Remember “Camelot”?

That famous Lerner and Lowe musical about noble King Arthur, his queen Guinevere, the knight Lancelot who falls in love with her, the formation of a just Round Table and the benign magician Merlyn?

The Gateway has spun that story on its head this year for its Haunted Playhouse theme. “Merlyn, the magician, has gone crazy trying to form his own society,” said Gateway executive artistic director Paul Allan. “We can take some of these story ideas with a theatrical theme and put a twist on it.”

Oh dear! No mythical sword Excalibur here.

“Guinevere is burned at the stake in one area, then in another, her spirit attacks you!”

Try in your face attack. There are unpredictable creatures jumping out everywhere. Not to worry, Allan said. “No one will touch you!”

Frequently swirling fog obliterates your lower body, laser lights, sharp beams flashing, emphasize menace. There are a lot of spooky sounds, creepy mazes, creaky bridges threatening to collapse. (They don’t.) “The laser swamp is a favorite,” Allan said.

Good old Fluffy the wolf is now King Arthur’s pet.

In this version, Arthur is not nice.

“The walk through will lead up to Arthur’s chamber in the crypt,” Allan continued. “He’s not a good person and will be torturing his victims. Lancelot will be trying to save our patrons.”

There are 75 actors along the way, many utilizing creepy methods to the hilt. “We have 25 support staff, that is, security and technical people.

“Everyone in the Haunted House is not a scare actor,” Allan said of the script. “Some are aggressors, but it’s paced. We do it with lighting and sound and even attack your smell. What’s cool is that it’s very immersive.”

This theme has never been done before, Allan said. Also, “We do it differently than say Universal Studios Halloween Horror Night. They do the scary parts in 5 or 6 minutes. Here we try to create a full story to be inside for 25 minutes. It’s intense even for people who run through quickly.”

Interestingly, Allan’s son Luke was his partner in creating the theme. “He analyzes everything,” he said of Luke, who is attending his second year at University of New Hampshire.

Don’t forget the kids. Haunted Playhouse is recommended for ages 13 and older. But for those younger, There’s Not So Scary Adventure for Kids on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from noon to 3 p.m. in October. It’s a well-lit, Halloween-themed playhouse with fun characters along the way. Food and drink in the Fear Garden is open every night plus special attractions.

“I always feel it’s my responsibility to keep The Gateway going,” Allan said, alluding to the family history that goes back to the early 1940’s by the Pomeran family. The property goes back further with Charles Osborn in 1827, then purchased in 1884 by J.L.B Mott.  “There are some who live in our area who haven’t been here, but it’s really a lot of fun.”

Gateway Haunted House Schedule:

Here's the schedule: On Sept. 27, 28, Oct. 4, 5, 31, Nov. 1, 2, hours are 7 p.m. to 10:30.

On Oct. 6, 10, 13, 16,17, 20, 23, 24, 27, 30 hours are 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

On Oct. 11,12, 18, 19, 25, 26 hours are 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

For tickets: Visit FEARLI.com. For more information visit GatewayHauntedPlayhouse.com.