Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Reviews and experiences

I was honestly skeptical when I booked tickets last weekend — thought it might be dull, and, uh, that worry wasn't totally baseless. We did two shows in one day and the set is pretty much the same round wooden staircase on repeat, which gets old fast. Still, the actors saved it; their performances are way better than the staging. In the end I don't totally regret it, but pick cheap seats.

That moment when a dementor floated right over us — yeah, that’s when I relaxed. Tickets were easy to book ahead. We went because my mom wanted a proper theatre night for her birthday and she has mild hearing loss, so I was nervous. The staging worked. The visuals, the timing, the effects, they nailed it. Dialogue, though, was often too quiet. My mom couldn't pick up most lines. She left before the second half of part two. Shame, really. Overall I was quietly pleased with the spectacle. I’m thankful for those big moments, even if the show’s sound mix should have been sorted out.

Lights dimmed, the first swirl of fog and I was hooked — honestly didn't expect to be. The set and practical effects were stunning up close, felt almost tactile, like you could reach out and touch the magic. Seating was comfy, sound hit you in the chest sometimes, which is fun, though dialogue blurred a few times. New characters took a while to warm up for me, and some moments dragged, but overall I left smiling, glad I went. After a few duds from other companies, this one actually surprised me in a good way.

the theatre has this cosy, Hogwarts‑ish vibe that actually made the lobby feel special, and a kind usher walked us to our seats when my daughter slipped on the wet floor during the interval. They were apologetic, helped clean up and offered to check on her, which was something — could’ve been worse. So I’m grateful for the human bits: the staff who handled the rebooking, the woman in our row I ended up chatting with, and the small gestures after the slip. Still, I won’t pretend the performance lived up to the marketing; it’s loosely inspired by the books at best and more amateur than enchanting. Would I recommend it? Only if you’re curious about the venue or you’ve been tipped by a friend — and even then go in with low expectations. We left thankful it wasn’t a total disaster, just an expensive disappointment with a few decent people around it.