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I knew Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was supposed to be impressive.
I knew it had won awards. I knew people raved about the special effects. And obviously, I knew the Harry Potter universe comes with some pretty enormous expectations.
But what I wasn’t prepared for was just how much fun it would be to see this world translated to a live stage.
Broadway in Portland could not have picked a more spectacular way to close out the season.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at Keller Auditorium isn’t simply a play you sit down and watch. It’s one of those theatrical experiences where half the entertainment is trying to figure out how in the world they’re doing what they’re doing right in front of you.
And eventually, you just have to stop trying to figure it out and enjoy the magic.
A Little Different Kind of Review…
I’m taking a slightly different approach to this review because Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a very different kind of Broadway experience.
Usually, I love diving into the performances, music, costumes and all those little moments that make a show memorable. But with this one, so much of the fun is in the surprise — and the last thing I want to do is spoil the magic before you experience it for yourself.
So instead, I’m sharing what makes this production so special while answering some of the questions I had going in (and the questions I know many of you are probably asking too): Is it a musical? Do you need to be a Harry Potter fan? Is it good for kids? Does nearly three hours feel long? And, of course…
How in the world do they do all of that magic on a live stage?!
Consider this your mostly spoiler-free guide to one of the most unique shows to hit Portland this season.
First Things First: Is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child a Musical?
No!
And I actually think this is important to know before buying tickets.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a Broadway play, not a musical.
There is music, movement and choreography throughout the production, but nobody suddenly breaks into a big Hogwarts show tune.
Instead, the music works almost like another special effect. Combined with lighting, movement, incredible costumes and elaborate scene changes, it creates atmosphere and keeps the entire production flowing.
And don’t mistake “play” for quiet or simple.
This show is anything but.
There are disappearing characters, spells, transformations, objects behaving in ways objects definitely should not behave, swirling robes and scene changes that happen so seamlessly that the production rarely seems to stop moving.
The movies had CGI.
This is happening on a stage.
That distinction makes the magic surprisingly thrilling.
And if you have someone in your family who says, “I don’t like musicals,” this may actually be the Broadway show that gets them through the door.
So, What Is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child About?
Don’t worry — I’m keeping this spoiler-free.
The story takes place years after the events of the original Harry Potter series.
Harry Potter is now an adult, husband, father of three and an overworked employee at the Ministry of Magic. His youngest son, Albus Severus Potter, is struggling with something Harry never really had to contend with as a child: growing up underneath the enormous shadow of the Harry Potter name.
Things become even more interesting when Albus forms an unlikely friendship with Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Harry’s longtime school rival Draco Malfoy.
What begins as the story of two boys trying to find their own identities becomes a much larger adventure involving friendship, family, expectations, the complicated relationships between fathers and sons — and the dangerous consequences of trying to change the past.
And that’s ultimately what surprised me about the story.
For all the spectacular effects and wizardry, the magic isn’t actually the most important part.
It’s about fathers and sons.
Friendship.
Expectations.
Regret.
Living beneath someone else’s legacy.
And realizing that our parents — even Harry Potter — are imperfect people trying to figure things out as they go.
As a parent, there is quite a bit here that hits home.
Apparently defeating Voldemort was easier than raising teenagers.
Who knew?
The Question Everyone Will Ask: HOW Do They Do That?
This is the thing I kept coming back to.
You know there has to be an explanation.
There are obviously incredibly talented technicians, illusion designers, lighting designers and performers making everything happen.
But sometimes it’s much more fun not to know.
One of the smartest things about Cursed Child is that the production doesn’t rely on one enormous theatrical trick.
Magic is woven throughout the entire show.
People disappear.
Objects move when they shouldn’t.
Spells fly.
Characters transform.
Time shifts.
Even the scene transitions feel magical.
The ensemble sweeps across the stage, robes fly, lights change, scenery transforms and suddenly we’re somewhere completely different.
There are moments that feel almost cinematic, yet there isn’t a camera edit or movie screen to explain what you just witnessed.
When an illusion happens feet away from a live audience and you STILL can’t quite figure it out?
That’s Broadway magic at its best.
And Can We Talk About the Dementors?
If there is one visual element Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has become famous for, it’s the Dementors.
And understandably so.
They are creepy, dramatic and visually spectacular — exactly what a Harry Potter fan hopes a Dementor would be in real life while simultaneously hoping never to encounter one in real life.
The production doesn’t treat them like background scenery. Their presence changes the entire feeling of the theater.
This is also one of those moments where I’d give parents of sensitive younger kids a little heads-up.
They’re wonderfully done.
But they’re supposed to be unsettling.
For the rest of us?
Bring on the Dementors.
I Wasn’t Expecting It to Be This Funny
Another surprise is how much humor there is throughout the show.
Going into Cursed Child, it’s easy to expect darkness, time travel, family conflict and dramatic wizard problems.
All of that is there.
But so are genuinely funny moments.
Ron Weasley still brings that wonderfully familiar Ron energy to the story, while the friendship between Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy gives the production both its humor and much of its heart.
Scorpius, in particular, is incredibly easy to adore.
Their friendship quickly becomes one of the emotional anchors of the entire story.
Those lighter moments are important because they balance the darker parts beautifully and keep the production from ever feeling too heavy.
A Cast Worthy of the Wizarding World
Taking on characters as iconic as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley cannot be easy.
Audiences already have very specific versions of these people living in their heads.
What I love about seeing these characters as adults is that we’re not simply revisiting the trio we remember from Hogwarts.
We’re seeing who they became.
Harry is a father struggling to understand his son. Hermione has grown into a powerful adult. Ron still brings levity when everyone desperately needs it. Ginny is no longer simply the younger Weasley sister.
And then there is the next generation.
The relationship between Albus and Scorpius is really the heartbeat of the production.
The younger cast has the difficult job of standing beside some of the most famous characters in modern fiction while convincing us to care just as much about their story.
They pull it off.
Do You Have to Be a Harry Potter Fan?
This was one of my biggest questions going in, especially because not everyone attending with a Potter fan will have read every book or remember every detail from the movies.
My answer?
No — but being a fan definitely makes it more fun.
The central story is easy enough to understand on its own.
A child is struggling beneath his father’s enormous legacy.
A father doesn’t know how to connect with his son.
Two kids form an unexpected friendship.
And a decision involving the past creates consequences much bigger than either of them anticipated.
You don’t need to remember every Hogwarts professor to understand that.
Potter fans, however, get an extra layer of fun.
There are familiar names, places and pieces of wizarding history woven throughout the story, and there’s something wonderfully nostalgic about returning to this world years later and discovering what became of the characters we grew up with.
If you’re completely new to Harry Potter, a quick recap beforehand certainly wouldn’t hurt.
If you’re already a fan?
You’re going to have a blast recognizing all those little connections.
Nearly Three Hours — Does It Feel Long?
The current touring production runs approximately 2 hours and 55 minutes, including intermission.
I’ll admit, seeing “almost three hours” can make me hesitate.
But this isn’t three hours of people standing around having long conversations.
There is constantly something happening visually, the story moves through different locations and periods, and you’re frequently waiting to see what theatrical trick they’re going to pull off next.
It’s a big show with a big story.
And definitely use the restroom at intermission.
Consider that my practical Broadway advice of the day.
Wait — Wasn’t Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Originally TWO Shows?
Yes!
Longtime Harry Potter fans may remember hearing about people seeing Cursed Child as two separate productions — Part One and Part Two.
You’re remembering correctly.
The original production was presented in two parts, requiring audiences to attend two performances to experience the entire story.
The touring version has been reimagined as one complete theatrical experience.
And frankly, that’s much easier for most of us.
One ticket.
One trip downtown.
One evening of magic.
Is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Good for Kids?
The production is generally recommended for ages 8 and older, and that feels like a good guideline.
But my bigger advice?
Know your kid.
There are loud sounds, dramatic effects, flashing and strobe lighting, darker themes and some genuinely creepy sequences.
Again…
Dementors.
A Potter-loving 9- or 10-year-old who enjoys spooky things will probably think it’s the coolest thing ever.
A very sensitive younger child could find portions intense.
And adults should absolutely NOT dismiss this as a children’s production simply because Harry Potter is involved.
In many ways, the story hits differently when you’re a parent.
Do You Need to Dress Up?
Nope.
But will you see Harry Potter shirts, Hogwarts colors and the occasional house scarf?
Of course.
Broadway in Portland audiences are always a fun mixture of people dressed for a night at the theater and people keeping things casual, and this is one of those productions where embracing your inner Potter fan just adds to the experience.
So wear the Gryffindor scarf.
Or Slytherin.
I promise not to judge.
Much.
Don’t Stress About Having the “Perfect” Seats
One thing I’d tell anyone buying tickets for this particular production: don’t assume closer automatically means better.
There is SO much happening across the stage.
The lighting, choreography, scenery and illusions work together as one enormous visual experience.
Sitting back a little and being able to take everything in can actually be an advantage.
A centered view where you can see the full stage would be high on my list.
So don’t panic if you aren’t sitting in the first five rows.
With this show, seeing the whole picture is part of the magic.
Broadway in Portland Saved Some Serious Magic for Last
There is always something a little bittersweet about reaching the final show of another Broadway in Portland season.
We’ve had months of incredible touring productions come through Portland, and suddenly we’re at the finale.
But Harry Potter and the Cursed Child feels like exactly the right production to finish with.
It’s big.
It’s imaginative.
It’s nostalgic without relying entirely on nostalgia.
It’s funny.
It’s surprisingly heartfelt.
And most importantly, it does something increasingly difficult to do:
It makes an audience wonder.
We’re so accustomed to CGI and digital effects that it’s difficult to surprise us anymore.
We’ve watched dragons fly. We’ve watched superheroes save the world. We’ve seen entire fantasy universes created on screens.
But put impossible-looking magic on a stage, happening live in front of hundreds of people, and suddenly you’re a kid again trying desperately to figure out the trick.
Eventually, you just have to stop trying.
Let the lights go down.
Let the Wizarding World take over.
And let yourself believe in magic for a few hours.
What a wonderfully magical way to say goodbye to another Broadway in Portland season.
Mischief managed.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
The remaining performances for the Portland engagement of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is:
Tuesday, August 4
Wednesday, August 5 7:30 pm
Thursday, August 6
Friday, August 7
Saturday, August 8 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, August 9 1 pm – and 7:00 pm
Tuesday, August 11 7:30 pm
Wednesday, August 12 7:30 pm
Thursday, August 13 7:30 pm
Friday, August 14 7:30 pm
Saturday, August 15
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