Spoiler-Free Breakdown of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Part 2″

by · June 9, 2016

If you haven’t read our Part 1 breakdown yet, you can check it out here.

Tonight, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child ’s opening preview came to an end with the debut of Part 2 at the Palace Theatre London. The queue was long, the reporters were out, but the magic was not lost. Again, in order to follow J.K Rowling’s wishes to #KeepTheSecrets, here is a short, spoiler-free review of Part 2.

The two-part format: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is such a massive story that it can really only be properly told in two parts. These aren’t stand-alone plays; they are meant to be seen together. Part 2 picked up right where Part 1 left off, without a recap or introduction. The transition into the second part was easy and didn’t lose any of the magic or wonder of the first.

Personally, I enjoyed seeing it over the course of a Tuesday/Thursday, rather than seeing both parts in one day. It built the anticipation and kept me excited for what was in store next for Part 2. Also, both parts are nearly 2 ½ hours long, which may make for a very long, yet very Harry Potter-filled day.

The play itself: Cursed Child has been described as an “eighth” book, but after watching both parts, it’s obvious that it’s not. While it takes place in the wizarding world and is made up of familiar characters, it’s a completely different story. That being said, however, the play is the perfect addition to the Harry Potter family and belongs alongside the films and the books. Fans will get the same sense of enjoyment watching the play as they will reading the book.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts 1 and 2 is a story that will stay with fans, new and old, for generations.

Previews for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child have now begun at the Palace Theatre London ahead of the official opening on July 30, 2016. For those of you unable to make it to London, Cursed Child is being published as a book and will be released July 31.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child previews will run until July 29, 2016, before the official opening on Saturday, July 30, 2016. The following day, a limited-edition rehearsal script will be published, available to purchase both as a book and digitally.

The next round of Friday Forty tickets will be available tomorrow from 1:00 p.m. BST.