Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is an originalHarry Potter franchise play, authored byJ. K. Rowling,John Tiffany, andJack Thorne.

Despite much assumption to the contrary,J. K. Rowling had insisted that the story of the play was not a prequel to the story ofHarry Potter,^[2] and eventually revealed that theCursed Childwould followHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. As such, she considers the story of the play to be part of the officialHarry Pottercanon.^[3][4]

Official summary[]

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

History[]

On23 October2015, it was revealed thatHarry Potter and the Cursed Child would be the official sequel toHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as the eighth Harry Potter story of the series.^[5]

On10 February2016, it was announced that the script would be published in book form on31 July2016.^[6]

On4 May2017, Pottermore announced that the play would be opening onBroadway on22 April2018 at theLyric Theatre.^[1]

In 2024, it was expanded to a North America Tour.

It was also expanded to Brazil, in 2025, and the Netherlands, in 2026.

Overview[]

Creative team[]

• Original Story:J. K. Rowling
• Original Story & Playwright:Jack Thorne
• Original Story & Director:John Tiffany
• Movement Director:Steven Hoggett
• Set Designer:Christine Jones
• Costume Designer:Katrina Lindsay
• Composer & Arranger:Imogen Heap
• Lighting Designer:Neil Austin
• Sound Designer:Gareth Fry
• Illusions and Magic:Jamie Harrison
• Music Supervisor & Arranger:Martin Lowe
• International Associate Director:Des Kennedy
• International Associate Movement Director:Neil Bettles
• Video Designers:Finn Ross,Ash J. Woodward
• Hair, Wigs & Makeup:Carole Hancock
• International Scenic Supervisor:Brett J. Banakis
• International Costume Design Associate:Sabine Lemaitre
• International Associate Lighting Designer:Nick Solyom
• International Associate Sound Designer:Pete Malkin
• International Illusions & Magic Associate:Chris Fisher
• International Technical Director:Gary Beestone
• International Production Supervisor:Sam Hunter
• International Executive Producers:Pam Skinner,Diane Benjamin
• Press & Marketing:HPCC Group Ltd
• Producers:Sonia Friedman,Colin Callender

The individuals above were credited in all productions,^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]} whereas the roles below varied from productions:

Original cast per production[]

Productions[]

West End[]

The original West End production ofHarry Potter and the Cursed Child is a play performance based on the script. It premiered on30 July2016.^[16] The play was shown in two parts.^[17]

On 30 March 2017, Pottermore announced that the cast would be changing on 24 May of that year. The original cast performed for the final time on 21 May 2017.^[18][19]

The West End Run will conclude on15 February2026.^[20]

Creative team^[7]

• Casting Associate: Lottie Hines
• Special Effects:Jeremy Chernick

Main cast

Main article:Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast lists#London, West End, UK

• Jamie Parker^[21] andJamie Glover^[19] asHarry Potter
• Paul Thornley^[21] andThomas Aldridge^[19] asRonald Weasley
• Noma Dumezweni^[21] andRakie Ayola^[19] asHermione Granger
• Sam Clemmett^[22] andTheo Ancient^[18] asAlbus Potter
• Poppy Miller^[22] andEmma Lowndes^[19] asGinevra Potter
• Cherrelle Skeete^[23] andHelen Aluko^[19] asRose Granger-Weasley
• Alex Price^[24] andJames Howard^[19] asDraco Malfoy
• Anthony Boyle^[24] andSamuel Blenkin^[19] asScorpius Malfoy

Supporting cast

• Jeremy Ang Jones asCraig Bowker Junior^[25]
• Annabel Baldwin asMoaning Myrtle andLily J. Potter^[25]
• Paul Bentall asVernon Dursley,Severus Snape andLord Voldemort^[25]
• Claudia Grant asPolly Chapman^[25]
• Chris Jarman as theSorting Hat andRubeus Hagrid^[25]
• Jenet Le Lacheur asYann Fredericks^[25]
• Helen Lymbrey asPetunia Dursley,Rolanda Hooch andDolores Umbridge^[25]
• Barry McCarthy asAmos Diggory andAlbus Dumbledore^[25]
• Sandy McDade as theTrolley Witch andMinerva McGonagall^[25]
• Adam McNamara as the Train Guard^[25]
• Tom Milligan asJames Potter Jnr,James Potter Snr andCedric Diggory^[25]
• Jack North asDudley Dursley,Karl Jenkins andViktor Krum^[25]
• Nuno Silva asBane andProfessor Mazoni^[25]
• Esther Smith asDelphi Diggory^[25]
• Rudi Goodman,Alfred Jones,Bili Keough,Nathaniel Smith andDylan Standen as YoungHarry Potter^[25]
• Zoe Brough,Cristina Fray, andChristiana Hutchings asLily Jnr^[25]
• Ensemble:Nicola Alexis,Rosemarie Annabella Nkhruma,Jack Bennett,James Howard,Lowri James,Martin Johnson,Andrew McDonald andStuart Ramsay
• Swings:Helen Aluko,Matthew Bancroft,Morag Cross,Chipo Kureya,Tom Mackley andJoshua Wyatt

Reception[]

An early review for the play fromUSA Today reviewer Elysa Gardner was glowingly positive, giving the play 3 1/2 out of 4 stars. Gardner stated that the "smashing storytelling and layered but accessible emotional life that always fueled Harry's saga" has remained.^[26]Entertainment Weekly also gave the play a strong review, with an overall grade of A-, stating the play is one that "doesn’t play it safe with the Potter canon and will change how fans see certain favourite characters forever."^[27] Reviews across the board have generally been very favourable, though most reviews have been kept largely spoiler-free, as attendees are handed badges reading "Keep the Secrets" upon exiting the theatre.^[28]

Broadway[]

Creative team^[9]

• US Resident Movement Director:Ben Wheelwright

Cast

Main article:Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast lists#Broadway, New York, USA

• Will Coombs andLandon Maas as YoungHarry Potter
• Olivia Bond andBrooklyn Shuck asLily Jnr
• Ensemble:Shirine Babb,Stephen Bradbury,Richard Gallagher,Katie Kreisler,Andrew Long,Angela Reed,Dave Register,Adeola Role,James Romney,Nathan Salstone,Malika Samuel,Alanna Saunders,Stuart Ward andAlex Weisman

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Tom Felton’s debut week on Broadway generated $2.6 million in sales, with a $1.3 million USD boost in sales. Ticket prices had increased from $100USD to $228USD and the Lyric Theatre filled to 100 capacity.^[29]

Cast[]

The fourth year announcement occurred on September 17, 2022.^[30]

Melbourne[]

Main article:Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast lists#Melbourne, Australia

• Alfie Hughes,Ezra Justin,Archie Pitcher andZakaria Rahhali as YoungHarry Potter
• Sasha Turinui,Ruby Hall, andSienna Conti asLily Jnr
• Ensemble:Mike Bishop,Mark Dickinson,Lyndall Grant,Amanda LaBonté,Cle Morgan,James O'Connell andHayden Spencer
• Swings:Damien Avery,Simon Chandler,Clare Chihambakwe,Louis Corbett,Kuda Mapeza,Kirsty Marillier andJohn Shearman

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San Francisco[]

Creative team^[11]

• US Resident Movement Director:Ben Wheelwright

Cast

Main article:Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast lists#San Francisco, USA

• Ensemble:Ebony Blake,Melanie Brezill,Kita Grayson,Abbi Hawk,Kyle Hines,Nathan Hosner,Nicholas Hyland,Joel Leffert,Lily Mojekwu,Erik Evan Olson,Christian Pedersen, andGeoffrey Wade.
  • Dave Register joined the production shorty before it went on hiatus.

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Hamburg[]

Creative team^[12]

• Stage adaptation of the original translation:Johannes Deny,Ruth Deny

Cast

Main article:Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast lists#Hamburg, Germany

• Fritz Hille asAmos Diggory andAlbus Dumbledore, withHans Neblung as the alternative actor
• Ensemble:Frank Brunet,Alexandra Farkic,Ivy Quainoo, andUlrich Talle
• Swings:Michael Clauder,Mariyama Ebel,Tino Frers,Nikko Forteza,Olivia Irmengard Grassner,Elvin Karakurt,Benjamin A. Merkl andDave Wilcox

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other[]

The play's 2-part production is scheduled to end on 8 January and convert to a one-part production in February 2023.^[31]

Toronto[]

The show ran from 31 May 2022 to 2 July 2023.

Creative team^[13]

• Senior Associate Producer:Thomas Swayne
• Producer:David Mirvish
• Assistant Stage Manager:Bradley Dunn,Kate Sandeson
• Stage Manager:Erin Fitzgerald,Jessica Severin

Cast

Main article:Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast lists#Toronto, Canada

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Tokyo[]

Main cast

Main article:Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast lists#Tokyo, Japan

• Tatsuya Fujiwara,Kanji Ishimaru, andOsamu Mukai asHarry Potter
• Masahiro Ehara andHayata Tateyama asRonald Weasley
• Aoi Nakabeppu andSeina Sagiri asHermione Granger
• Haru Fujita andKohei Fukuyama asAlbus Potter
• Erica Mabuchi andYuri Shirahane asGinevra Potter
• Shinya Matsuda andShuntaro Miyao asDraco Malfoy
• Sodai Kadota andRio Saito asScorpius Malfoy

Supporting cast

• Ikue Sakakibara andHitomi Takahashi asMinerva McGonagall
• Sayuri Houi andKaren Iwata asDelphi Diggory

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North American tour[]

It was announced that the show would go on tour on various cities^[32], starting with Chicago.^[33]

Chicago[]

The first stop is at Chicago'sJames M. Nederlander Theatre, with previews started on10 September and will conclude on1 February2024.^[34] Cast was announced on 9 June 2024.^[35][36]

Los Angeles[]

This production occurred from 15 February 2025 to 22 June 2025 at theHollywood Pantages Theatre.^[37]

Washington DC[]

This production occurred from 8 July 2025 to 7 September 2025 at theNational Theatre in Washington D.C.^[35][38]

Brazil[]

This production will be produced in 2025.^[39]

Netherlands[]

This production will be produced in 2026.^[39]

School productions[]

The play is produced by students in numerous North American high schools, starting in 2024.^[40]

A total of 31 schools were selected to produce the show.^[41][42]

Behind the scenes[]

• Following the announcement of the publication of the play in script form, headlines from many sources proclaimed the title as the "eighthHarry Potter novel" by Rowling, despite the fact that official sources have been clear that the new book is simply a complete copy of the play's script, which was not authored by her. Various sources have also described the play incorrectly as a "prequel," despite Rowling's statements to the contrary^[43] and the fact that the play is clearly described as taking place 19 years after the events of the final novel.^[44]
• In January 2017, Rowling set the record straight about rumours that the play would be made into a film, or a series of films. She stated that the play was only ever meant to be on stage, and that she and the writers never intended for it to be anything else, and that it would stay that way. She also stated that it will not only never be a film, but joked that it will never be a novel, puppet show, cartoon and comic book series either.^[45]
• Originally, the following characters are played by the same actors in the same production:
  • Moaning Myrtle/Lily J. Potter
  • Vernon Dursley/Severus Snape/Lord Voldemort
  • Sorting Hat/Rubeus Hagrid
  • Petunia Dursley/Rolanda Hooch/Dolores Umbridge
  • Amos Diggory/Albus Dumbledore
  • Trolley Witch/Minerva McGonagall
  • James Potter Jnr/James Potter Snr/Cedric Diggory
  • Dudley Dursley/Karl Jenkins/Viktor Krum
• However, some productions may adjust role distributions:
  • The original Melbourne production instead grouped:
    • Yann Fredericks/Viktor Krum
    • Dudley Dursley/Karl Jenkins
  • The original San Francisco and Hamburg productions instead grouped:
    • Petunia Dursley/Dolores Umbridge/Trolley Witch
    • Rolanda Hooch and Minerva McGonagall are portrayed by two different actresses and not overlapping with this group.

External links[]

• Official website

Notes and references[]