How changes made 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' better

When “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” premiered on London’s West End in 2016, being the first “Harry Potter” story presented onstage was not its only mark of distinction. “Given the challenges of remounting and running a two-part show on the scale of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ in the U.S. — combined with the commercial challenges faced by the theatre and tourism industries coming out of the pandemic — we decided to move forward with a new version of the play that allows audiences to enjoy the complete ‘Cursed Child’ adventure in one sitting,” producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender tell The Times via email. From left, Scorpius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Potter, Harry Potter, Albus Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the San Francisco production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the San Francisco production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” Based on an original new story by franchise author J.K. Rowling, playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany, “Cursed Child” takes place decades after the final “Harry Potter” book and movie. Compared to the New York production of 2018, the revised “Cursed Child” currently playing San Francisco’s Curran Theatre is much more focused — an enjoyable single serving of Potter lore. “It’s not that the ‘Harry Potter’ universe needs LGBTQ narratives; they just shouldn’t be alluded to and then unfulfilled.” Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Potter in the San Francisco production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” Scorpius Malfoy in the San Francisco production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” Of course, the biggest selling point of “Cursed Child” is the ability to experience the magic of this beloved wizarding world in person.