LONDON, (Reuters) – Dressed in Hogwarts robes and waving wands, eager fans got a first glimpse of the next instalment in the Harry Potter saga, giving a new London stage production glowing reviews.
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” brings back to life author J.K. Rowling’s magical world of wizards and witches, set 19 years after her last book about the much-loved character and his friends Ron and Hermione.
The play, the eighth story in the series, opened for previews on Tuesday night at London’s Palace Theatre, outside which queues snaked for metres as those who secured the first tickets waited anxiously to get in.
The play, split into two parts, follows the three friends into adulthood, with Potter now described as an overworked Ministry of Magic employee, coping with his youngest son Albus’ struggles with his famous family’s legacy.
Little else has been revealed and Rowling, whose books were turned into box office hit movies, has asked that audiences do not spoil the story for others.
“I really liked the films but after seeing this, I would say, forget the films,” fan Callum Fawcett said. “This is fantastic … It’s got everything.”