‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: Poppy Miller & Jamie Parker. Photo: Manuel Harlan

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
A new play by Jack Thorne
Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne & John Tiffany
Directed by John Tiffany
Lyric Theatre
214 West 43rd Street
877-250-2929, https://www.harrypottertheplay.com/

Editor’s Note: The following review is of the original two-part show.  The show was condensed into one show in fall 2021.

By Scott Harrah

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two is a Broadway blockbuster of a different type. It is groundbreaking like Hamilton and Book of Mormon, but as a play, not a musical, and an epic two-part show like Angels in America. It will always be known as the theatrical masterpiece that redefined how high-tech special effects should be done for the stage, but it is not merely a tour de force because of a bag of Broadway magic tricks. This is a classic saga of parents and children and the things in life threatening to tear them apart.

The show’s total price tag is a reported $68 million, and one knows no expense was spared from the moment upon arriving at the Lyric Theatre, which has been totally renovated to evoke the Harry Potter experience along with the grandeur of venerable British theaters in London.

Playwright Jack Thorne, director John Tiffany and creative genius J.K. Rowling have beautifully pulled off what might seem like an impossible task. They have taken beloved characters from Ms. Rowling’s popular franchise of books and films and created a stage book that is accessible to everyone, including “Muggles” (like this reviewer) who have never read the books or seen the Hollywood movie adaptations.

One doesn’t need to know anything about Ms. Rowling’s world of wizards and magic to appreciate, savor and enjoy nearly six hours of superlative acting, innovative special effects that never fail to amaze while propelling the story forward, and this touching tale of Harry Potter (Jamie Parker) as a 37-year-old father to Albus (Sam Clemmett). The saga is less about Harry Potter and more about the expectations and problems his son encounters as well as their complicated relationship.

Harry Potter, now nearing middle age, is married to wife Ginny (Poppy Miller) and working for the Ministry of Magic with old friend Hermione Granger (Noma Dumezweni). The story opens in London’s Kings Cross Station as parents bid farewell to their children about to depart on a train to Hogwarts. Also on the train platform is Harry’s old nemesis Draco Malfoy (Alex Price) and his blond-haired lookalike son Scorpius (Anthony Boyle).

As Albus enters his first year at Hogwarts, he’s anxious having to follow in his famous father’s footsteps. The crux of the story is the growing friendship between Harry’s son Albus and Draco’s son Scorpius; particularly tricky and troublesome since their fathers were once archenemies.

To give too much of the plot away would be criminal because the true thrill of both shows is experiencing the myriad surprises, both from the play itself and the mind-blowing special effects. Suffice it to say, movement director Steven Hoggett, set designer Christine Jones, lighting designer Neil Austin, sound designer Gareth Fry, Illusions & Magic designer Jamie Harrison and countless other technical “wizards” transport us through J.K. Rowling’s vivid, imaginative world with characters and creatures that soar through the air with not a wire in sight—and so much more.

Ultimately, however, it’s not the technical spectacle of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child that moves audiences (though it’s all magical and a gorgeous visual feast yet is unobtrusive enough to never overshadow the material). Despite all the blazing fires and wild sets, what is truly timeless here and profoundly touching is the ongoing theme. The saga is about the consequences for children when parents are physically and emotionally absent.

Director John Tiffany (best known on Broadway for the ingenious reimagining of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie in 2013 and his Tony Award-winning direction of Once in 2012) extracts exceptional performances from the entire cast. The standouts: Jamie Parker is consistently engaging as Harry, a father who is distraught about everything his son is experiencing. Noma Dumezweni, as Hermione Granger, is sheer perfection, from her imposing presence to her rapid-fire delivery of dialogue. Eclipsing everyone, however, are the two young actors portraying the prodigal sons. Sam Clemmett as Albus Potter never fails to pack an emotional wallop. Anthony Boyle gives the most richly textured and deeply nuanced performance, and he’s a show-stealer every moment he’s on the stage.

Even without all the visual technical filigree, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is worth the expensive (and hard to get) ticket price alone for the elegant dialogue, the seamless scene set-ups and the consummate performances that drive the action to the finish line with a glorious message about good triumphing over evil and the power of love between parents and their children.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 30, 2018
Reviewed at April 28, 2018 press performance.

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: Brian Abraham & company. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: Brian Abraham. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: The company. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: Jamie Parker. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: Sam Clemmett, Brian Abraham & Anthony Boyle. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: Jamie Parker & Alex Price. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: Jamie Parker & Sam Clemmett. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: Edward James Hyland, Sam Clemmett & Anthony Boyle. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: Jamie Parker. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: The cast. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: The company. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: Noma Dumezweni & David St. Louis. Photo: Manuel Harlan

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‘PARAMOUR’: (left to right) Andrew & Kevin Atherton. © Cirque du Soleil Theatrical. Photo: Joan Marcus

PARAMOUR
Composers Bob & Bill, Guy Dubuc and Marc Lessard
Lyrics and Co-composer Andreas Carlsson
Creative Guide & Creative Director Jean-Francois Bouchard
Associate Creative Director, Scene Director & Story by West Hyler
Directed & conceived by Philippe Decoufle
Associate Creative Director, Acrobatic Designer & Choreographer Shana Carroll
Choreography by Daphne Mauger
Lyric Theatre
213 West 42nd Street
(877-250-2929), ParamourBroadway.com

By David NouNou

There are two ways of viewing Paramour: as a musical or a Cirque du Soleil presentation, a New Yorker or a tourist, a really bad musical or an eye-popping family treat. In order to fully appreciate this mash-up musical, you have to choose which category you want to fall into. There is no right or wrong answer and there is absolutely no shame in choosing either category.

It was about half an hour into the show when I decided to give up making any sense of the plot of Paramour and just go with the flow that I was at Cirque du Soleil and appreciate the camp with the spectacle. For where else would you get (pay attention here, it gets complicated) the leading lady of Paramour Ruby Lewis, playing the leading lady Indigo, filming a scene portraying Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra with the astounding aerialists (Andrew and Kevin Atherton) flying above her, replete with the entire cast dressed as Romans as she enters Rome and then the scene morphs into another classic as Indigo, and the entire cast rearranging their costumes and resume filming the barn-raising number from Seven Brides For Seven Brothers? You can’t make this stuff up; you have to see it to believe it, and you thought you were getting a thrill seeing Hamilton.

Cirque du Soleil is a unique experience into itself. To box it into a musical format is foolish, for the show to be truly engaging has to soar and be free of any restrictions. It is supposedly set in the golden age of Hollywood; to me that meant the 1930s. Here it is the ’30s, the ’40s, and the ’50s all in one jumble. AJ, the Hollywood director (Jeremy Kushnier), needs a new singing leading lady. He finds her late one night in an L.A. bar. She is Indigo (Ruby Lewis), who has a pianist and song collaborator, Joey (Ryan Vona). You guessed, it a love triangle develops. AJ wants to make a film that immortalizes Indigo; let’s see if I get them all right. She has to be Greta Garbo in Mata Hari, Fay Wray in King Kong, Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, Eva Marie Saint in North By Northwest, Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot and Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra. Tall order indeed. Throughout this ridiculous plot, we have to be thankful for the Cirque du Soleil Company; along with the Atherton Twins, there is a specialty dance in Act II called “Love Triangle.” Three dancers (Martin Charrat, Myriam Deraiche and Samuel William Charlton) do a trapeze ballet that is absolutely mesmerizing and breathtaking; poetry in motion.

In addition to all the Cirque spectacles on stage, there are myriads of projections that are even more distracting than the story; and a finale that is right out of “Batman,” the 1960s TV series with Adam West, where people are just bouncing off rooftops in zoot suits.

My advice to you if you decide to go to Paramour and want to enjoy it to its fullest is this: Don’t go as a New Yorker; pretend you’re a tourist who happened to be at Duffy Square and just got your tickets. Enjoy the lights and noise of Times Square, marvel at the magnificence of the Lyric Theatre, go to your seat, (and this is very important) don’t take it seriously, don’t try to make sense of the show; you’ll just give yourself a headache. Just relax, go with the flow, and enjoy the madcap, zany camp spectacle known as Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published June 3, 2016
Reviewed at press performance on June 2, 2016

‘PARAMOUR’: The cast. Photo: Richard Termine

‘PARAMOUR’: (left to right) Martin Charrat, Myriam Deraiche & Samuel William Charlton. © Cirque du Soleil Theatrical. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘PARAMOUR’: (left to right) Fletcher Blair Sanchez (background, in yellow jacket) & Joe McAdam. © Cirque du Soleil Theatrical. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘PARAMOUR’: (left to right) Reed Kelly & Sarah Meahi. © Cirque du Soleil Theatrical. Photo: Richard Termine

‘PARAMOUR’: (left to right) Martin Charrat, Myriam Deraiche, Samuel William Charlton. Photo: © Cirque du Soleil Theatrical. Photo: Joan Marcus

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SAILORS’ DELIGHT: (left to right) Jay Armstrong Johnson, Tony Yazbeck & Clyde Alves. Photo: Joan Marcus

ON THE TOWN
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Book & lyrics by Betty Comden & Adolph Green
Based on an idea by Jerome Robbins
Directed by John Rando
Choreography by Joshua Bergasse
Lyric Theatre
213 West 42nd Street
(877-250-2929), www.OnTheTownBroadway.com/

By David NouNou

On The Town is a tribute to a New York of yesteryear. Based on Jerome Robbins’ ballet Fancy Free, about three sailors on a 24-hour shore leave and the adventures they encounter on this one memorable day. To say this is the best revival of the dated musical would not seem much of a compliment, considering the two that preceded it. The 1971 version had Phyllis Newman, Bernadette Peters and Donna McKechnie as the female leads; Claire De Loone, the anthropologist; Hildy, the taxi driver; and Ivy Smith, the dancer, respectively.  The males/sailors were forgettable and negligible.  It was somewhat cute and barely ran three months at the Imperial. Then came the hubristic George C. Wolfe 1998 fiasco with Lea DeLaria as Hildy and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (pre “Modern Family” fame) as Chip, one of the sailors; now that was an odd pairing. It lasted less than a month at the Uris Theatre, now named the Gershwin. I am sure the theater has recovered from that ill-fated bomb since Wicked has landed there.

This version has been magnificently orchestrated and makes the score come alive; it is fresh, vibrant and nostalgic. Musical aficionados will recognize the sharp musical notes that later appeared in Leonard Bernstein’s 1957 masterpiece, West Side Story. The same can be said of Jerome Robbins’ choreography and ballet.  You will be able to recognize his signature moves of the leaping dancers, with their arms in the air and ballet steps that were electrifyingly used in West Side Story. Joshua Bergasse has splendidly captured and recreated Robbins’ movements, none better than in the ballet sequences.

We have the three sailors: Gabey (Tony Yazbeck), the shy dreamer; Ozzie (Clyde Alves) the ladies’ man; and Chip (Jay Armstrong Johnson), the tourist who wants to see all of New York in 24 hours. Let me say all three are charmers with great voices and certainly can dance. Their female interests ultimately will be Ivy Smith/Miss Turnstiles for June and Gabey’s Miss Ideal, the beautiful Megan Fairchild, making her Broadway debut.  Elizabeth Stanley is the anthropologist, Clair, who forgets she has a fiancée and goes ape for her Neanderthal man, Ozzie. Last but not least is Hildy, the man-hungry cab driver (Alysha Umphress), who has found her bait in Chip. The three women are lovely, enchanting and know how to belt a song. My favorite couple has to be Gabey and Ivy; their ballet together is simply sublime.

John Rando, the director, and his team have certainly taken a dated dodo of a musical and remastered it to be enjoyed for its dancing and singing merits by contemporary audiences and overlook its wobbly book. He fine-tuned most of his cast except for one. I must question his taste and sense of humor when it comes to Jackie Hoffman and giving her all that free rein on that stage. Ms. Hoffman, in various roles, doesn’t just chew up the scenery; she inhales the wings as well. She has been doing this “hit and miss” shtick since Xanadu and The Addams Family and lately it’s more of a huge, annoying miss than shtick.

Beowulf Borritt, the scenic and projection designer who was such a sensation earlier this year in anchoring LCT’s Act One, for which he won a Tony for its magnificence and intricacy, here has a set that is just representational. Although he uses names and places of the 1944 era by way of projection designs, the time represented might be 1944 but the projections we see are 2014. For this cavernous theater, the show needed a more grounded set to anchor this show instead of just to represent it. However On the Town is represented, it still shows New York as being “One Helluva Town.”

MISS TURNSTILES: Megan Fairchild (center) & the cast of ‘On the Town.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

LADY CAB DRIVER: (left to right) Jay Armstrong Johnson & Alysha Umphress in ‘On the Town.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

GUY ‘ON THE TOWN’: Tony Yazbeck. Photo: Joan Marcus

THEY’LL TAKE MANHATTAN: The cast of ‘On the Town.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

GIRL MAGNETS: (left to right) Clyde Alves, Tony Yazbeck & Jay Armstrong Johnson & the ladies of ‘On the Town.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published October 22, 2014
Reviewed at press performance on October 21, 2014

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