In case you've been living under a rock, last week the rehearsal script of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" was released for all to read. Before I get any further, this is, in fact, a script, not a book. A great many people were under the impression that it was a book despite the cover and J.K. Rowling saying otherwise -- multiple times.
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Since this is a script, I must urge everyone who has not read it to clear away any ideas you had about the story. It is not like any of the books, so if you go in thinking it's another "Harry Potter" book, then you'll be disappointed. Read it with no expectations and knowledge of the wizarding world, and you'll enjoy it a lot more. Now, without further ado, I give you a competent person's review on the script.
Warning! Spoilers ahead! I repeat, spoilers ahead!
At first, I honestly wasn't sure of how I felt about the story. It jumped through time a lot and most times I didn't know the motivations of the characters since plays don't reveal that information. However, once learning more about the characters it became a little easier to see why they were doing certain things.
I liked Albus and his character growth throughout the play. At the end, it's clear that he is incredibly similar to his father. He is headstrong, defiant of rules and doesn't want all the fame that comes with being Harry Potter's child. I understand his resentment of living under a burden he never wanted.
The same goes for the beautiful character that is Scorpius. I absolutely adore him. He's such a sweet, loyal boy forced to deal with awful rumors about his lineage. I wanted to know more about him, other than the fact that he is incredibly smart and is in love with Rose. I know that plays don't give a lot of time to divulge this information, but this could have been good for us to connect with this incredible character.
Speaking of Rose, she barely plays a role. None of the other kids do, especially not Albus' own family members. It's like they don't exist. And don't even get me started on Ron. He's nothing more than comic relief. It's disappointing, though I know the story wasn't about him.
OK, enough with the complaints about characters. The story is actually very good. At first, it's a little difficult to follow, but once you get used to reading a script, it gets easier. I love the clear voices. After awhile, I knew who was talking based on their distinct ways of speaking. I also liked how they explored different versions of the present after each time travel excursion.
There's also the nice plot twist near the end. One that I won't spoil because it left me thinking back to the books and movies. It was a nice way to change the story up and add more of a typical save-the-world feel that we're used to.
I'm honestly praying that this show expands to Broadway so I can see it live. I'd love to see how they managed to do certain scenes where magic is prevalent. It would also be good to see how the characters match up to my perception of them.
All in all, this script was a great way to address questions I had about my favorite magical world. I do, however, think it's time to put this world to rest for the time being. As much as I love Harry, I think he's done with the spotlight.
