HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD - London Edition
Dear Jo,
Can I call you Jo? J.K. Rowling just feels so formal and Jo just feels right considering I’ve been reading your books, seeing movies, and now attending your play in London written by your pen. It’s the false closeness of social media I suppose. Anyways Jo, here’s the thing…through HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD PARTS 1 & 2 (from here on out to be referred to as HPCC) you have proven to new generations that theatre is magic.
I know, lots of theatre people already knew this. But here’s the thing; your newest story aboutthe “boy who lived” only reaffirms that the imagination, collaboration, andtalent of all parties that are involved in a theatrical production are the truewizards.
HPCC starts out at the final scene from the last book. The gang is all there; Harry and Ginny withtheir kids, Ron and Hermione are there with their daughter, Draco is even therewith his son to see them all off to Hogwarts for the first time. Albus Serverus Potter (that name, I know)frets about being nervous to attend this prestigious school, and theexpectations his family name may bring. He finds a friend in Scorpius Malfoy (Why Jo? Why these names?) who ishaving a rough time of it himself due to rumors of his family. Together they become fast friends, makequestionable choices, and accidentally start world ending stakes; typicalHogwarts activities for kids of their lineage.
Of course, this is all laid out in the script that waspublished and voraciously consumed by Potterheads worldwide….to some mixedreviews.
Reading a script is hard, it takes practice, massive imagination, empathy, and vision to be able to take the lines on the page and see the world around them. (Shout out to anyone who reads scripts as new season research, you all are the real heroes)
Not everyone is used to this, especially people who grew upreading the books of the Potterverse. There everything is laid out, the world is built, expressions are explained,and there is so much information. Sowhen faced with a script, a few stage directions and not much else many thoughtit was lackluster, or even worse that it resembled fanfiction (Gasp!)
Here is where the magic comes in; the theatre takes this HPCCscript, and breathes life into it in a way that makes it a true living and whollyappropriate part of the Harry Potter continuing world.
This world is darker, more complicated, and contemplative- like Harry and the last few books it grapples with big issues. How the past continues to impact the future. How to talk and connect with those you love. How a parents past can unknowingly lay on their children’s shoulders in the form of expectations, whether those are internal or external. Even if they get their "happily ever after" heroes still have to deal with PTSD.
The movement direction by Steven Hoggett is masterful. It is so vital to this world where mischief,magic, and mayhem combine that I hope he won all of the awards. Everything fromhow the ensemble walks, use their capes, or learn magic is made better and moreinteresting through his direction.
Christine Jones gothic set has intimacy and grandeur, the lighting by Neil Austin is gorgeous, the costumes by Katrina Lindsay are striking, and the special effects by Jeremy Chernick and the illusions and magic designed by Jamie Harrisons are spectacular. There are transformations that happen on stage, magic battles, travel via chimneys thanks to Floo Powder, and more.
The magical aesthetic of this world is so good that it’seasy to believe everything is actual magic, and not the work of cast and crewalike. It’s visually stunning and creative and the actors, directors, stagecrew, and designers all created a world that is infinitely more impactful thanyou may see on the scripted page. Itproves how important the works of everyone in the theatre are to make literalmagic happen.
The ensemble is stellar, and Jonathan Case as Scorpius istruly a standout, followed by Joe Idris-Roberts as Albus. It’s not easy to be Harry Potter, but TomPeters takes on the title role so well it’s easy to believe he’s the grown upversion of our hero.
Sure, there are some quibbles. Are there some plot holes? Do some plotpoints and characters get skipped over to get to something else? Could it be a quarter shorter without anycatastrophic loss? Yes, but honestly that’s 100% consistent to the books (sorryJo, but it is true).
Nothing about the script as read can prepare you for thespectacle of this show. Nothing I canwrite can prepare you either. There isso much I could talk about but won’t because I promised to #keepthesecrets whenI accepted that button. (Are buttons contractual? I should find out)
So Jo, thank you for creating and publishing the script fromthe play. Because of this people who don’tcontemplate the multitudes of ways that theatre is magic have something to useas a starting point. After all, if theyread the script they have the same base of what everyone involved in this showhad to start. A page with a few stagedirections and some lines set in the world you created.
The work of those in the production fleshed it out and madeit real. Not on a movie screen withmillions of dollars of CGI and post production polishing to make it happen. Thisis intimate; close up magic happening every day, only a short distance from thelive audience of every performance.
I’d send an Owl, or even a Howler, but I think the internetmight be more cost effective (do you know how much is costs to have an owlthese days?)
You may have set out to tell just another story, buthonestly Jo, you gave the world an opportunity to see just how magical thetheatre can be. And for that, I ameternally grateful.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is playing in London, NewYork, and coming to San Francisco. Go to www.harrypottertheplay.com to seewhat’s closest to you. This was writtenbased on the performance I saw in London at the Palace Theatre.