Reviewed by Amanda Callas
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
runs at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre through June 22nd. This is an awe-inspiring visual spectacle and extraordinary magical treat not to be missed. Based on the story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, with writing by Jack Thorne and direction by John Tiffany, this is a sequel story about Harry Potter's son and his new best friend at Hogwarts -who happens to be the son of Harry Potter's old nemesis Draco Malfoy.
The special effects, with illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison, are jaw-dropping. Many of these effects would look quite impressive in film. Seeing them on stage, it was hard to believe my own eyes. Harry Potter and The Cursed Child is stupendously, over-the-top dazzling. There was much spontaneous applause from the enthusiastic audience on opening night.
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
is breathtaking to look at, especially in the sumptuous Hollywood Pantages. A historic, opulent Art Deco palace, the Pantages is a spectacular landmark theatre, one-of-a-kind and thoroughly transportive. At the Pantages, this showis truly a special event theatre. It may be a little spooky for some young ones, with the dementors being particularly terrifying, but my 8-year-old daughter absolutely adored
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child. In fact, everyone I saw on opening night, of every age, seemed to be having the absolute time of their lives.
Performances can vary quite a bit, and some of the original characters from the books suffer in the writing here, lacking the cozy warmth and playful wit that made Rowling's fantasy books sparkle. But the plot of
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
is fiendishly suspenseful, with myriad time travel catastrophes, a whole new generation of characters, and a few delightful cameos from beloved characters. Moaning Myrtle is my personal favorite, a petulant, boy-crazy ghost eternally trapped in the girl's bathroom at Hogwarts, and always up for some self-pitying laments and general mischief. Here she is played by a truly glorious, showstopping Mackenzie Lesser-Roy, one of the standouts in the show.
The vibrant Hogwarts students that we all know and love from the books have matured into the kind of people who ruin dinner parties with their well-rehearsed monologues about the glories of microwave cuisine, their marital spats and rambling about commuter timetables. This may be some kind of sly satirical commentary on JK Rowling's part, or perhaps, after so many doorstopper sequels and the ever-expanding Warner Bros. Discovery-owned franchise, she is simply that sick of them. Or perhaps co-writers Thorne and Tiffany lack Rowling's colorful characterization and affection for the characters. In any case, some of the original Harry Potter characters can be a grumpy slog in Harry Potter and The Cursed Child. John Skelley as an adult Harry Potter is un-charismatic, uninvested, and often grating. I inwardly rejoiced at every clever, poisonous dig that his old nemesis Draco Malfroy (a marvelous Ben Thys) directed at him. This production's two generations of Potters feel underwhelming, with none of Daniel Radcliffe's lush depth and luminous charm. Trish Lindstrom as Ginny Potter is a blank scold, and Ebony Blake seems more stern police superintendent than the charmingly bossy, know-it-all Hermione.
But
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
has a secret weapon, the new character of Scorpius Malfoy, son of Draco Malfoy, who is the comic relief and emotional heartbeat of almost every scene. Aidan Close is a delight, absolutely brilliant in the part, and his charisma, vulnerability, and sheer watchability often save the play.
There is a will-they, won't they dynamic between young Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy that is quite intriguing. Some critics have protested that this relationship is have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too, trendy baiting. It could also be seen as a heartfelt, ambivalent exploration appropriate to their age - and more generally, the often ambiguous, fiercely closeted homoerotic subtext that is present in many male environments and boarding schools. Personally, not sure how I feel about it, it is interesting to note that few of the heterosexual relationships on stage have any of Potter and Malfoy's spark, warmth and chemistry.
Visually,
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
is a tour-de-force with a powerful, magic-working creative team. Movement by Steven Hoggett is brilliant, and this is a dynamic, never-static show. The set design by Christine Jones is stunning and cinematic, with moody, magical lighting by Neil Austin.
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
runs February 15 - June 22, 2025 at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. The regular schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm & 8pm, and Sunday at 1pm & 7pm. For performance schedule variations, including holiday week schedules, visit the official website.
The Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Paid lot parking is available at nearby lots. For tickets and more information, please visit the Hollywood Pantages Box Office in person or BroadwayInHollywood.com or Ticketmaster.com.