The whistle of rockets, explosions of colour and crackle of flames on Bonfire Night never fail to captivate children and adults. But few give much consideration to the 1605 gunpowder plot that is commemorated each year on 5 November. A visitor attraction incorporating live theatre, virtual reality and multisensory special effects intends to change that when it opens in the vaults opposite the Tower of London next year. The Gunpowder Plot tells the story of Guy Fawkes and the audacious plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I and his government to further the conspirators’ goal of restoring a Catholic monarchy. The plot was foiled and Fawkes and his fellow plotters were found guilty of high treason and sentenced to death. In 1606, an act of parliament designated 5 November as a day of thanksgiving. The vaults, last accessible to the public two decades ago, are the scene for an immersive experience created by Historic Royal Palaces (HRP), the body that looks after the Tower of London, and Layered Reality, a company that combines digital technology with live theatre. “This takes traditional re-enactments a step further, putting the visitor right at the heart of the action,” said Tim Powell of Historic Royal Palaces. “It’s a fundamentally new way of experiencing history, because you’re not just witnessing it but actually participating in it for the first time.” Rather than being passive viewers, visitors will be invited to infiltrate the plotters and earn their trust. “You are right at the heart of the story,” said the director Hannah Price. “You get to go and uncover the most infamous plot in history, and you are active in finding out what is happening.” The show comprises three elements: live theatrical performance; technology including virtual reality, ambisonics and special effects; and physical sensations including smells, temperature and taste. According to Andrew McGuinness, the chief executive officer of Layered Reality, the layering of these elements “is what makes it really immersive. All of your senses are telling you you’re in a different place, in a different time.” He added: “At one point, you ride down the Thames on a boat, and you’ll feel the water, the waves beneath you, as if you’re on that boat. Your eyes are seeing London as it was – you get the smells, you see the Tower of London as it looked in 1605. “The technology is just a tool to help us tell the story and to take you back in time. You shouldn’t be aware of or thinking about the technology, you should be thinking about the fact that you are back in 1605.” Historical details have been researched and overseen by Alden Gregory, curator of historic buildings at HRP. “We’re pushing things to a whole new level, doing something that hasn’t been tried by museums before. My role is making sure that what we do will be rooted in history and authenticity.” Most people’s impression of medieval London included sewage, animals and decay, he said. “We want to challenge that and create a much more realistic version of the past.” In an age in which “we’ve seen it all, VR has the ability to shock and surprise”, said the writer Danny Robins. “It’s such an exciting story, and we are doing it in a way that feels incredibly fresh. You are literally in the Gunpowder Plot.” After Guy Fawkes was discovered in the cellars below the House of Lords with 36 barrels of gunpowder just hours before he was due to light the fuse, he was taken to the Tower of London and tortured. On 31 January 1606, he was executed in Westminster’s Old Palace Yard, in full view of the building he had sought to destroy.