William, Claire, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Oh Mother of  Horcruxes, I am DONE!

First thing to note here - I am a long time Potterhead. Also note, I hated the post-Hogwarts book, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (HPCC). I dismissed it as no better than the sorryest amature fan fiction. Yet, I've wanted - desperately wanted - to see this play since it opened in London in 2016. Thought I didn't
have a Hippogriff's chance in a wizard's duel to see it. Then it opened in NYC, and now here I am with tickets for the neph, William and meself.

Knew this would be an epic adventure, which started with the box office giving me seats up in the peanut gallery - which I felt was wrong... On climbing up to the rafters, I was told they'd screwed up and that my actual seats were much better.

Then, it was CORRECTO TICKETUS! and my real tickets were in my hands and I was off to peruse the souvenirs. You saw that one coming didn't you? Got myself and William Hogwarts ties, we are both in Ravenclaw. Then I got a frozen drink that came in a keepsake HPCC cup. Didn't realize the slushy drinks were alcoholic, probably spiked with Ogden's brand Giggle Water. Had a couple of those drinks *hic* before the done was day.

The Cursed Child is two plays, and there is the option to see them on two different days, or take the route we did, which was seeing them on the afternoon & evening of the same day. Best choice!

Yay! Our 'proper' seats in the orchestra section

Wills had taken off to get some food outside of the theater and I was worried with him having the wrong ticket, something awful was going to happen, but I described him to a helpful usher and went to my theater seat. Lo and behold, William made it to our correct seating before curtain time and we were ready to be wowed.

What a fun production! It was just as I'd hoped, it makes you feel like you got lost in Diagon Alley, and watched witches & wizards perform magic in front of your eyes. Some bits of the production were so magical that during intermission, William and I would discuss how-the-freakn' hell they pulled off this or that magic, on the stage, right in front of our disbelieving eyes. I think my favorite spectacle was the wand duel between adult Harry Potter and his one time, second level nemesis, Draco Malfoy. During that spectacular wizard's duel, I was shrieked with delight.




After the first play, part I was ended, William and I took off for dinner before the start of part II. We yelped, googled and headed for a Japanese restaurant that was not where the phones said it would be. Rats! So we ended up instead at Bubba Gump's Shrimp. We wolfed down a combo special and fancy drinks. Then we returned to the theater to roam the halls and take advantage of the awesome photo opts.

William's photography magic

William and the Pushy Thunderbird!

Happy to visit Snape's Patronis - ALWAYS!

Ominous signs hoovering over an Owlry... quite Death Eater-ish!

I absolutely must mention this - after dinner, as we waited with other theater goers to enter the Lyric Theater, I was astounded to see a so-help-me-gods, BAT flying around just above us! I freaked out, as it was flippin' freezing, around 28 degrees out and yet there was a bat, flying around! It was my first time seeing a bat in the Big Apple. You know me, I noisily pointed it out, and no one else paid any attention to neither the bat, nor me. I guess considering the other magic we'd seen today, a bat was no big whoop for anyone but moi. I guess  they thought bats are so 'Halloween' and that was a fortnight ago.

For a day with over 4 hours watching a play, the day ended as though cursed by a dark wizard who willed the fun to trickle slowly away. But it was so wonderful while it lasted. I suspect if I ever get to a Harry Potter World I will just *POOF!* dissolve into a sizable puddle of happy 'essence of Claire'. 

Can you spot Dumbledore on the right?

That is George Weasley in the stripy jumper

All too soon, the last bows

Before we reluctantly left the theater, we had our photos taken with the emblem of Ravenclaw (mind... it is the version that has a raven, which as Ravenclaws, we know actually ought to be an eagle with Raven, i.e., black talons, but as a true Ravenclaw I would be remiss to let that fact slide by, sans comment). 

'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure', yeah, that's us to a tee.

That was our fantastic day at the theater. Likely the only double play day I'll ever know, at least until I repeat the HP and the Cursed Child adventure again, hopefully next time in London.

To give an idea of the play's 'flavor' here is a short teaser on the production.