by Lola Furbee
I had the incredible opportunity to relive one of my greatest childhood passions over winter break. The Harry Potter book series was my absolute favorite reading venture throughout middle school. I became totally engrossed with the entire franchise; I binge-watched all of the movies, took tests to figure out which Hogwarts House I was in, and visited Harry Potter World at Universal Studios. My eleven-year-old self almost lost her mind when she learned an eighth book would be released in the summer of 2016–and a stage play no less? It was my two obsessions at the time combined into one. Of course, when July 2016 rolled around, I was lined up outside of my local bookstore for the midnight release of the play script, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Over the years, my love for the Harry Potter franchise has dwindled, but my love for theatre remains tried and true. Hence, I was still ecstatic to see that the touring production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child would be hitting Chicago for the latter half of 2024. My parents decided to purchase tickets for me as a birthday gift, so once winter break hit, we set off to Chicago. It’s been about a month now since we all sat down to watch the performance, and I can honestly say I’m still thinking about the magic (literally) that I witnessed on stage that day. Watching the show felt like I had been transported back to 2016 when I was reading the script for the first time. The story was instantly captivating, and it felt so nostalgic getting to revisit these beloved characters from my childhood–this time, on the stage in front of me.
Now, you of course can’t stage a play in the world of Harry Potter without the magic. Disregarding the fact that I had once read the entire script at one point, the only thing that I knew going into this show was that the effects they were pulling off on stage were going to be superb. However, after seeing the show, and even as a theatre kid who knows the technical possibilities of on-stage effects, I really had no concept of how breathtaking the magic was actually going to be. The “Illusions and Magic” of the show is credited to Jamie Harrison, which is a job title you’re typically not going to see listed in your playbill. It makes sense, though, for a show that relies so heavily on its effects, whether it be sparks coming out of a wand or a broomstick levitating to a wizard’s hand, to have a position that is dedicated to these magical aspects that fans have come to know and love from the Harry Potter franchise. Whenever something particularly alluring happened onstage, it would immediately be followed by gasps and applause from the audience. It was truly a performance like no other.
To go hand-in-hand with all of the entrancing effects, this production wouldn’t have hit nearly as hard if it weren’t for the immense talents of the lead actors. Aidan Close as Scorpius Malfoy was my personal standout of the cast. To avoid any spoilers about Scorpius’s definite personality, I will note that it was Close’s specific take on the character that really struck me. The nuances he added to Scorpius’s dialogue and his depiction of the unguarded emotions that Scorpius cycles through as the plot progresses made his portrayal extra endearing. His comedic moments were quick but effective, and he shared a particularly tender moment with his father (Ben Thys) that seemed to touch many in the audience. His portrayal of Scorpius held such an authenticity that’s often not embodied in stereotypical, leading, male characters, so I found this to be pretty special.
Needless to say, my eleven-year-old self felt a great sense of fulfillment after seeing this production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It was the perfect chance for me to relive some of that childhood magic, this time with a brand new set of characters to fall in love with all over again.
