Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Reimagined

Post

Subscribe

Wed 04 May 2022 - Fri 24 Jun 2022

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is back for another season at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne, but it's a little different to the play we've grown to know and love over the years. The 'reimagined' version is a shortened take on the once 6 hour show, encouraging those that may not want to sit through two separate shows, and who may not have the money to afford such, to attend a night out at the theatre. The reimagined show still follows Harry and his friends in the future, but with twists and turns that have changed the play into a wonderfully magic performance.



Differences Between The Original

I'll be honest, I didn't enjoy the play of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child when I first read it in 2016. For many Harry Potter fans like myself, it was a disappointment from the books we all loved, so when I found out the play would be 6 hours long and split over two shows? Forget it. However, when the reimagined version was announced, a debriefed, slightly altered version that would be half the time and a lot less money, my interest was piqued. And I'm so glad it was.

Whilst almost none of the critical plot has been cut out, it's a sped-up version of events, but in a good way. It has enough theatrics to make it enthralling, fast-paced when it needs to be, but slower when the time is right. Sitting at 3 and a half hours long with a 20-minute interval, it certainly is still a long show. You are able to find enough empathy for the characters along the way, and enjoy the story as it unravels. There are still parts of the plot that have yet to be really explained, but if you're willing to take the show at face value and not read too much into it, it's thoroughly enjoyable.

Those who have seen the original 2 part play, however, may not find much more in seeing the reimagined version, unless you really enjoyed the original.

With a limited stage play, they have managed to transform the show into something many Harry Potter fans will enjoy, with magic we all know and love transcribed perfectly to the stage. The acting from the cast, particularly the younger members, transformed a play I had read and didn't have much interest in, into one I could laugh at, cry at, and really believe it was those characters I grew up with, now on stage right in front of me.

The Best of the Best



The standout throughout this entire show was the stage production. There were multiple times in this play that I felt the exhilarating fear and adrenaline as if the happenings around me were as real as they could be. It's no easy task to take a story based solely on the use of magic and turn it into a theatre show, harder still to make it believable, but they achieved it and then some. Dementors coming to life made me feel the dreaded coldness as if they were really in the room, the darkness aiding eeriness and the time turner really feeling like I was racing through timelines.

Because of this, I strongly recommend that children under 12 do not come to this show. As exciting as it was for many young audience members, it was also downright horrifying in some regards, with children in the crowd crying at some parts. I couldn't blame them, as someone who was blown away by the mastery of the show, was equal parts scared. To have such an enthralling show that grown adults could feel the fear and be so engrossed in the show to make it feel real is an impressive feat and should show what an excellent job the stage production has done. Of course, children might not be able to appreciate that, which is why it is recommended children under 12 stay at home. I very much agree with this and extend it further to ask yourself if you can handle immersive theatre. Whilst it wasn't 'get the audience involved' play as such, it definitely felt like I was in the middle of a scene straight from the book.

The Experience



The act of going to the theatre has been missed in recent years, so maybe it was the nostalgia of finally being in a room with so many people watching a show, but the atmosphere of the show and the energy of the Princess Theatre was unmatched. Come early and grab some food at a nearby restaurant, have a Harry Potter-inspired cocktail (I chose a Hexpresso, very much recommended), and browse the mini store on-site with merchandise brimmed to the walls. Remind yourself why Melbourne was chosen as the Australian location of this great play and make a night of it.

If you're a Harry Potter fan, this is definitely something to schedule this winter and add to the calendar. If you're not enthralled by the books and movies, it can be a long show to sit through without a passion for this. If you want a night out in Melbourne and are a Harry Potter fan though, make a date with your favourite book characters and see the magic come to life.

#cbd
#literary
#magic
#city
#nightlife
#theatre
#theatre -reviews
#theatres
#may
#june
!date 04/05/2022 -- 24/06/2022
%wnmelbourne