Theatre-goers can look forward to a magical summer of rich entertainment, with the welcome news that a Harry Potter spin-off is coming to London’s West End. Set 19 years on from JK Rowling’s last book featuring the young wizard (Deathly Hallows), the Cursed Child will star Jamie Parker in the main role of Harry.
The grown-up Harry Potter
Intriguingly, the new production portrays the celebrated sorcerer as an adult with three children, James, Lily and Albus (played by Sam Clemmett). Helping the grown-up Harry to bring up their offspring will be his wife Ginny (nee Weasley), with Poppy Miller cast in that role.
Fans will no doubt remember that the character of Ginny was introduced in The Philosopher's Stone.
Talented cast list
No stranger to the theatre, Parker has also featured on the silver screen including a recent cameo appearance as an estate agent in the popular 2015 Film adaptation of Alan Bennet’s The Lady in the Van. Fellow English thespian Miller will be a familiar face to fans of the TV programme The Commander, where she starred as DC Carol Browning.
The play was co-written by Rowling and is scheduled to open at the Palace Theatre from July 30th.
Young stars have moved on
It is all a far cry from the beginnings of the Harry Potter film franchise that made young stars of the likes of Daniel Radcliffe (Harry) and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger).
They of course have grown into fine young adults themselves and spread their wings into other ventures in recent times.
Oddball role as a corpse
Radcliffe, who took on the title role in the Harry Potter films at the age of just 11, has enjoyed a mixed reception to his slightly oddball casting as a corpse in the film Swiss Army Man which is due for general release later this month.
UN Ambassador role for Watson
Twenty-six-year-old Watson has also moved on to other projects and is particularly committed to her role as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, with a key involvement on the HeForShe campaign which champions the notion of men advocating gender equality.
