Christine Jones Talks House Emblems on the Set of “Cursed Child”

We can hardly imagine the Hogwarts House crests as anything but the banners we know them to be in the Harry Potter movies. The four symbols have always been iconic, thanks to the thousands of set pieces and merch items that have been printed with them over the years. But a few years ago, Christine Jones, set designer for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, was faced with an impossible problem: changing that conception.

For a 19-years-later twist on the banners, Jones interwove the House animals with their corresponding letters: Gryffindor’s “G” bears a lion’s mane, while Ravenclaw’s “R” has wings. They’re altogether more modern and lively, a change that makes sense for the theater setting:

You want to imagine the impact that shape and color will have from a distance. When you’re designing for the stage, you have to remember that the audience doesn’t always see things close up, like they do in a movie. Allowing the animals to be fused with the letters felt like a way of giving these logos their own identity.

That’s not the only magic touch Jones has brought to the productions. If they look closely, audience members will be able to see hundreds of tiny references to the Houses:

Fans can scan the walls, the floors, the balcony fronts, and the light-fixtures to find [H]ouse-inspired details. We did that because we wanted the audience to feel instantly but gently enveloped by the world of Hogwarts.

Christine Jones has created an immersive wizarding world for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – it’s no wonder she won a Tony Award for her work in 2018. Cursed Child is still playing on Broadway, so be sure to see these beautiful designs in action as soon as you can!