Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Review: Pure Magic on Broadway
J.K. Rowling might not have known it when she began writing scraps of story ideas on a napkin, but with her soon-to-become global juggernaut of a series, Harry Potter, she was also sparking a future Broadway sensation: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It’s become the highest-grossing play in Broadway history, earning over $120 million since opening in March 2018.
Tickets are famously hard to come by for this fan-favorite, whose audience transcends generations. The Knick team finally got a chance to see the two-night production, with an all-new cast, and, needless to say, we were mesmerized by the show.
Plot-wise, there’s a strict #KeepTheSecrets campaign, but we can share a few details.
Immediately, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child transports you back into the wizarding world (with the help of an ethereal score from Grammy Award-winning singer-songrwriter Imogen Heap), opening at London’s King’s Cross Station. An adult Harry Potter, joined by his wife Ginny, are sending their second son, Albus Severus Dumbledore, off to his first year at Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione Weasley are also there, with their daughter Rose, who’s starting her first year, too. Also new to the school this year: Scorpius Malfoy, Draco’s son. Soon, Albus and Scorpius strike a friendship, despite—or perhaps because of—the fact that their their fathers maintain their decades-old grudge. In between following the two young friends around Hogwarts, the play cuts back to Harry’s story as well, now working for the Ministry of Magic under Hermione, who’s become the Minister herself. Rumblings of Dark Magic begin to surface, setting off a chain of events that affect our both our adult and teen sets of protagonists. Is He Who Shall Not Be Named returning to power? We’ll #KeepTheSecrets.
While we can’t get into the rest of the plot, we can wax lyrical about the production itself. Saying “special effects” cheapens the experience, which truly feels magical. As wands work their wonders, set-pieces fly. People do too (they also appear, disappear, reappear, and swim, and cross through flames).
Split over two parts, both with two acts, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child makes for a fantastical theater experience for any generation. Parents who read the books to their kids, those kids who grew up with the books, and their kids who are now discovering J.K. Rowling’s imaginative world are all just as likely to fall in love with the play.
AFTER THE SHOW…
Head over to The Knick, just a few blocks away, for rooftop drinks atop Times Square at St. Cloud.
DISCOVER THE BEST OF BROADWAY
Looking for the right show to see? Let The Knick be your guide. Check out our reviews of some of Broadways biggest current hits, like Hadestown, Burn This, Hamilton, Frozen, Come from Away, Mean Girls, and more.
