On July 21st and 22nd, I had the pleasure of seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London. Overall, I enjoyed it IMMENSELY. There was something really spectacular and special about seeing Harry Potter in play form.
For me, it wasn’t totally perfect though.
Let’s start with the bad
My only gripe with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was the story. And I guess that’s a pretty huge part to have a gripe with.
View Spoiler »But everything else was phenomenal!
Sure, having issues with the story might sound huge, but when you’re seeing something visual like a play, that’s really only one part of it. The execution was fantastic.
- Great effects. It was like a play AND a magic show.
- Wonderful lighting and sound.
- (Mostly) great cast. View Spoiler »
- Great humour thrown in.
Going in, I had my doubts. I kept asking myself how a play could possibly be the best format for a fantasy world with magic. Well they really surprised me and pulled it off magnificently! There are a lot of stunning tricks that will surprise you.
But my favourite part was Scorpius. The actor and character were absolutely brilliant! Definitely the highlight of the show for me.
Despite my dislike of the story, I still enjoyed the play immensely
Yeah I’m pretty bummed I didn’t love the story more, but there was still so much left for me to love.
- Scorpius, of course. I can’t say enough good things about him. So adorably awkward.
- Rose, Ron and Hermione’s daughter, was PERFECT! So perfect.
- I loved Ron’s humour. Some people don’t like how he’s thrown around for amusement (in the play, or the movies), but I really enjoyed his character. I thought his casting was superb.
- The choreography and effects were just outstanding. No descriptions I give could possibly do them justice.
- Dementors were pretty freakin’ awesome.
Don’t just read the script!
The script comes out in book format in a few days, and I personally think you’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you just read that without seeing the play.
Of course I understand that not everyone has the luxury of travelling to London, and it could be a very long time before the play travels internationally, but I think I would have been gravely disappointed if I just read the script without seeing the play. Then all you get is story (which I didn’t like), with zero of the execution (which I adored).
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was very clearly meant to be seen. If you just read it, you’ll miss out on pretty much all the best bits, and it could be disappointing as a result!
Ohhh, I was so hoping they wouldn’t touch the Voldemort storyline. I kept my fingers and toes crossed for that, because it’s pretty…. how to put it? Dumb? The poor characters had to struggle for years to kill him, and now one play wants to go back and change that? Nuh-uh! Not good! I would like to see the play though, mostly to see how they put it in play, but the story sounds not so good. I thought, based on the title, that it had something to do with one of his sons, like maybe his first son would have been cursed by Voldemort as the ultimate evil act, and Harry and Ginny are trying to save him, but that doesn’t sound like what you saw at all *disappointed sigh*
Yeah I was honestly hoping that Voldemort wouldn’t come into it at all. I was hoping for something totally new (like maybe a new kind of dark magic/wizard, etc.).
I hate just reading scripts, so I wasn’t really planning on buying it, at least not right away. I’m happy to wait for a video of the production or whatever I assume we’ll eventually get, and therefore happy to read spoilers.
I did NOT know all the stuff you have hidden in that spoiler tag, and I completely agree. That sounds partly awful, partly ridiculous, and partly really disappointing. That is not what I was expecting at all.
Yeah it wasn’t what I was expecting either. I was hoping for something totally new and not Voldemort related at all… nothing to do with books 1-7. Maybe a new dark wizard or some new kind of dark magic. I don’t know.. just something totally new and unique to this story. I don’t like how they meddled in the old stuff. As I said, I felt like it tainted my experience with the books a little.
Not read the spoilers – but the story was the bit I was worried about… Still so excited though, I’m going in November!! Seeing the cast is what did it, they seem so perfect!! (especially Ron) and closer to the way I imagined the characters than in the films, just in their mannerisms and everything. Gah, so excited!!!
Even if you don’t love the story, I think you’ll still enjoy the play very much. 🙂 I have no regrets about going and enjoyed the experience immensely. There’s so much more to love other than the story!
I haven’t seen the play, but I agree with your assessment of the storyline. That sounds dumb. And definitely eye-roll inducing. I’ll still see it when it finally rolls around to the US though!
I definitely still recommend seeing it! Despite the bleh story, I’m still very glad I went and still enjoyed the play immensely.
This is what I thought – that it would be better seen than read. I have no intention of buying the script, but I would love to see the play someday!
Yeah, the horcruxes were Voldemort’s legacy. He was going to live forever, I can’t imagine him thinking of any sort of alternative legacy. He’s arrogant enough to not think plan A would fail.
And I’ve kind of felt that way about the whole idea of this – why open up a closed story that so many people love? Why can’t a Harry Potter story be successful without pulling on those same old threads? Both the Star Wars and Star Trek universes thrive with different stories and focusing on side characters or new characters. HP could thrive with those types of stories as well.
I would have liked The Cursed Child to take on a totally new story. Like some new dark magic, or some new dark lord. In fact, that’s exactly what I thought it was going to be. I didn’t expect them to rehash Voldemort or old book plot lines.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is very good for me.
I haven’t seen the play, but I agree with your assessment of the storyline. That sounds dumb. And definitely eye-roll inducing.
😛