about that period to enjoy it. It’s also a great family or date activity. ONIN recommends adding this to your ‘must do’ list. With four months until bonfire night- is Guy Fawkes a hero or a villain? You be he judge.
Address: 8-12 Tower Hill Vaults, London, EC3N 4EE
Website: https://gunpowderimmersive.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gunpowderimmersive
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/GunpowderImmersive
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gunpowderimrsv
Written by Caitlin Neal
