Harry Potter and the Cursed Child brings Magic to Broadway

Anyone who knows me knows a few basic details about me: 1) I am a complete and utter Potterhead (Civilian Speak: Someone who adores Harry Potter); 2) I have exceedingly high standards when it comes to fandoms I love; and 3) those exceedingly high standards also apply to playwriting, often drifting into the unfortunate world of over-opinionated. When it was announced that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was written and opening on the West End, I gave the book a chance and couldn’t help but feel that it didn’t live up to what I wanted it to be – my purist sensibilities were miffed. Then it transferred to Broadway and my friend bought tickets, getting me to go with the line “We’ll go so we can tell our kids someday we saw it”

And I have never been so grateful, nor so wrong.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child picks up immediately where epilogue to The Deathly Hallows leaves us, nineteen years after the main action of the series takes place (Apologies to my other Potterheads reading this – I am not in the business of posting spoilers for anyone who has not read the series), as Harry is delivering his son Albus Severus (That gets me every time) to Platform 9 ¾ to start his first year at Hogwarts. Cursed Child then follows Albus and Draco Malfoy’s son Scorpius through their first rocky couple of years at Hogwarts and the deteriorating relationship between Harry and Albus. Finally, Albus snaps and decides to run away from Hogwarts and rebel from Harry, resulting in a terrifying misadventure involving several instances of time travel, which simultaneously emotionally transport Harry back to his own days at Hogwarts.

My problem when I read the script lay partially in the writing. JK Rowling, who famously did all the writing of the original series completely on her own and held onto her notes for upcoming books like a national secret, did not write the play on her own, rather “collaborating” with Jack Thorne and John Tiffany and the difference is evident. There were times when I was watching the play that I was reminded of what irritated me about the script that had been released three years ago. But what makes this production so spectacular was the design of the play. Through the use of projections, pyrotechnics, choreography, and aerial tricks, the sheer spectacle of this two-part production more than makes up for the questionable script. The scene changes were done with lights and dance. The swishing of wizard cloaks was something I was not expecting, but was absolutely fascinated by for it’s simple beauty. And as for the aerials – again, no spoilers, but let’s just say that I finally understand how awestruck viewers were during the original run of Peter Pan.

All in all, Cursed Child is worth the trip into Manhattan. You need to see both parts for the full experience; both parts are shown consecutively on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Part One also plays on Thursday nights; Part Two shows Friday nights. Tickets start at $80 per part. Go see it of you can – you won’t regret it.

www.harrypottertheplay.com