5 That sound you hear coming from the newly renovated Lyric Theatre might be the incantations of wizards casting spells. But it could also be the thunderous applause of 1,622 Potter fans and their pals taking in the new Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Not all theatrical extravaganzas transfer from London to New York, or vice versa, with winning results. But the two-part, five-hour behemoth that became a blockbuster in London in 2016 and won nine Olivier Awards in 2017 is working its incandescent magic on American audiences. It may not bring home as many trophies at this year’s Tony Awards, but it’s practically a shoo-in for best new play. Its stateside success is no surprise. The Broadway incarnation has had two years to build momentum and hype, helped by the fact that the Cursed Child script led book sales in the United States in 2016, with more than 4 million copies sold. Broadway doesn’t see many family-friendly shows that aren’t musicals, so this opens up a whole new world for kids whose previous theatrical outings have been Disney musicals. For Americans, the Harry Potter phenomenon offers numerous pleasures beyond the fantasy element. The stories cater to our fascination with British boarding schools. (Yes, we know they’re not a reality for most students in the UK, but it doesn’t matter.) And Cursed Child respects the audience’s intelligence as it engulfs them in a world potentially more sinister than a lot of American children’s literature. My companion for both… [Read full story]
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