‘A revolution that never happened’: The Gunpowder Plot at the Tower of London

Virtual reality and live performance combine in a show that asks audiences to consider if political violence is ever justifiable

In a series of vaults adjacent to the Tower of London that used to house fast-food restaurants and shops selling trinkets to tourists, a portal into Jacobean London is being constructed.

The Gunpowder Plot is an ambitious immersive experience, created by Layered Reality - the company behind the immersive The War of the Worlds - in collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces. It invites audiences to step back in time and engage with the events of 1605, when Guy Fawkes and a group of Catholic conspirators plotted to blow up parliament and King James I.