Harry Potter theatre experience

The most hotly anticipated London theatre show of the year, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, is finally open.

(They’ve had a mere seven weeks of previews to get the play to absolute Potter-perfection…)

Tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child have officially sold out. But there’s still a chance to see it with the

Show more For serious bunce, there are tickets available through resellers like Viagogo and Getmein, although the BBC ran a feature warning against resales.

With those kind of odds it might be tempting for all but the most hardened Potterati to opt for the new Ghostbusters movie instead.

But through a combination of Twitter mining and gazing in to Professor Trelawney’s crystal ball, Londonist can officially confirm Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is well worth the hassle.

Here are our top reasons to watch the official ticketing website like a hippogriff:

1. Harry Potter And The Cursed Child is truly magical

The play’s creative team, led by director John Tiffany, deftly brings the wizarding world to life with hands-down some of the most impressive special effects ever seen on the London stage.

2. There are surprisingly few kids in the audience

Those imagining panto-like hordes of screaming kids accompanying their theatre watching experience need not fear.

The vast majority of ticket holders are Generation Potter who were pre-teens when the books came out but are now… er, 30-year-old kids.

3. Harry Potter is FIT

Yes, fit. Properly fit. Ruggedly handsome Jamie Parker (of the History Boys fame) plays grown-up Harry and there are definitely some serious muscles rippling under that ministry suit.

Harry’s no longer that sweet young Daniel Radcliffe from the films; in fact, he’s a bit of an angry dad who shouts a lot.

4. The new characters are totally loveable

And, importantly, far from being carbon copies of their ‘rents.

JK Rowling proves she’s still got it with her character creations: angst-ridden Albus Potter, sparky Rose Granger-Weasley, and mysterious Delphi Diggory will all capture your imaginations.

Best of all is the hilariously geeky Scorpius Malfoy, who actually carries a lot of the play.

5. The music is great

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child isn’t a full-blown, all-singing-all-dancing musical.

But with billowing wizard robes and accompanying thumping tunes, the cast animate the story with energetic dance sequences that will have you tapping your toes in your seat.

(But please, no dancing in the aisles. This isn’t Jersey Boys.)

6. The surprises just keep coming

Just when you think Harry Potter and the Cursed Child can’t get any better, the story reveals another surprise; the sets get more elaborate; the technical feats more impressive.

They recreate the Hogwarts lake, for goodness sake!

And don’t even get us started on the Dementors…

7. See the show, and you’ll feel like part of a secret Harry Potter club

Once you get past the hour-long door queue (bring sandwiches and owl food) the theatre is surprisingly intimate.

The fact that you sit in the same seats for both shows/on both nights means you end up chatting to your neighbours.

Cue furious debates over the finer points of the Harry Potter plot, script and just what on earth is coming next…

8. The spirit of the Harry Potter books is still there

One thing about the idea of a play that had made hardened Pottermaniacs anxious was whether it would still fit ‘the canon’.

Everything we loved about the original Harry Potter books are present and correct in the theatrical version.

Quirky magic, hidden plot clues for the observant, and of course, the exuberant celebration of childhood friendships that runs throughout the Harry Potter stories courses through the very veins of this stunning play.

9. It’s not perfect; just like Harry himself

And let’s not forget: neither the Harry Potter books, or the Harry Potter films are perfect either.

Pottergeeks will have fun smugly pointing out the odd plot inconsistency.

There’s regular use of Polyjuice potions — which you’ll remember took Hermione a month to ferment in The Chamber of Secrets — but now seems easily available off the shelf.

Just don’t tweet your observations to JK Rowling during the interval. That’s not cool.

10. There is a MASSIVE twist you won’t see coming

And that’s all we can say about that.

11. It’ll test your Hogwarts studies to the max

If you want to brush up on your magical techniques ahead of the show, we’d recommend revising those amazing Time Turners from Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban.

It’s that little dinky hourglass on a chain you twist according to how far back in time you want to go.

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