Terry Morgan
Well, it took nine years, but the Harry Potter play has finally arrived in Los Angeles. I knew it would possibly be a while before it got here after premiering in London in 2016, but I didn’t imagine it would be quite so long of a delay. It got to Broadway in 2018, won Best Play at both the Olivier and Tony awards, and even made it to San Francisco back in 2019. But now it’s here at the Pantages, albeit in a shortened version – it used to be five hours, now it’s a bit over three. Was it worth the wait? Yes, it was. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a fantastic show in both meanings of the word. It’s pure, satisfying spectacle of a kind rarely seen onstage these days, a feat of theatrical wizardry that truly dazzles.
In 2017, Harry Potter (John Skelley) puts his son, Albus (Emmet Smith) on the train to the wizarding school, Hogwarts, for Albus’ first year at the institution. On the train Albus meets and becomes friends with Scorpius Malfoy (Aidan Close), the son of Harry’s former enemy, Draco (Benjamin Thys). The two bond over being the sons of famous/infamous fathers and decide to steal a time machine artifact to right a historical tragedy and forge their own destinies. They’re aided in this endeavor by Delphi (Julia Nightingale), a woman whose family was affected by the tragedy. However, nothing goes as hoped for Albus and Scorpius, as their attempts to alter the past end up horribly affecting the future, and their teen rebellion becomes a desperate attempt to save the world.
Skelley does strong work as the titular Potter, who isn’t the main character of the play but feels just as important, conveying the difficulties of balancing being a good father and being a good man. Smith is fine but is done few favors by the script, which spends too much time making Albus petulant and unpleasant. Close steals the show as the appealing Scorpius, bringing plenty of humor and energy to his performance. Thys is quite good as the somewhat chastened and surprisingly reasonable Draco, and Nightingale is likeable and vivid as Delphi. Katherine Leask and Larry Yando both do impressive double turns as old favorites Professor McGonagall and Professor Umbridge, and Dumbledore and Snape, respectively. Finally, Mackenzie Lesser-Roy is a blast of giddy comedic joy as the ironically lively ghost Moaning Myrtle.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is an extraordinarily complicated and ambitious show, and one of director John Tiffany’s most impressive accomplishments is that he makes what is happening clear at all times. This is no small feat, considering the large cast of characters and the arcane complexity of the plot. He benefits greatly from Neil Austin’s superb lighting design and Jamie Harrison’s astounding illusions and magic design, creating not just incredible set pieces but a feeling of brilliant creativity throughout. Some of the most memorable moments include a battle with a belligerent bookcase, an “underwater” scene in which actors swim in midair, and the genuinely unsettling appearances of the huge spectral Dementors. The only technical area in which I found the production to be less than outstanding was in the interstitial choreography between scenes, in which actors ran in circles and swung their capes about in a way that felt a bit like “Hogwarts on Ice.”
Jack Thorne’s writing is a marvelous high wire balancing act that succeeds beautifully, despite all the challenges it had to face in its creation. It had, first and foremost, to satisfy the expectations of the massive Potter fanbase, including many beloved characters from the series in a way which felt meaningful and not pandering. Then he decided to create new characters as well and make them the leads. Furthermore, he decided to up the difficulty level by featuring multiple different timelines, in which not only do characters show up as altered versions of their roles, but also some of the characters switch bodies (so now Albus becomes his uncle Ron temporarily, for example). And finally, he added an overarching theme about fathers and sons/parents and children that threads the needle deftly amidst all the spectacle and is emotionally moving. I admire the script’s audacity and accomplishment.
I think any fan will thoroughly enjoy Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Those unfamiliar with the series may be confused with the plot but might still appreciate the incredible production. Such beguiling amazements as these don’t arrive very often, and I encourage anyone who’s looking for an infusion of theatrical magic to secure themselves a ticket as soon as possible.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is presented at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre and plays through June 22. Tickets are available at BroadwayInHollywood.com
Pauline Adamek
Such excellent information.
Wow! I couldn’t agree less. I took my 90 year old Mother and my 14 year old niece, who of course, knows every thing Potter. None of us could tell you the first thing about the story. The sound was so terrible none of us could understand a word!
Visually the show is stunning, the special effects are very impressive and the staging is top notch but it was most frustrating to try to cobble together a story line.
Myrtle was fabulous and we could hear her!
It was also painfully long but perhaps that was because we were lost through so much of it.
My niece literally slept through most of the second act.
Would not recommend, particularly with the cost of theatre tickets these days.
Super disappointed.
Don’t take your children to this show unless you’re ready to answer questions about why Harry Potter’s son is in love with another boy. Great effects but would have been nice to get a heads-up about the homosexual references before I brought the kids.