Are you part of the Cursed Child club?
*No spoilers.
When it was announced that there would be a Harry Potter play, I wasn’t particularly interested. I love the books and have seen all of the films, but the play sounded like a desperate spin-off to me. That’s why I didn’t even try to get tickets when they were first released. However, when the performances and hype began, I quickly realised how wrong I’d been and that I needed to be part of the Cursed Child club!
We tried our luck in every Friday Forty but eventually got a pair of great (expensive) tickets in the second release. All we had to do was wait a year until our show date. Who knew people like Harry Potter so much?
When show day finally arrived we were very excited. We queued up outside the Palace Theatre which is appropriately decorated to entice and excite. We found our seats and got ready for the very long awaited performance to begin.
And? It was brilliant from the very start! Slick choreography, awesome special effects and carefully thought out staging all came together to create something like I’ve never seen before. The music was also cleverly composed to heighten the tension, pace and excitement.
We were one of the last audiences to see the original cast in London and Anthony Boyle (Scorpius Malfoy) was simply exceptional. Broadway, you’re going to love him! His character was believable and mannerisms natural. He stole the show! In hot contention for Boyle’s crown, however, was Paul Thornley (Ron Weasley). He played this character exactly as I would imagine an older Ron from the books and films.
Noma Dumezweni (Hermione Granger) on the other hand was the slightly weak link for me. I don’t know what other people think but her character just didn’t seem like a grown up Hermione. The announcement of her winning the part caused controversy back in 2015 because she is black. However, it wasn’t this that made her wrong for the part, in my opinion. She just lacked Hermione’s energy, her bossiness, her attitude. Cherrelle Skeete, who played Rose Granger-Weasley, however, was completely believable as Hermione’s mini-me.
After a delicious meal in China Town and little lie down in our hotel which was blissfully close to the theatre, we headed back for the second play. We’d discussed what might possibly happen next and were excited to return to our seats. The second play was distinct from the first yet just as good. Again, there was sharp choreography and fun special effects which kept us smiling and gasping to the end.
Could they have made it one play? Yes, I think so. It would have required some strict editing, but it could have been done.
I can’t help but think back to arguing with my schoolteachers that essay wordcounts were too short, only to discover that I could actually cut my work down to size and in doing so likely improved it. Should Rowling simply have been stricter with her wordcounts? Splitting the story into two full plays also makes it expensive and a real commitment to either see the whole thing in one day or return for another instalment.
However, although I think it could have been cut down, The Cursed Child was something very special. The whole story and production surprised me: made me laugh, gasp and hold my breath. It was a very long day but definitely satisfied my high levels of anticipation and excitement. So, maybe I’m wrong and this theatrical phenomenon couldn’t possibly be produced in a single instalment. Who am I to argue with the great J.K.?
If you get the chance to see the Cursed Child, you’ll love it! It’s almost certainly better if you’re already an HP fan, but I don’t think anyone could fail to be impressed with the sheer spectacle of the show. Tickets seem to be getting easier, if not cheaper, to nab: so start saving and book yourself a seat ASAP.
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