Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

KevinUK pointed out that the possible May previews won't be happening so the first scheduled preview is 7th June. Honoured Guest expressed scepticism by pointing out the 7th June will only be the first preview if it isn't cancelled. HG wasn't saying "KEVIN, YOU ARE WRONG", HG was merely saying that early previews of ambitious productions have been known to be cancelled if the show isn't ready enough for an audience, and that none of us will be able to state with 100% accuracy the date of the first preview until it actually happens. We seem to have got into a weird loop where Honoured Guest and KevinUK appear to be arguing when they are both saying exactly the same thing - the 7th of June is the first *scheduled* preview, subject to possible cancellation. Then radio took a hold of the stick at maybe not the wrong end but certainly not the intended end, and now everything's got a bit nasty. How about we just all extend the production team our keenest wishes that everything goes successfully to schedule and move on?

Oh my goodness, it's just dawned on me how long I'll have to wait to see this show. I'm not going until new year's day! Avoiding spoilers is going to be impossible! Equally I can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts though.

Still not 100% sold on the idea of a Harry Potter play but when the cast was announced I definitely warmed to it a bit more. Regardless of whether it's good or bad I can see it being on the West End for years on end though...

I'm not going until January either, it's going to be a LONG wait until then. Still, I managed to avoid Hamilton spoilers neatly enough, so I'm quietly optimistic about doing the same for this. I might have to quit Tumblr and be careful with Buzzfeed links, but I'm sure it can be done.

Just to let you know - the theatre has some availability on Aug 3 (both plays, regular price - 60 each), if anyone is interested. Got a mail from Nimax, but I now can't make this date, so.. grab them while you can (I think you will need to give them a call).

It's a shame but as I got tired of waiting I booked two other things for this day (the only I had spare). Not much interested in the play itself to be honest (not a fan of HP, not even close) - Jamie Parker is easily the only thing that makes me wanna go. If he stays until late Autumn I'd consider another visit

Has anyone noticed how brutal the performance schedule is? 8 shows in 5 days. And 2 full length plays to alternate between every day.

That might be the case. But when they first announced the play I remember them saying it was in two parts because of "the epic greatness" of the story. So I wouldn't be surprised if both parts run 2h30 or more.

I can't think of any previous occasion of eight shows in five days - not even of a single show, let alone of two.
Out of interest, what would Viserys consider to be brutal? Three shows a day, every day, with water torture during the breaks?

But did they do it for weeks and months on end? This will not be just 1 hard week, this will be this casts weekly routine for probably at least a year.

Yes, I'd find that brutal

Seriously, I'd classify it as "demanding" but not brutal.  I'm not a performer, but I'd think doing a musical with heavy dancing and/or singing eight times six days a week with just one day of rest is more brutal than doing a play eight times on five days with two days to rest, but I reserve judgement until I've seen how long the plays are and how physically demanding.

I've a friend on the current Kenwright Joseph tour who sent me his schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday x2, Thursday x2, Friday, Saturday x3. So 10 shows a week from January - July, and touring at the same time. I'd say that would be pretty gruelling!

I was in a tour over Christmas and our usual was 8 shows a week though a couple of exceptions meant 8 shows in lesser amount of days (Cardiff was Tuesday, Wednesday x2, Thursday x2, Friday, Saturday x2) though one week was a 10-show week in 2 different cities: Monday, Tuesday x2, Wednesday x2 in Manchester, then travel to Chesterfield on Thursday and do Thursday, Friday x2, Saturday x2.

Currently in rehearsals for rep (which is what this Harry Potter run is essentially!) which is rehearsing for a play, perform it for one week, but rehearse a second play during the days of the week you're performing that first play and perform that second play the week after. So I get what the HP guys are going through and must be dreading, but somehow you do it, something gets you through it week after week and you come out of the other end relatively unscathed!! Good luck to them all!!