Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Palace Theatre, London

3.5/5 stars

I've seen Harry Potter and the Cursed Child several times, and I genuinely thought the original two-part production was about as close to theatrical perfection as you could get.

Yes, it was long. Yes, it was expensive. Yes, it required commitment. But my goodness, was it worth it. For me, it was an easy five stars.

After ten years in the West End, rising production costs and the changing economics of theatre have finally caught up with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Producer Sonia Friedman explained that the cost of running the production has risen significantly since the pandemic, making the original two-part format financially unsustainable without substantially increasing ticket prices. The production has therefore followed Broadway's lead and been condensed into a single performance. I completely understand the financial reasoning and appreciate that it makes the show more affordable and accessible to a wider audience. Unfortunately, having seen what the original achieved, I can't help feeling that something rather special has been lost in the process.

We caught the new version during its second week, so it's worth noting it's still very much finding its feet.

Set nineteen years after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the play, written by Jack Thorne from an original story by J.K. Rowling, Thorne and John Tiffany and directed by Tiffany reunites us with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco, who are now discovering that defeating Voldemort didn't necessarily make their lives any easier.

Harry (David Ricardo-Pearce) is struggling to connect with his son Albus (Ethan Rouse), who finds living in his famous father's shadow increasingly difficult. When Albus is sorted into Slytherin, he forms an unlikely friendship with Scorpius Malfoy (Bill Stanley), son of Harry's former rival Draco (Adam Jackson-Smith).

Determined to put right a tragedy from the past, the boys embark on an adventure involving a Time-Turner. Unfortunately, they never watched Back to the Future and didn't learn that interfering with history always turns out to be a spectacularly bad idea, threatening everything and everyone Harry and his friends fought for.

Although the main story remains intact in the shortened version, several supporting characters and smaller storylines have been cut. What I hadn't anticipated was just how much I'd miss the story and characters being given the space and time to develop.

Thankfully the characters still have their magic and Scorpius remains my absolute favourite character. Bill Stanley brings a lovely mixture of humour, awkwardness and vulnerability to the role. He's wonderfully endearing, permanently uncomfortable in his own skin yet somehow one of the most engaging people on stage. His friendship with Albus provides much of the story's emotional heart.

Thomas Aldridge is another delight as Ron Weasley, retaining that lovable, slightly roguish, boyish charm. He's older, certainly, but I'm not convinced he's grown up. Long may that continue.

David Ricardo-Pearce brings considerable experience to Harry, having played him for around three years, while Adam Jackson-Smith's Draco provides an interesting contrast in how the two fathers approach their sons.

However, the reason I kept returning to the original was its extraordinary stagecraft. There were illusions that genuinely defied explanation. We'd spend ages trying to work out how they'd done them, return months later and still be completely baffled.

Unfortunately, some of those secrets were rather less secret during our latest visit. We were told a new lighting system had been installed, which may explain why certain scenes appeared brighter than before, revealing elements of the stagecraft that had previously been almost impossible to detect. After years of wondering how particular illusions worked, finally discovering the answer because I could actually see what was happening was rather disappointing. After all, a magician revealing their secrets is rarely part of the plan.

There were also technical difficulties, including a temporary stop while an issue was resolved. Hopefully, these are simply teething problems as the production adapts to its new format.

My biggest reservation, however, is the revised script. They've squeezed five hours and fifteen minutes of meticulously crafted theatre into just under three hours. That's a reduction of almost 45%, and while the story remains, I couldn't help feeling some of its heart had been left on the cutting-room floor.

The original had time to breathe. Relationships developed naturally, tension built gradually and dramatic moments arrived after we'd become emotionally invested. Now everything moves at a gallop. There's one sequence that occurred at the interval of the original second part. I vividly remember the entire auditorium gasping. That same moment now arrives during the second half of the single-part version. The effect remains impressive, but without the same build-up, it doesn't land with quite the same force.

It's certainly not due to a lack of talent on stage. The actors simply aren't given the same opportunities to develop their characters. I also noticed a few moments when Harry's dialogue seemed less settled than I remembered. Having watched David Ricardo-Pearce perform the original so brilliantly, I did wonder whether the changes to the script and pacing were still taking a little getting used to. After all, performing a role for several years and then having to deliver a substantially revised version must take some adjustment. With the production barely into its second week, I'm sure these little moments will become less noticeable as everyone settles into the new format.

My overarching concern is whether the condensed script can ever deliver quite the same emotional impact as the original. And, honestly for me, it simply can't.

There's another change I hadn't anticipated. The audience. The original two-part production required a serious commitment of time and money. You really had to want to see Harry Potter. Now it's a single evening, opening the experience to a much wider audience, which is undoubtedly positive.

Unfortunately, the audience on our particular visit included quite a few people who seemed to have forgotten they weren't watching Netflix in their living room. The talking was relentless. Whispering, conversations, people attempting to film and children clearly struggling to concentrate on what is actually a fairly dark and complicated story. The theatre staff regularly patrolled the aisles, but it made little difference.

I've complained before about audience behaviour in the West End, particularly at the Adelphi, which remains my personal benchmark for people apparently leaving their theatre etiquette at home. I sincerely hope our experience at the Palace was simply an unfortunate evening rather than the beginning of a similar pattern.

It's also worth remembering that Harry Potter doesn't automatically mean suitable for every young child. The themes are often serious, and the teenage characters are played by adults. It's visually astounding but also quite frightening and very dialogue heavy.

Just to be clear, the magic isn't gone. Not entirely. There's still extraordinary theatrical invention, an engaging cast and a story with plenty to say about friendship, family and growing up in somebody else's shadow.

The technical issues will hopefully be resolved quickly, but I'm less certain whether the story can regain the emotional depth it once had. Perhaps it doesn't need to. Someone experiencing The Cursed Child for the first time won't know what's missing, and there's still plenty here to enjoy. I'm going back with a couple of younger companions, and I'm interested to see their reaction without the original to compare it against.

I understand why the changes were necessary, but I can't help feeling that in making the show more manageable, they've sacrificed a little of what made it magical.

Seen 20/10/2026

Accessibility at the Palace Theatre

Accessibility at the Palace Theatre is generally good, although there are a few things worth knowing, particularly if you're using a larger power chair.

On arrival, security greets you at the main entrance before an access host escorts you around the side to a step-free entrance. A small ramp leads through the door, with an accessible toilet immediately to your left and direct access into the stalls.

Very convenient, and the access staff were excellent. There are two designated wheelchair positions towards the rear of the stalls, one on either side. We were seated at the end of row S, where a substantial column behind the space makes manoeuvring rather interesting. I'll admit I hit it a couple of times. The access host was wonderfully gracious, although I suspect the column may remember me less fondly.

The bigger problem is that the position sits at the end of an aisle serving rows S and T. Although other patrons are encouraged to use the central aisle, those sitting near us understandably preferred not to disturb fifteen people. Consequently, I spent quite a bit of time moving backwards and forwards to let them out. I also had to remove my footplates to create enough room.

That was manageable for me, but someone unable to reposition their wheelchair could find it extremely difficult. I'd recommend checking the space dimensions before booking.

The position is fairly far back, although my chair sits relatively high, giving me a decent view over the audience. Transfer seats are available along both the side and central aisles. The theatre's access team have been very accommodating with seating requests, and we've booked central aisle seats for our next visit.

Leaving requires some consideration too. There wasn't enough room to turn my chair around, so I reversed back along the aisle. There's a noticeable slope, which could be difficult for manual wheelchair users or those with lightweight power chairs, particularly without assistance. I'd suggest waiting until the auditorium has largely emptied.

Companion seating is rather cramped. Diarmuid knocked his knees several times, particularly when the children in front were moving around.

Overall, the Palace provides a straightforward accessible entrance, helpful staff and several seating options. Just make sure the particular wheelchair position works for your chair and mobility needs before booking.

The content, experiences and opinions are all mine. Due to an acquired brain injury, my spelling, grammar and sentence structure sometimes need a little helping hand. The thoughts are original, human and entirely my own—the tidying up isn’t!