‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ moves the magic to the stage

by+Kevin+Melrose%0A

by Kevin Melrose

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Harry Potter Publishing and Theatrical Rights © J.K. Rowling

Still haven’t gotten your Hogwarts letter of acceptance? No worries, you have another chance. The eighth story takes place nineteen years later, yet still the magic lies deep within all Potter heads. The tale continues, but in a slightly different way. The challenges of the new generation of wizards play a prominent role as they strive to make their own mark. While Harry deals with balancing his family and being a member of the Ministry of Magic, his relationship with his son Albus struggles.

At the end of The Deathly Hallows Part 2, Harry is sending his son Albus away for his first year at Hogwarts. As he boards the Hogwarts Express, he begins to worry about what house he will be placed into, if he will make friends, and most importantly, if he can live up to his father’s legacy. Unexpectedly, an ironic relationship is formed into an unbreakable bond in which one character reveals, “If I had to choose a companion to be at the return of eternal darkness with, I’d choose you.”

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is not only the last piece to the captivating book series but the first official edition to hit the stage as a play. Similar to the final movie The Deathly Hallows, the play is performed in two parts, leaving the audience captivated and enchanted. Details of the play were kept private until the day of the premiere on July 30th, 2016 in London at the Palace Theatre.

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The cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on stage in London. Manuel Harlan

Some fans were upset by the fact that JK Rowling isn’t the only author. Rowling is accompanied by Jack Thorne, English screenwriter and playwright and John Tiffany an English theatre director. Many fans felt ripped off because JK Rowling didn’t actually write the play herself, but she remained involved to keep the story true to her characters and the fictional universe she created.

From choreography and staging to special effects and curtain calls, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child sets a whole new meaning to meeting the extreme. Even though the printed version of the play isn’t exactly a novel but a script, by using your imagination you will begin to feel as though you are a part of the play yourself.

With the anticipated wait, fans have daydreamed and wondered if Hermione has a new type of hair gel to control the frizz, or if Harry still has the same glasses. While it’s a definite that your favorite characters like Harry, Hermione and Ron have all returned, they aren’t under the main spot light anymore. Even Draco returns but his son Scorpius is the main focal point of the Malfoy family. With some surprises and shockers, Albus steals the show with his driven plan to make a legacy of his own. The main question most fans eagerly have as they open the newest story is: “has Harry’s scar hurt him since the defeat of Voldemort?”