‘Cursed Child’ Gala Performance and Book Release Round-Up
Jul 30, 2016
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, News
With today marking one of (if not the most) important days for Potter fans since the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, the world is abuzz with excitement surrounding the impending release of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Parts 1 & 2 script book, as well as the opening night gala performance of the play itself.
After appearances by Sadiq Khan (the Mayor of London), Andrew Scott (Sherlock), Dan Fogler (Fantastic Beasts), and others, J.K. Rowling herself arrived on the red carpet outside the Palace Theatre in London to celebrate the momentous occasion of the play’s opening performance–one she hasn’t experienced the likes of since the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
Her first step onto the red carpet (in fabulous gold shoes with butterflies at the heels) is the immediate cause for celebration, as is made obvious by the cheers of the crowd.
Of the occasion, she says:
“‘What we’d really like most of all is to bring people into the theatre who’ve never been to the theatre before. I will be so proud to think that kids from my kind of background, who didn’t come from particularly theatre going families, might learn what theatre’s all about through this show. That would be incredible.”
See @jk_rowling & the creative team behind the #CursedChild on the red carpet at today’s gala performance.https://t.co/x0DwwAh6ee
— Harry Potter Play (@HPPlayLDN) July 30, 2016
After the excitement of the red carpet arrivals, Pottermore took us backstage with Sam Clemmett (Albus Potter) to see what went on behind the scenes of the opening performance of Cursed Child.
Check out his video diaries for more:
And a final video, where Sam prepares to meet fans at the stage door:
In celebration of the script book release, Pottermore wrote up a memory-filled look at Potter midnight book releases in the past, recalling nights filled with anticipation as fans lined up dressed as their favorite characters, wand in-hand as they counted down the minutes with their fellow Potter aficionados.
To quote the article:
“Midnight launches belong to the Harry Potter fandom. They’re a beautiful, crazy, sentimental thing and they have been since 31 July 2000, when Goblet of Fire went on sale at 12am in the UK, and then the US.”
For those of us longing for the midnight book release parties of the past, Barnes & Noble stores around the U.S. will be hosting midnight parties, and GeekyCon guests with day passes will be lucky enough to attend a midnight release party with fellow fans in Florida, as well.
Whether you choose to go all-out with your fellow Potter fans at a midnight release party or you grab your copy of Cursed Child in the quiet hours of the morning of the book’s release, we all get our chance to celebrate the next chapter in the story of Harry, his family, and his friends. The magic lives on for all of us today.
