‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Casts Its Spell at Segerstrom

Richard Chang
17 hours ago
4 min read

REVIEW: The plot gets complicated and occasionally boring, but the visual effects may save this touring production. Warning: This review contains spoilers.

The company of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." Photo courtesy of Segerstrom Center for the Arts

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is in Orange County for the first time, and the excitement around Segerstrom Center for the Arts is almost palpable.

Wand dance choreography session on the Argyros Plaza. Photo courtesy of Sergio Hernandez, Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Case in point: Before the July 15 show during Harry Potter House Pride Night, crowds of mostly below-18 youth gathered at Argyros Plaza (navigating through the construction), and donning black robes, they did a wand dance choreography session led by a cast member, despite the heat. They also participated in a Goblet of Fire lottery for prizes, and a Harry Potter-inspired art-making competition.

The crowds inside Segerstrom Hall have been impressive as well, as this show – which debuted in 2016 in London’s West End – has attracted droves of devoted Harry Potter fans throughout the region. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” runs through July 25.

The play was written by Jack Thorne, based on an original story by Thorne, J.K. Rowling and John Tiffany. “The Cursed Child” picks up where the final book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows,” ends. Nineteen years after Lord Voldemort’s demise, Harry and Ginny Potter (née Weasley) are seeing off their son, Albus Severus Potter, at King’s Cross Station, while Ron and Hermoine Granger-Weasley are parting ways with Rose. The younger generation is heading to Hogwarts once again.

At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the sorting hat tells Albus (played by Adam Grant Morrison) that he belongs to the Slytherin house, much to his chagrin. In that house, he joins Scorpius Malfoy (played by David Fine), son of Draco. They pretty quickly become good friends, despite warnings from their other buddies and peers.

With the help of a time traveling orb called the Time-Turner, Albus and Scorpius travel back in time to make some fixes they feel compelled to make. Needless to say, this leads to some serious trouble and unexpected changes in the present day. It also puts both boys’ lives – as well as others’ existence – in jeopardy.

The plot is a bit complicated, and ultimately, that leads to some confusion and boredom. Apparently, the original 2016 play was done in two parts, with the first lasting two hours and 40 minutes, and the second lasting two hours and 30 minutes. I’m glad they condensed those two into one at approximately two hours and 55 minutes, because I surely would not have been able to sit through two of these productions.

Special effects during the production include flying Dementors. Photo courtesy of Segerstrom Center for the Arts

The second half is undoubtedly much darker, and I would say the pace picks up a bit more in part two. Many of the special and visual effects are amazing, and audience members are left wondering, “How did they do that?” There’s no replacement for the power of magic.

As far as the acting goes, Morrison does a serviceable job as Albus Potter. There’s a lot of “Oh my gosh, we have to do what, now?” on his part. Fine as Scorpius Malfoy nearly steals the show. His high-pitched responses are truly funny and capture the instability of adolescence. He carries a substantial load of the emotional energy of this play with his competing alliances and possibly nefarious ancestry.

Hermoine has historically been portrayed as white in the books and the blockbuster movies. But thanks to color-blind casting, Rachel Leslie plays a Black Hermoine, and does a very nice job giving her heft and all the qualities fans know and love: loyalty, courage, smarts and stubbornness. Her daughter, Rose, is played by Black actor Naiya Vanessa McCalla, and she does so deftly, although it's a small part.

Katherine Leask pulls off quite a turn as both Professor McGonagall and Professor Umbridge. Same goes for Larry Yando who performs the three roles of Albus Dumbledore, Amos Diggory and Severus Snape.

There are definitely gay undertones coursing through the relationship between Albus and Scorpius. They hug each other deeply; they give each other extended, longing looks; and they declare the other “the most important person” in each of their lives. I half-expected them to kiss near the end.

(Note: Since the initial release of the "Cursed Child" script in July 2016, this play has been accused of queerbating, meaning it sets up the anticipation and expectation of an LGBTQ+ relationship, but ultimately does not deliver.)

Afterwards, when I asked my 15-year-old son what he thought of the play, he said, “It was very gay.” No judgment on my part; I’m just telling you what he thought – and a lot of kids his age in the audience might have thought the same thing.

There have been rumors that “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is being developed into a film. While the evidence of this is not quite clear, and Rowling maintains ownership of the play’s rights, I would advise that ardent fans could satisfy their curiosity by witnessing this production. But the surer bet would be to stick to the original seven books, and perhaps see how the HBO TV series unfolds, as it’s expected to do starting on Christmas Day of this year.