#KeepTheSecrets
That is the hashtag to be found on all the pin badges and posters around the Palace Theatre in London - home to the stage only sequel to the multi million copy selling Potter series of books. And whilst I won't spoil any of the incredible production values and techniques used throughout the production I would like to share how much I thoroughly enjoyed the performance of both parts of the play.
At first, separating the play into two parts seemed purely an extra money making venture on Rowlings part, but having seen both in an afternoon I feel any less would've made the story feel cramped and no where near as satisfying. Being able to take their time with some of the frankly unbelievable special stage effects is only a good thing and I found myself completely immersed from start to finish.
The play is an expensive one, at £75 a ticket PER PART and for this the Palace theatre doesn't exactly deliver on luxury. The seats are cramped, the refreshments expensive and by the end of the second part I think I'd sweated off about a stone in weight from the heat inside the building.
I understand however how much capital must have gone into the creation of this production. In addition to the spectacular special effects, the sets are all exquisite, the choreography superb and the Imogen Heap soundtrack incredibly atmospheric.
The cast have been really well thought out, each suited to the role for which they were tasked. I've only the smallest of gripes about the odd one; Potter did tend to get a bit whiny/shouty and young Albus Severus could be quite quiet at times. Scorpius really stole the show, and his nervous, tortured and funny personality really shone through his incredible voice work and animated performance. He must have been absolutely shattered by the end of the evening.
I was glad to have read the script well beforehand, as it kind of gave me a rough idea of what was to come but I'd forgotten enough to enjoy some excellent surprises in the plot. I'm definitely what you'd call a Potterhead, but I really think that this is a play that could be enjoyed by someone completely new to the wizarding world.
To finish, I was pleasantly surprised by the availability and value of the merch on offer at the show; prices were kind of what I'd expect to pay at a gig really and the quality of the clothing I bought at least seems to be good. Splitting the available merch so that it's different for each part is a bit of a con to accio more of your money from your wallet, but it's really just good business sense.
In all, I had a fantastic time seeing the Cursed Child, parts one and two and can legitimately recommend it not only to fans of Rowling's writing, but theatre fans in general.
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