What better time to dive headfirst down the rabbit hole of the Gunpowder Plot than an extra long weekend where you can scoff down Easter eggs, sink into the sofa cushions and lose yourself in a tale of treason?
The 2017 BBC series Gunpowder has just debuted on Netflix, with Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington as Robert Catesby, the leader of the group who plotted the (spoiler) ultimately unsuccessful assassination of King James I. There’s even the excuse of it being an extra history lesson – we all remember, remember the 5th of November, but how much of it really? So, if you want to show off your knowledge at a future pub quiz, this could be just the thing.
Taking you back to the events of 1605, the three-part drama series follows Catesby as he seeks to avenge his kin and fight for regime change after the brutal persecution of Catholics for decades. His plan? Blow up the House of Lords and kill the king.
Fittingly, Kit Harington himself is a direct descendant of Robert Catesby, so it makes complete sense that he’d step into the boots of the mastermind behind the Gunpowder Plot. Of course, it’s no secret Catesby didn’t work alone and neither does Harington. Joining him on the show are Tom Cullen as Guy Fawkes, Peter Mullan as Henry Garnet and Arwen herself – Liv Tyler as Anne Vaux. Fans of that little-known show Sherlock will also recognise Mark Gatiss as Robert Cecil, 1s Earl of Salisbury.
Fancy stepping things up a notch? Why just watch the Gunpowder Plot unfold on TV when you can actually live through it? For a complete immersion in the thrilling events of history, you can visit London’s Gunpowder Plot Experience. Located in the underground labyrinth of the Tower Hill Vaults, opposite the centuries-old fortress of – you guessed it – the Tower of London, the gripping immersive experience invites you to travel back in time and meet the oppressed rebels whose actions resulted in the annual Bonfire Night.
With a goosebump-inducing combo of live actors, virtual reality, authentic sets and multi-sensory effects, you’ll be plunged into a historic story. Plus, while (alas) there’s no Kit Harington at hand to guide you, Tom Felton does appear in the virtual world as Guy Fawkes himself. By the time the weekend is over, you’ll be a total expert on the events of the Gunpowder Plot and, if the tastebud-tantalising cocktails at the experience are anything to go off – maybe a little hungover.