The Gunpowder Plot has announced that the starring role of Guy Fawkes will be played by actor Tom Felton who first found fame playing Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series.
Since then, Tom has starred in numerous film and TV productions including ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’, Neil LaBute mini-series ‘Full Circle’, and Ridley Scott’s ‘Labyrinth’.
Tom can most recently be seen starring in Netflix’s war epic ‘The Forgotten Battle’ and in the Sky Original film ‘Save the Cinema’. Tom will next be seen on screen in the upcoming thriller ‘BURIAL’ and he makes his West End debut in ‘2:22: A Ghost Story’ this Spring.
Now he is set to play the starring role in The Gunpowder Plot, which mixes both live actors and digital stars in a multi-sensory theatrical adventure. Tom will work with leading Virtual Reality experts Figment Productions, whose magic will allow Tom’s image and movements to be motion captured and rendered “live” in the virtual world. Here audiences will interact with Guy Fawkes inside Virtual Reality, as they infiltrate the plotter’s company and learn of the conspiracy against the Houses of Parliament.
Speaking about the role, Tom said “I’m very excited to be playing a character so famous (and infamous!) for being at the centre of the most famous conspiracy plot in UK history. Guy Fawkes is a fascinating character with a complex history and with passionate advocates and detractors then and now. To be able to bring the character to life through Virtual Reality, and to allow him to interact with audiences in a way that has never been done before, is thrilling.”
The team of talented digital actors also include Gary Beadle as Edmund (Paul in ‘EastEnders’, ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ alongside David Tennant for PBS and ‘Skint’, BBC Four), Taqi Nazeer as King James (Writer and actor of Oran Mor sell-out show ‘Rishta’ as part of National Theatre of Scotland’s Breakthrough Writers programme. Writer of ‘An Edinburgh Christmas Carol’ @ the Lyceum, ‘ and Ankur production’s ‘Heer Ranja’ @ Tramway Theatre). Michelle Asante as Alice (‘Welcome Home Captain Fox’ at the Donmar Warehouse, nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play at the Broadway World Awards for ‘Sunset Baby’ at the Gate Theatre, currently starring in Netflix’s ‘Top Boy’) and Ash Rizi as Jack (Darius Kazemi ‘EastEnders’, Nathan in Channel 4 comedy ‘Drifters’, Mohan Rai in BBC One crime-thriller ‘Luther’).
The experience has been created in collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity which cares for the Tower of London. Audiences will find themselves in a purpose-designed immersive theatre space in Tower Vaults, a location that was last accessible to the public two decades ago. Tower Vaults are situated alongside the UNESCO World Heritage Tower of London, where much of the prelude to the real Gunpowder Plot took place over 400 years ago.
Layered Reality is fast establishing itself as one of the foremost providers of immersive experiences in the capital – recent project, ‘The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience’ won the prestigious THEA Award (the “Oscars” of themed entertainment) and is in TripAdvisor’s Top 10% of attractions globally.
The Gunpowder Plot brings together an incredible team. Creative Director Hannah Price is the founder of Theatre Uncut, and co-Artistic Director of King’s Head Theatre alongside Mark Ravenhill and is one of the UK gaming industry’s most acclaimed Performance Directors. Her work on Control (Remedy Games) helped the title achieve 11 Bafta nominations and multiple Game of the Year Awards.
BAFTA-nominated writer Danny Robins (The Battersea Poltergeist) recently won a WhatsOnStage award (voted for by audiences) and has also just been nominated for an Olivier award – both for ‘2.22: A Ghost Story’, starring Lily Allen.
Hannah and Danny developed the story, alongside Associate Director Rosie Jones (Nintendo, Remedy Games, Audible, Rose Theatre Kingston, RSC), and working closely with Historic Palaces Curator Dr Alden Gregory to draw on historic research to inform everything from characters to sights and smells in the experience. Virtual Reality elements of the experience are provided by leaders in personalising the VR experience Figment Productions (winner of The international VR Award for ‘Current, Rising’ at the Royal Opera House – Best Out-Of-Home VR Experience of the Year 2021) headed by Simon Reveley.
Curator Alden Gregory (curator of Historic Buildings at Historic Royal Palaces) and producer Tim Powell (Historic Royal Palaces creative consultant) bring their vast historical knowledge to the production and the historically accurate depiction of the city as a backdrop for the action is overseen by Gregory. Everything has been meticulously researched by Gregory to ensure that the experience is inspired by the sights, sounds and even swear words of Jacobean life, to create a sense of authenticity and understanding of what the past really looked like.
Intricate, large-scale walk-around locations and first-class actors performing live are integrated with ambitious technology including virtual reality and projection mapping, ambisonics and multi-sensory SFX. The final layer, intended to fully immerse audiences is physical sensations: temperature, scent, taste, touch and sound.
The Gunpowder Plot opens 20th May in Tower Vaults at the Tower of London, in collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces
