No doubt about it: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a smash, a major event, a sure thing, which will run forever. How could it be any less? Potter fans are legion, and fiercely devoted to the lauded wizard and his magical world. The stats are undeniably impressive: 500 million books sold worldwide and nearly eight billion dollars brought in from the movies. $68 million was raised to put on the production, the most ever for a non-musical. The Lyric theater was refurbished for the expected infinite run to the tune of $33 million. The play garnered $2.1 million the first week on the boards, exceeding what any other had grossed in the same time period. Wonder of wonders, the seat count was lowered from 1,896 to a roomy 1,622. Ah, the comfort, the better to store the bag of goodies which can be bought ahead and hand delivered to the lucky recipients at intermission. The play picks up right after the last book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” ends. The plot hinges on two major points: fathers and sons have conflicts, and don’t mess with time. We see the famous now grown Harry (Jamie Parker) and his wife, Ginny (Poppy Miller), sending their son Albus (Sam Clemmett) off to Hogwarts. Also on the train is Scorpius Malfoy (Anthony Boyle), fair-haired son of Draco (Alex Price). These two misfits become fast friends, to the extent that their bromance at times seems excessive. They become obsessed with bringing back to life a boy who died years ago, and plot to execute their plan with a tiny time machine. Havoc predictably ensues. Harry and Ginny are assisted in their attempt to find their missing son with the help of in-laws and old friends Hermione Granger (Noma Dumezweni) and her husband, Ron Weasley (Paul Thornley). Draco Malfoy is equally concerned about his son. What is at stake is not only finding the boys, but also the opportunity to bond with them in the future. So, what could possibly be criticized about a humongous hit which is still selling out in London long after the 2016 opening? The production won every major award there and is very likely to do the same in NYC. The actors are all talented professionals. The special effects, which are numerous, razzle-dazzle one and all. I especially appreciate the Dementors, which are the creepy embodiment of author J.K. Rowling’s fits of depression. The truth is, like Matilda before it, this Brit is cold. There is a distinct lack of fun on the stage, a condition that’s pointed up when Lauren Nicole Cipoletti takes focus as Moaning Myrtle, denizen of the girls’ first floor bathroom. For a bright moment, she steals the show with her dippy drenched character who clearly has the hots for Harry. Some things just don’t make sense. How could anyone think that Scorpius is not the biological son of Draco? Isn’t the platinum hair a giveaway? Why is the inserted cast list in minuscule print, nearly impossible to read, and set up alphabetically rather than in order of who appears on the stage first? Also, there is no way around it; at close to six hours for both parts, the show is too long. Anyone who says the time flies by is occupying an alternate universe. The first part drags considerably; the second is pretty scary for the many younger members of the audience, although this is my assessment, not theirs. The Nazi-like alternate reality seems all too plausible in our fragmented society today, and I think the adults in the audience are probably more chilled by the images than their offspring. Some of the most illuminating discussion in theater takes place in what seems like interminable lines for the ladies’ room. I had the good luck to chat with a savvy 10-year-old who explained to me the puzzle of the adults who enter the scene, then turn into children, then turn into different adults. You see, there’s a magic incantation which changes things around, but doesn’t work in the library, unless…I thanked her and told her I’d pretend to understand. I recommend that when taking in this production, for maximum enjoyment, bring the willing acceptance of wonder which comes so easily to children. Don’t worry about plot or try to figure out how/why they do things. And if it takes a little magic to put yourself in that frame of mind, that’s okay too.
