HARRY POTTER CURSED CHILD as 1 Part

[macbeth]

Posted: 10/19/21 at 1:57pm

Has there been any scoop yet on what it's looking like will be removed to fit to one part? Do you think there will be a newly published script? 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 2:22pm

I don't think there's a posted runtime yet but I think I heard somewhere that it's looking like 3 hours 30 minutes, which would only be about an hour and a half cut. No clue on what the specific changes are though.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 3:23pm

I’m excited to see whatever it turns out to be. I found the spectacle thrilling and the story mostly a convoluted bore, so I’m hoping they found a way to punch up what’s special about the production in trimming it down.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 3:37pm

I bet they cut out all the women's speaking roles because that JK loves her male protagonists. 

[VotePeron]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 3:39pm

The only thing I’ve heard that’s seemingly confirmed is the cutting of the 2 children’s tracks. Lily was only in the first 30 mins of Part 1, and young Harry appeared throughout in flashbacks. I’m assuming this means they are cutting the flashbacks, but I could see them reworking them, too.
 

Edit: confirmed in that they are not on the website or in any cast photos. 

Updated On: 10/20/21 at 03:39 PM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 4:11pm

Even though I saw the show 5 times, there were scenes in Part II when, after a long day, I definitely struggled to pay attention. 

[mikey2573]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 4:26pm

I understand why they would cut the flashbacks of a young Harry as some of them were just scenes we've all seen or read in the original series.  But, there was one where Petunia wakes young Harry up in his bed beneath the stairs, only to discover that he has wet the bed, and she gets angry at him and belittles him.  I found that scene to be very poignant.  Also, probably the single biggest JOLT of the entire 2 part production was young Harry visiting the graves of his parents.  Those of you who saw the two parter probably recall the entire audience jumping about three feet in the air. 

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 8:10pm

I always felt the flashbacks were completely unnecessary, and a lot of part 1, act 2, was inconsistent with the plot of act 1. Hopefully they got rid of most of it.

[adotburr]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 8:36pm

I didn’t see either part because part 2 never was offered during a matinee and I didn’t want to see part 1 without part 2. I know the Harry Potter story but little to nothing about this play. I’ve heard mixed reviews- anywhere from absolutely loved to bored out of my mind. I am very excited to finally see this play and I wouldn’t be able to if they didn’t merge the parts to one. I am holding off to purchase tickets until a runtime is announced to make sure I have enough time to get out of the theatre and to either the bus or train home.

My only worry is would this keep my attention through the entire show. New material to me so I hope so, but 3 hr 30 min (if that is the new runtime) plus intermission and maybe a short pause is almost 4 hrs of theatre which is long for anyone.

[BwayStarlette]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 8:42pm

I love so many shows, most shows, but I really struggled with this one. It's just.... boring.

[MattieIce2018]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 10:27pm

mikey2573 said: "I understand why they would cut the flashbacks of a young Harry as some of them were just scenes we've all seen or read in the original series. But, there was one where Petunia wakes young Harry up in his bed beneath the stairs, only to discover that he has wet the bed, and she gets angry at him and belittles him. I found that scene to be very poignant. Also, probably the single biggest JOLT of the entire 2 part production was young Harry visiting the graves of his parents. Those of you who saw the two parter probably recall the entire audience jumping about three feet in the air."

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly happens in that scene? I have the script and reading the scene, I can kind of see what would scare people but the stage directions aren't super descriptive.

 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 10:32pm

Voldemort's hand pops out of the grave, accompanied by a loud musical sting. 

[MattieIce2018]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 10:51pm

TaffyDavenport said: "Voldemort's hand pops out of the grave, accompanied by a loud musical sting."

Thanks - I wasn't sure if it was referring to that or the loud scream that's written at the end of the scene. That makes sense.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 10/20/21 at 11:34pm

I think its hilarious that they are only doing this to the productions in North America, essentially Sonia Freedman saying that people on this side of the atlantic are to ADHD to handle the full staging

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/21/21 at 1:37am

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "I think its hilarious that they are only doing this to the productions in North America, essentially Sonia Freedman saying that people on this side of the atlantic are to ADHD to handle the full staging"

The real issue is that it is priced as two separate Broadway shows, which is a deterrent to families. And the two shows are a big time commitment, with the only ability to see each part after a day of sightseeing is on Thursdays and Fridays.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 10/21/21 at 10:02am

The highest priced ticket I see for the two-part London on a weeknight is £190, which is roughly $262. A Premium Ticket on Broadway, for one show, is $269, or $291.50 after fees. Even before the change, it was a lot of money, not to mention commuting or hotel for two nights. 

I do think a bit of the so-called ADHD argument holds up, in that the London production does four two-show days, and seems to do quite well with them. Even though some of the biggest tourist shows on Broadway have tried to do matinees besides Wednesday and the weekends, audiences just couldn't grasp the concept here yet.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 10/21/21 at 10:11am

everythingtaboo said: "The highest priced ticket I see for the two-part London on a weeknight is £190, which is roughly $262. A Premium Ticket on Broadway, for one show, is $269, or $291.50 after fees. Even before the change, it was a lot of money, not to mention commuting or hotel for two nights.

I do think a bit of the so-called ADHD argument holds up, in that the London production does four two-show days, and seems to do quite well with them. Even though some of the biggest tourist shows on Broadway have tried to do matinees besides Wednesday and the weekends, audiences just couldn't grasp the concept here yet."

I don't think it's much to do about grasping a concept of a two show day, but more about inability to take a day off from work to see a show matinee. I think in the US even if you're a high earner who can afford tickets for both part of HP for yourself and your family, you wouldn't necessarily prioritize a Broadway play and spend a precious and very limited day off on it. The work culture is different here.

[corthomas]

Posted: 10/21/21 at 10:24am

I'm assuming this show is still too popular for there to be a discount code for...right?

Updated On: 10/21/21 at 10:24 AM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 10/21/21 at 10:27am

corthomas said: "I'm assuming this show is still too popular for there to be a discount code for...right?"

Given how slowly it’s selling, I’d expect discounts closer to the opening date. These producers are going to sell full price for as long as possible.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 10/21/21 at 10:52am

As some have pointed out, this has all to do with time commitment (and sort of to do with the price-point) and nothing to do with attention span. As we saw from their first year, American audiences were perfectly happy to see the 2-part experience. But once they burnt through the local NY audience, they struggled to get tourists to commit to that block of time.

I would guess that it’s easier in London because the majority of tourists are coming from either mainland Europe, or the rest of the UK. It’s probably easier/cheaper for them to get to London than it is for many domestic tourists in the US to get to NY, and so they don’t feel as much of a burden of time management. Not to mention that many of NYC’s international tourists live closer to London than they do to NYC. Work culture might also have something to do with it too.

As for discounts: the show already had steep “discounts” before the pandemic, but they skillfully spun it to make it seem otherwise. Instead of offering discounts through the regular channels, they simply lowered the prices of their tickets. They regularly had tickets available at the box office the week of, for dirt-cheap prices. Like $30/part and maybe less. But there were no “discounts” available because they wanted to continue to appear popular.

That’s why I say it’s “sort of” to do with money. The production provided access to cheap tickets and still struggled to get people to commit to 2 parts, but the people didn’t know about the cheap tickets.

[populismyeayea]

Posted: 10/21/21 at 4:57pm

Definitely think the kids are gone - it's a huge cost savings for the production because they don't have to pay for teachers/wranglers/etc.

I also think this consolidation is a dry run for a national tour. I'd expect to see a lot of the set pieces that won't travel well be cut or altered. Also, I think they'll trim a lot of the fun elements that were just fluff (say goodbye to the aging wizards home gags IMO.)

 

[thedrybandit]

Posted: 10/21/21 at 7:59pm

I have heard that the kids and flashbacks are definitely cut, as well as the scenes with the talking portraits. Dumbledore's was named as being cut, since it has full scenes, but I don't know if the portraits have been dropped entirely or just the extended scenes.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/22/21 at 12:10am

thedrybandit said: "I have heard that the kids and flashbacks are definitely cut, as well as the scenes with the talking portraits. Dumbledore's was named as being cut, since it has full scenes, but I don't know if the portraits have been dropped entirely or just the extended scenes."

To be honest, I won't miss Dumbledore. It was definitely fan service, and Harry treating the portrait like the real thing was a stretch. And to be honest, I'm not a fan of how McGonagall is portrayed, either. 

[whatacharacter]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 11:26am

Any updates on this?  Have tickets for 11/26.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 11:42am

whatacharacter said: "Any updates on this? Have tickets for 11/26."

Previews start next week. There will be plenty of updates then.