Stage Play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" Review 2023/01/06

Performance Title: "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child"
Theater: Akasaka ACT Theater
Production/Planning: TBS Television x Horipro
Original Work: J.K. Rowling
Screenplay: Jack Thorne
Director: John Tiffany
Cast: Kanji Ishimaru, Aoi Nakabeppu, Masahiro Ehara, Shinya Matsuda, Yuri Shirahane, Kohei Fukuyama, Munemasa Kadota, Sayuri Hoi, Ikue Sakakibara
Performance Period: From July 8, 2022 (Tokyo)
Running Time: Approx. 3 hours 40 minutes (including a 20-minute intermission)
Keywords: Harry Potter, Fantasy, Youth, Parent-Child, Friendship
Personal Satisfaction: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

I watched the stage play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," a sequel to the "Harry Potter" series that has been running since July 2022.
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" is a stage adaptation based on an original script by J.K. Rowling, the author of the British "Harry Potter" series.
The story begins 19 years after the events of the film "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2," starting with Harry Potter's son, Albus Severus Potter, entering Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This production has won over 60 theater awards worldwide, including the Laurence Olivier Award, the highest honor in British theater, and the Tony Award, the highest honor in American theater. It has already been performed in six cities around the world, including London and New York, with Tokyo being the seventh.

The story begins with Harry Potter's son, Albus Severus Potter, entering Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and becoming friends with Draco Malfoy's son, Scorpius Malfoy.
Both Albus and Scorpius were isolated at Hogwarts, unable to make other friends.
Since Albus was sorted into Slytherin by the Sorting Hat instead of Gryffindor, the two were always together at school.
A girl named Delphi, also from Slytherin, joined them, and the three were often together.
Meanwhile, Harry Potter was pleaded with by Amos, the father of Cedric Diggory, who died 25 years ago during the "Triwizard Tournament," to use a "Time-Turner" to bring his son back. Albus, who overheard this, consulted with Scorpius and Delphi about the content, and they decided to try and steal the "Time-Turner"...

Generationally, the "Harry Potter" series became a hot topic when it was adapted into films during my elementary and junior high school years. I watched all the movies back then and was a fan of "Harry Potter."
From my perspective, this production felt like it had fewer dark fantasy battle elements, and it left an impression that was quite different from the image I had of "Harry Potter" until now.
Rather than battles or fantasy elements, I felt it was a wonderful human drama that focused more on parent-child love and friendship.
For example, Albus has the great Harry Potter as a father, but he has no friends and isn't as brave as Harry, and I was moved by his sense of guilt. I also liked the part where Harry does something that tears Albus and Scorpius apart, which gave me a lot to think about regarding the parent-child story.

In terms of production, it was a top-tier entertainment experience packed with effects that even an adult like me found exciting and amazing.
It was a series of gimmicks that would surely make children feel immense excitement and wonder.
For example, the staging that treated the theater audience seating as part of the stage was impressive, the scene where Dementors descended from the ceiling was almost like street performance, and the magic-based battles were of very high quality, looking as if real flames were bursting out.
And although I thought there might be musical elements since there were more dance scenes than I expected, it was basically a straight play, and it was still a wonderful, highly engaging performance.

The cast members, while obviously not the exact characters from the films, did an incredible job of approximating the character visuals from the movies, which is very exciting for audiences who have seen the film versions.
In particular, I was surprised by how close the presence of Professor McGonagall, Moaning Myrtle, and Albus Dumbledore felt to their film counterparts.

I thought the audience might be mostly women, but there were quite a lot of male guests, and the age range was very wide.
Unlike the movies, there aren't many scenes that are overly scary, so I felt it was great that it was made in a way that even small children can watch with peace of mind.
I think it's content that can be fully enjoyed not only by existing Harry Potter fans but also by those who haven't touched the series (though some preparation is necessary to fully understand the story), so I would recommend this entertainment to everyone from children to the elderly.

↓ Stage script "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child"

【Motivation for Watching】

Initially, I was skeptical about what a stage adaptation of Harry Potter would be like, but since it opened in July 2022 and many positive reviews were circulating, my interest was piqued. I watched the "Harry Potter" series through the movies, from the first, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," to the eighth, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2." Although I hadn't read the novel "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," it seemed like the perfect way to start my theater-going in 2023, so I decided to see it at the beginning of the year.

【Story/Content】 (*Contains spoilers)

Regarding the story, this is based on the memory I gained from watching the play, so please forgive me if there are many omissions or mistakes.

Albus Severus Potter (Kohei Fukuyama), born to Harry Potter (Kanji Ishimaru) and Ginny Potter (Yuri Shirahane), was finally at the age to enter Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When heading to Platform 9 3/4, Harry tells Albus the origin of his name. Albus is named after Albus Dumbledore, who was previously the headmaster of Hogwarts, and Severus is named after the great Slytherin teacher, Severus Snape.
On the express train to Hogwarts, Albus meets the daughter of Ron Weasley (Masahiro Ehara) and Hermione Granger (Aoi Nakabeppu), and also meets Scorpius Malfoy (Munemasa Kadota).
When Albus and the others arrive at Hogwarts, they are sorted into one of the four houses by the Sorting Hat. Scorpius is sorted into Slytherin, and as for Albus, he is sorted into Slytherin instead of Gryffindor like Harry.
Both Albus and Scorpius had trouble making friends at Hogwarts and were ostracized. That is precisely why the two acted together in every class and became best friends. Delphi (Sayuri Hoi) from Slytherin often joined them, and the three were frequently together.

Meanwhile, Harry meets Amos, the father of Cedric Diggory, who died 25 years ago in the "Triwizard Tournament." Amos pleads with Harry to use a "Time-Turner" to turn back time and save his son. Cedric was a very excellent student and was Amos's pride. Although Harry knew that the Ministry of Magic held the "Time-Turner" itself, he knew that using it was dangerous and did not agree to it.
However, Albus, who had overheard the conversation between Harry and Amos, began to take an interest in the "Time-Turner" held by the Ministry of Magic.
Albus received two items as gifts from Harry. One was a "Love Potion," and the other was a blanket that Harry had cherished since he was a child.
Around that time, Harry's scar had started to hurt for the first time in 22 years, and he was anxious, fearing it might be a sign that some ominous event was approaching, just as it had been when he dueled Voldemort.

When Albus returned to Hogwarts, he immediately told Scorpius and Delphi that a device called a "Time-Turner" was stored at the Ministry of Magic and proposed using it to save Cedric. Scorpius and Delphi both agreed.
The three drank Polyjuice Potion, and Albus, Scorpius, and Delphi disguised themselves as Ron, Hermione, and Harry, respectively. The disguised Albus, Scorpius, and Delphi encountered the real Hermione and Harry at the entrance to the room where the Ministry of Magic's "Time-Turner" was stored. Scorpius and Delphi had already gone inside, and Albus, disguised as Ron, successfully fooled Hermione and Harry by showing off Ron's clumsiness. And they managed to get through it.
When the three entered the Ministry of Magic room and were rummaging through the bookshelves, all three were dragged into the bookshelves. And there, they obtained the "Time-Turner."
The three used the "Time-Turner" to infiltrate the "Triwizard Tournament" and practiced magic in the Forbidden Forest to save Cedric. There, they met Bane, a centaur who lived in the Forbidden Forest. And Albus was warned by Bane that he was covered in a black cloud.
When Albus, Scorpius, and the others went missing at Hogwarts, Headmistress McGonagall (Ikue Sakakibara), Harry, and Draco Malfoy (Shinya Matsuda) searched for them and found them. Harry, fearing the future because his scar had started to hurt, ordered Albus not to act with Scorpius. And Harry gave the "Marauder's Map" to Headmistress McGonagall to monitor them, asking her to keep watch so that Albus and Scorpius would not act together.
When McGonagall discovered Albus and Scorpius together on the "Marauder's Map," she headed toward them. Albus and Scorpius hid under an Invisibility Cloak to try and shake off McGonagall's surveillance.

Albus and Scorpius headed to the girls' bathroom where Moaning Myrtle resides. With the help of Moaning Myrtle, the two used a Time-Turner to travel back in time to the second task of the Triwizard Tournament.
Upon traveling back in time, the two discovered Cedric and changed the past by forcing him to withdraw from the tournament.
However, when Scorpius returned to the present, Albus was not there. Instead, Headmistress Umbridge appeared. In this timeline, changed by Cedric's withdrawal from the second task, Harry Potter was dead, Albus had never been born, Albus Dumbledore was also dead, and Umbridge was the headmistress. Scorpius had become a heroic student at Hogwarts.

The intermission begins here.

Scorpius spent several days in the timeline where Umbridge was headmistress. Umbridge grew suspicious that he wasn't the usual Scorpius and examined him, but it seemed there was nothing amiss.
Scorpius met Ron and Hermione. In this timeline, Hermione was called Granger and had become a fierce warrior. Severus Snape also appeared. In this world, Snape was alive. Scorpius told everyone that he had come from a world where Voldemort had been defeated using a Time-Turner, and that in that world, Harry Potter was alive and Snape was dead.
Understanding the situation, they helped Scorpius return to his original world.

Having returned safely with Albus, Scorpius was severely scolded by Headmistress McGonagall. She told them that although no one had died, it was an extremely dangerous act. She also noted that Hermione Granger was responsible for leaving the Time-Turner carelessly in a room at the Ministry of Magic.
Albus and Scorpius decided it would be better to destroy the Time-Turner and confided this to Delphi. Upon hearing this, Delphi revealed a tattoo of an Augurey, an ominous black bird, on her back and snatched the Time-Turner away.
The three of them then used the Time-Turner to travel back to the maze used for the third task of the Triwizard Tournament.
Meanwhile, Harry and Draco learned the fact that Delphi, a Slytherin student, was actually Voldemort's daughter. If Voldemort had a successor, that person would become the strongest Horcrux. Harry and the others rushed to find Delphi, but neither she nor Albus and Scorpius could be found.

The three who traveled back to the maze of the third task of the Triwizard Tournament saw Delphi attempting to resurrect Voldemort there. However, Cedric intervened and thwarted her, and Delphi headed further into the past. Albus and Scorpius followed her.
They arrived on October 30, 1981. This was the day before Harry Potter's father, James Potter, and mother, Lily Potter, were killed. Delphi destroyed the Time-Turner and disappeared somewhere.
Albus and Scorpius witnessed James and Lily doting on the baby Harry Potter right before their eyes. They wanted to stop Delphi's actions somehow, but they had no Time-Turner. So, they decided to write a message on the blanket Harry was wrapped in: "1981.10.31 Help Godric's Hollow" in English.

Meanwhile, Harry and the others, who had been searching for the whereabouts of Delphi, Albus, and Scorpius, saw the message carved by the boys on the blanket. Realizing they were in October 31, 1981—the day Harry's parents died—Harry, Draco, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron used a Time-Turner to travel to that time.
Harry and the others joined up with Albus and Scorpius. Not knowing what Delphi's goal was—perhaps she might prevent Voldemort from killing James Potter—Harry decided to use Polyjuice Potion to disguise himself as Voldemort and make contact with her.
Harry, disguised as Voldemort, met Delphi. Mistaking him for her father, Delphi agreed to join him to kill James, but Harry then revealed that he was not Voldemort but Harry Potter, and they dueled. The other members joined in the duel, and they defeated Delphi.
Just when everyone thought time had been saved, they hid because the real Voldemort was about to arrive. Voldemort then attacked the Potter house and killed James and Lily Potter. However, because changing time is dangerous, they could only watch the attack.
The group returned to their original world.

Harry Potter ordered Scorpius to stay away from Albus, but he eventually reconciled with Albus. The performance ends here.

As someone who had never read the original "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" and learned the story while watching the play, I was very happy that many scenes from "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," where Cedric dies, were depicted in this work. "Goblet of Fire" is my favorite in the "Harry Potter" series, so I was glad that it was highlighted so much.
While this work certainly features magic battles, it is mostly a story about parents and children and friendship, and I liked it because I felt it was a very moving human drama. The feeling that Albus and Scorpius couldn't fit in at Hogwarts because their parents were too great, like living in their parents' shadows, felt like a reflection of today's society, and I found it interesting as a script that it connects to the real world rather than just a fantasy world. I felt it was a script that had been properly updated for modern times. Furthermore, Harry's parental inadequacy in telling Albus not to get close to Scorpius felt real. I liked that development because it felt very realistic how parents tend to be overbearing when it comes to their children.
Also, I was simply satisfied that many characters representing the "Harry Potter" series appeared. The appearance of Snape, Umbridge, James Potter, Lily Potter, and Voldemort, who had already passed away, must have been irresistible for fans of the existing "Harry Potter" series.
It is true that there are fewer dark fantasy elements and the previous "Harry Potter" series had many more cruel situations, so those expecting that might not find it quite right. However, for me, the fact that it carefully depicted the story as a human drama is a very high point, and I thought that because it is a script with such aspects, it might be more effective when performed on stage.

【Worldview and Production】 (*Contains spoilers)

I was surprised that it was a stage work that challenged itself with a straight play for many scenes, despite having some dance performance scenes, as I had expected it to be more of a musical. I think that's why it was a stage play that showed through its script, and now that I know the story to the end, I can nod that it was the right choice. However, there were many highly elaborate productions, so it was finished as entertainment that not only relied on the script but also allowed children and the elderly to fully enjoy the worldview.
I will look at it in the order of stage sets, stage lighting, stage sound, and other productions.

First, the stage sets.
On the stage, there were stage sets reminiscent of Hogwarts pillars with church-like decorations on the stage left and right sides. Those pillars moved, and there was a production where they moved as Dumbledore cast magic during the play.
Other than that, there were no permanent stage sets, but various mobile stage sets were brought in to change scenes. For example, bookshelves, stairs, beds, or the picture frame where Dumbledore resides. In the final scene at Godric's Hollow, multiple colorful doors appeared.
Also, the stage floor had a built-in disc that could rotate clockwise, which was used for the production of the interior of the express train heading to Hogwarts.

Next, about the stage lighting.
I don't remember any scenes where only the stage lighting stood out. In the Forbidden Forest where the centaur Bane appears, or in the scenes where Dementors appear, it was a dark night, so blue and dark lighting was effective.
Also, I was surprised by the production where chairs and other things float in the air due to magic. I think it was being lifted by stagehands in black, but the lighting was arranged in such a way that the stagehands were completely invisible from the audience seats, which I felt was clever. It was one of the techniques of stage presentation that surprised me.
Also, in the final scene with Harry and Albus, the warm orange light shining in was impressive and heartwarming.

Next, about the stage sound.
First of all, the sound of the express train's whistle could be heard from the back of the audience, which was a good production that treated the audience area as part of the stage. Speaking of productions that treat the audience area as part of the stage, the scene where Voldemort attacks the Potter house at the end was surprising, as Voldemort went to the back of the audience, and with the Potter house behind them, the screams of James and Lily could be heard from the back of the audience. I think it was excellent as a production that involved the entire audience and gave them a sense of fear.
Also, the sound when using the "Time-Turner," as if the stage space itself was distorted, was of very high quality, combined with the lighting production.

Finally, other productions. There were many productions that I felt were interesting. I will list the ones that left an impression.
First, the way the Sorting Hat moved back and forth over the students' heads when deciding their house was quite cute. It was a completely different production from the movie version, and I liked that it felt child-friendly.
The point where they expressed the feeling of the body changing after drinking Polyjuice Potion by making good use of the dark parts on the stage was also wonderful. I watched from the back of the audience, so I couldn't see the fine details, but I thought it was amazing that they could switch so quickly on stage, including the freshness as a production. Also, the way Harry and Hermione appeared, almost like teleportation, with the fake entering the door and the real one coming from stage right when sneaking into the Ministry of Magic room, was also brilliant.
The production of being swallowed by a bookshelf when looking for the "Time-Turner" also had a handmade feel and was interesting. I think it had the goodness of an analog feel unique to stage production.
I also liked the scene where the centaurs appear in the Forbidden Forest. By having multiple people perform, they successfully staged the fact that they were huge, and I also liked the feeling of the hoof sounds echoing on the stage, which I forgot to mention in the sound section.
The scene where the Dementors appear was also cool. They even appeared above the audience, reproducing the feeling quite well.
Dumbledore staying as a portrait moving inside a frame also had a very high-quality atmosphere. For some reason, I was very moved.
When they traveled back to the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, in the underwater battle where Cedric was participating, a large circular window appeared as if looking from inside a submarine, and the production where you could see the underwater situation from there was also wonderful. Furthermore, the production where Scorpius pops his head out of an actual pool and returns from the time slip was also wonderful, as I thought it was quite a physical performance.
Also, the production where fire appears. It looked so real from the audience that I thought it was the real thing. However, I thought it wasn't real because it would be too dangerous if it were. I wonder how that mechanism works. When Harry and the others came from the fireplace, it felt like they appeared from within the fire, and in the final duel with Delphi, fire was raging from their wands, which was wonderfully close to real fire.

【Cast and Characters】 (*Contains spoilers)

For fans who know the "Harry Potter" movie series, there were many characters with such high reproducibility that everyone would want to exclaim "Oh!" The actors who played those characters so well were all wonderful.
I will pick out the actors I paid particular attention to.

First, let's talk about Kanji Ishimaru, who played Harry Potter. This role is performed by a triple cast including Tatsuya Fujiwara and Ryo Mukai, and I saw the performance with Ishimaru.
Regarding Harry Potter, the impression is a bit different from the Harry Potter played by Daniel Radcliffe (or rather, this Harry is an adult). He was a very fatherly and stern Harry. It wasn't the impression of Harry from his childhood.
The part that touched me the most was the final scene. Harry felt like he had been distant from his son for a long time. However, the ending where they finally closed that distance and were able to get along was moving as a story of parental love.
Also, Harry's bravery was still present in this work. When confronting Delphi, he was the first to raise his hand and go to fight, disguised as Voldemort. That kind of manliness suited the Harry played by Ishimaru very well.

Next is Kohei Fukuyama, who played Albus Severus Potter. This role is double-cast with Yu Fujita, and I saw the performance with Fukuyama.
He certainly had the look of Harry Potter, but he felt a bit different from Harry, perhaps more childlike and introverted. He was still childish and didn't seem like he would take action on his own; he seemed like he would have a hard time without Scorpius, and that innocence was also good.
That's why, although he didn't seem to be rebelling against his father, Harry Potter, much, the feeling that things weren't going well with his father came across during the play. He brought out a charm different from Harry's childhood, and Fukuyama's acting was wonderful.

Next, the MVP for me was Munenori Kadota, who played Scorpius Malfoy. This role is double-cast with Seito Watanabe, and I saw the performance with Kadota.
His appearance was very close to Draco Malfoy as a child. He had blonde, short hair. However, his personality was very positive and full of a sense of justice, which I found very likable. And since he was a student with quite a lot of initiative, when they used the "Time-Turner" to travel back in time, it felt like Scorpius was leading Albus, to the point where I wondered if Scorpius was the protagonist.
And watching the two of them, Scorpius and Albus, is very heartwarming. They are such a perfect pair of best friends, and it made me feel how wonderful it is to have friends.

Masahiro Ehara, who played Ron Weasley, was also good. The role of Ron is double-cast with Hayata Tateyama, and I saw the performance with Masahiro Ehara.
I liked Ron because he was an even funnier character than in the movie version. There were so many gags and scenes that made me laugh that I wondered if there were always this many. And it's even better that a comedian like Ehara plays such a role. It was a perfect fit.
Even in somewhat serious scenes, Ron says funny things, so the tension is broken somewhere, and I think you can watch it with peace of mind.

Also, I felt that the roles of Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Moaning Myrtle faithfully reproduced the characters from the movie version. Dumbledore gave the impression of being modeled after the actor from the Chamber of Secrets. Professor McGonagall's voice was particularly similar; perhaps it was modeled after the Japanese dubbed version. Moaning Myrtle's way of raising her voice was quite faithful.

【Stage Play Analysis】 (*Contains spoilers)

For me, born in the early Heisei era, the "Harry Potter" series took the world by storm during my time from elementary school to high school. In other words, I am of the same generation as Harry Potter and his friends during my student days when I enjoyed my youth. I remember having a videotape of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and watching it many times on a VCR when I was in elementary school. And I remember watching "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" in a movie theater. Here, I will write down my thoughts after touching the world of Harry Potter for the first time in a while.

I feel that the reason I found the "Harry Potter" series interesting as a child was that the dark fantasy worldview was very extraordinary and wonderful, and since it was a school story, it stimulated youth elements such as friendship and romance. However, looking back at "Harry Potter" now, I feel there are aspects that are interesting from a different perspective.
That is the coexistence of pure-bloods and Muggles within Hogwarts. The Malfoy family, which has long drawn from the prestigious Slytherin bloodline, is a pure-blood wizarding family. The Weasley family, which also draws from the prestigious Gryffindor bloodline, is a pure-blood wizarding family. On the other hand, Hermione Granger's parents are not of wizarding descent but are called Muggles, and she was looked down upon by pure-blood wizarding families like the Malfoys.
I find it interesting that this composition reminds me of racial discrimination in the United States, or that such trends exist even in prestigious private schools, and that it is not just fantasy but links to problems rooted in the real world for many people.

Watching this work in connection with such society, although it was a work with fewer battle scenes and dark fantasy elements, I enjoyed it enough.
I think the reason Albus feels uncomfortable at Hogwarts is that his father is too great, and if he has both the name of the great headmaster Albus Dumbledore and the name of the great Slytherin teacher Severus Snape, the pressure on his son will be enormous. It's easy to be bullied at school, and he would be depressed if his abilities didn't match. I felt this sense was very realistic and interesting, linking to the worries of people who have celebrities as parents.

Also, many people (including myself) who were students at the same time as Harry during the boom of the "Harry Potter" movie series are now parents with children at the timing of the performance of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." That is why it is interesting that the worries Harry has as a parent link to the worries of that generation.
I tend to expect too much from my children and order them around too strongly. I must be careful not to become like that myself.
Even if they are my own children, their circumstances are different, so I cannot understand their feelings 100%, and I cannot guess them. That is why I thought it might be important for parents not to make assumptions, but to properly understand their children's feelings.

Thinking about it that way, I watched this work as a human drama rather than a dark fantasy, and in that respect, I felt the script was wonderful, and I think it was easier to adapt to the stage because it was a human drama. I was able to enjoy a different kind of Harry Potter from the era of the "Harry Potter" movie series, and it was a fruitful start to my theater-going.