For anyone reading this, please note that this is a personal, online journal.
Last year, when tickets went on sale for Tom Felton's casting in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I decided I was going to see it for my birthday, which was yesterday.
Admittedly, I splurged too much, getting priority pass, which didn't matter, as well as the trolly package. There was an option to have food delivered to your seat before the show or during intermission, which was genius. The lobby was decorated accordingly, and there was a photo op with a phone booth.
I went into this with little knowledge on what to expect, knowing only that it was mostly centered around Harry's son and that Draco must have some kind of appearance.
Since he was the star of the evening (though not the main character), I'll start with Tom Felton. I counted about 13 or 14 scenes, maybe a couple more, that he was in, including the 2 he had no lines. This is significant. I was expecting him to pop up maybe once or twice, so I was THRILLED to discover he had a significant role in the play. We get to see Draco having developed and matured.
Tom Felton's entry scene was properly timed as he waited for audience to calm down so we wouldn't miss what was going on. There was quite the uproar upon his entrance, so that was much appreciated. I'd expected to see some traits or hints of Draco's father in this adult version, but that was not the case. Tom held the proper postures and poses, though, giving that familiar air of aristocratic superiority. In this play, Draco interacts with his son, and we get to witness a kind of tenderness and care that was failed him as a child. Tom balanced this out nicely, keeping his nose in the air and his walk properly brisk for the most part, yet allowing loving and unyielding affection for his son to show.
Harry's and Draco's interactions were well-balanced. They went toe-to-toe in their interactions, per inspected, and there was a cute nod to the films. Speaking of nod... There has been a book genre to emerge from the HP series called dramione. There seemed to be a nod to this, as well! It was brief, easy to miss, but slaps you in the face if you do catch it. As I am currently reading The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy, I was pleasantly surprised. On the downside, Ron, known for his unhinged jealousy, did not have much of a Ron-esque reaction.
The best part of the play was undeniably the cast. I wish I had my pamphlet with me so I could jot them down, but I'll add them later. The cast was, easily, one of the best I've seen. The two main characters (are they gay for each other? who knows, who cares) were perfect for their parts and became easily loveable. There was one person who stood out to me, but didn't make as much of an appearance as I'd initially hoped when she was first introduced. Unfortunately, I didn't catch the name of the character. She made a big show during the sorting hat ceremony and had a wicked laugh. Projected her voice quite well, also. I thought she was going to be the Draco-character replacement. I really would like to find her name.
The women playing Delphi and Moaning Myrtle were fabulous. Delphi with some crazy stunts, and Myrtle with her flirty banter.
Harry Potter had more of a role in the play than I was expecting. John Skelley offered an amazing performance with a fry in his voice as he lashed in the emotional parts.
This is getting too long, so I'm going to wrap this up and get to the other parts. The magic was nice, with some special effects, some well-placed hands, and some magic one might actually see at a magic show. Though the stage was a little smaller than I originally thought, the production was very well put together. With that said, the patronus bit was a little rough to watch. Neat concept but was lacking for me. Perhaps this is from sitting too close to the stage, I'm not sure (I was in the third row, though I could have sworn I picked balcony seats... I was very particular in the exact seats I was hoping to get, just to find myself at the front... Oh, well).
The most disappointing part was the beginning of the play. It was much, too rushed and could not bring me in. Eventually, it worked out and I was enchanted, but the start of it had me going... What am I even watching right now... I think starting the play out later in the story and reflecting on necessary details or incorporating them differently would have been much more effective. I understand it's a big story being compacted down into a short time, but that just wasn't the solution, in my opinion.
Cam asked me if this was the best play I've seen. I watched Wicked in 2008 in London, and while I can't remember much about it, I remember some scenes and I remember how I felt watching it. So far, none else has compared. With that said, I wouldn't just recommend this to a HP junkie, but I'd definitely see it again, given the chance (even without Tom Felton, but I'm VERY glad I got to see his performance live!!) I didn't wait to see him exit, as the only purpose I could think to that would be photos to show friends, but there was quite a few people crowding the sidewalk for a chance to glimpse him walking out.
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