Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Tickets

Ten years after Harry Potter and the Cursed Child first arrived at the Palace Theatre in London, I find myself back in the theatre wondering whether it would still cast the same spell (and also wanting to catch the show before it becomes a one-parter this autumn).

What struck me this time wasn’t just the scale of the spectacle or the cleverness of the illusions. It was how much I connected with different things now than I did in 2016. Certain themes hit harder, certain moments landed differently and I realised that Cursed Child still has an uncanny ability to make you feel like you’re coming home to something familiar while discovering something new. Ten years on, these are the moments that made the most impact. 

Midnight trips to WHSmith and the start of binge culture

For multiple generations, Harry Potter wasn’t just something you read, it was something you DEVOURED. Begging for a lift from mum to your little market town at midnight to snatch up a copy of Order of the Phoenix, and then swallow it whole in one sitting before, bleary eyed, hungover on Harry, immediately flipping back to page one like it was hair of the dog. And, the whole Year 6 class building a pyramid with their 20 copies of Goblet of Fire at the back of the classroom, like it was some kinda monument, ready to dive straight back in during breaktime because we were utterly spellbound, (even though 640 pages is actually quite a lot for an 11-year old). It’s safe to say that Potterheads invented binge culture long before Netflix launched.

Point being, exactly the same energy lives in watching Cursed Child. It isn’t the slightly vapid nostalgia bait you get with certain spinoffs, it’s more like a bingeable, need-it-right-now mania that can only be quelled with a full day (5 hours and 15 minutes) of magical tonic. It’s a marathon; an event with a familiar community of Potter fans and you simply don’t want to come up for air until it’s done. Oh and I took mumsie with me to watch it this time, which felt really special. I guess I owed Sheila’s Wheels a favour or two for all those midnight lifts!

Full-circle moments that really resonated

The play constantly folds back into its own history. It opens on Platform 9¾, which becomes a symbolic return point for the fans, not just a liminal gateway to the Wizarding world. Characters repeat movements, advice; “best do it at a bit of a run if you’re nervous” and emotional beats from the original story.

It doesn’t feel like recycling though, it actually places you straight back in your dad’s armchair by the fire when you first ever, anxiously, watched Harry leave the wretched Dursleys behind. And when the holy three (Harry, Ron and Hermione) wave off their kids and refer to Hogwarts as the best place on earth, you get the feels all over again. Goosebump city. Population: me. 

Theatrical magic and spectacle

I still have my #KeepTheSecrets badge from August 2016 so it feels quite treacherous to touch on this too much, but maybe enough time has passed that I’m allowed?! When it comes to theatrical magic, this is where the stage really earns its place. The transformations, shifting realities, seemingly-impossible spatial moments with the telephone box entrance to the Ministry of Magic, fireplaces and magical bookcase sequences.

Plus classic Harry-vs-Draco duels, Polyjuice Potion, Dementors, the Hogwarts Express; all the emblems of a great Potter adventure are present and correct, so it recreates the feeling of reading spells on a page and imagining them, except now it’s happening right in front of you! Oh yeah, and Umbridge still be Umbridging. 

Hitting differently with a repeat viewing

During my first watch, I was mostly taking in the spectacle and the sheer scale of it all. But what makes the play really interesting on a return visit is how much more the themes of memory and trauma reveal themselves as the audience grows older with the show. 

Rewatching it, I noticed how much of Harry’s childhood never really left him. In Harry Potter, the cupboard under the stairs is something you accept almost as part of the fairytale logic of it all. It’s awful, but it sits in that “classic origin story” space you don’t look at too closely when you’re a child. 

As an adult, though, it doesn’t sit in the background so easily. You start to understand his unhappy childhood has actively shaped the way Harry moves through the world now he is a parent himself. You can see the residue of that in how he tries to parent, the way he overcorrects in some places and goes emotionally distant in others. Now you look closer, it seems so obvious that he wouldn’t have just “grown out” of his trauma and you see the ripple effect of what happens when a boy raised without care becomes a father himself. That’s what makes it such a compelling thread in the play.

Moaning Myrtle as chaotic comic relief

This was one of my favourite scenes in the show so Moaning Myrtle deserves her own point here. She’s simply pure comedic relief in the middle of something really heavy. Her scene is completely unhinged in the best way, exaggerated and genuinely hilarious. It breaks the tension at exactly the right moments. Ngl, it’s a good job we’re in a girls’ bathroom, because I was pmsl here. 

After a decade as a two-part theatrical event, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is being reimagined as a single-part production in London this autumn, with tickets now on sale for performances from 9th October 2026.

Producers Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender, and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions have confirmed the streamlined version will mirror the internationally staged format, including Broadway, bringing the West End in line with global productions.

A streamlined spellbinding experience

The new one-part version will run for approximately 2 hours and 55 minutes, including one interval, condensing the story into a tighter theatrical experience while retaining key moments and visual magic that have made the production a global phenomenon.

The current format has been performed as a two-part event since 2016, with audiences traditionally attending Parts 1 and 2 separately

It’s hard to believe, but Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has been enchanting London audiences for almost 10 years. Opening on 30 July 2016, this extraordinary West End production has become a must-see event for Potterheads of all ages.

To celebrate this milestone, the show has extended its booking in London to 20 September 2026, giving fans extra time to experience the magic. And mark your calendars: its 10-year anniversary performance will take place on 30 July!

Whether you’re returning to Hogwarts or planning your first visit, here are 10 reasons why now is the perfect time to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child:

The Show is Changing! This is your final chance to experience the original two-part Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London. The show will evolve into a reimagined one-part production from 6th October 2026, with a runtime of 2 hours 55 minutes and a single interval, delivering the entire story in one unforgettable performance.

A Decade of Magic: If you watched it when it first arrived in London, it’s now been almost 10 years since that unforgettable opening night. Feel old yet? Reliving the story is like stepping back into a world you never wanted to leave.

One-Day Spectacle: Previously, the show was performed across consecutive evenings, leaving audiences to anxiously await Part Two overnight. Now, both parts are enjoyed in a single day, with a break in between, making the experience more thrilling and immersive (and cheaper if you’re coming from outside of London),

Introduce a New Generation: Perhaps your loved one wasn’t old enough when the show first opened. Now, aged 8 or over, and having experienced the magic of the books and films, they’re ready to step into the wizarding world in person for the very first time.

The Palace Theatre is set for a fresh dose of wizardry as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child unveils its brand-new West End cast. The new company begins performances from 15 October 2025, with the production now extended until 26 July 2026.

Joining the wizarding ranks are:

Joshua Sullivan as Albus Potter, Kai Spackman as Scorpius Malfoy, Oliver Boot as Draco Malfoy and Tamia-Renée Alexandra as Rose Granger-Weasley

Returning to the stage are David Ricardo-Pearce and Claire Lams as Harry and Ginny Potter, with Thomas Aldridge and Naana Agyei-Ampadu as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

Accio tickets! The engorgio spell has worked as the West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has had its run extended. The bewitching play, housed at London's Palace Theatre, will now run until February 2026. This magical milestone coincides with the show enchanting over 2 million Muggles and wizards alike since its debut nine years ago!

For those who haven't yet dusted off their dress robes to attend, the play whisks audiences back to the Wizarding World, picking up 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts. The story centers on Albus Severus Potter, the middle child of the now Ministry-employed Harry Potter. Struggling under the weight of his family's legacy, Albus forms an unexpected alliance with Scorpius Malfoy, son of Draco Malfoy. Together, they embark on a time-turning adventure that proves meddling with history is more complicated than mastering a Patronus charm.

After the best-selling book series and blockbuster film franchise, who would have thought the boy who lived would keep on living?! After an eventful school career, we catch up with Harry Potter in the latest magical installment, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It only seems fair for Harry Potter to have an easy life. But now his kids are in school, who will they encounter? Let us whizz through the highly skilled wizards and witches currently starring in the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast.

Who are the current Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast members?

Now Harry and crew are all grown up, we not only have some new faces playing the beloved characters in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child but some new additions to the magical team, too. Our original heroes are currently played by:

David Ricardo-Pearce is currently starring as Harry. Before donning the lightning scar and wielding his wand, David could be seen in The Motive and the Cue, Saint Joan (National Theatre); The Lorax (The Old Vic); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Barbican and Bristol Old Vic); and The Big Fellah (Lyric Hammersmith). He’s also appeared in TV shows, including; Traitors, Eastenders, and The Spa.

Claire Lams is currently playing Ginny. Claire’s theatre credits include Mates in Chelsea, The King’s Speech, The Little Mermaid, One Man, Two Guvnors, and Educating Rita. Television includes The Perfect Couple, Trigger Point, Casualty, Call The Midwife, Humans, The Bill, Holby City, The Brief, and EastEnders.

Joshua Sullivan is making his West End debut as Harry’s son Albus following his training at Tring Park School and Rose Bruford College, with previous theatre work including Eggs and Baskets at the Hens and Chickens Theatre and film credits including Resilience.

Kai Spackman plays Scorpius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy’s son, and trained at the Guildford School of Acting, with this production marking his professional debut.

Thomas Aldridge plays Ron Weasley. Before his role as the clumsy but lovable best friend, Thomas appeared in Les Miserables at the Queens Theatre (now the Sondheim Theatre), Made in Dagenham at the Adelphi Theatre, the UK tour of His Dark Materials, and Only the Brave at Soho Theatre. His on-screen work includes Undercover, Call the Midwife, Silent Witness, and Eastenders.

Naana Agyei-Ampadu, who plays Hermione Granger, is known for a wide range of acclaimed stage and screen work, with theatre credits including Trouble in Mind, Pericles, A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer, and The Amen Corner (National Theatre), alongside screen credits in Hard Truths and Ready Player One, and television appearances in Death in Paradise and The Wheel of Time

Tamia-Renée Alexandra, who plays Rose—Hermione and Ron’s daughter—trained at The BRIT School and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and previously appeared in Matilda the Musical on its international tour, alongside credits including Magic at the Musicals (Magic Radio/TBI Media), with this production marking her West End debut.

Oliver Boot, who plays Draco Malfoy, trained at RADA and is known for theatre work including Witness for the Prosecution, Beautiful, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Hay Fever, and Jamaica Inn, with television credits including My Family, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, and Holby City.

Making up the the rest of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast are: David Annen, Hollie Beastall, Jacqueline Beaumont, Angeline Bell, Ricardo Castro, Robert Curtis, Laveda Dione, Gabriel Fleary, Aidan Garrett Wilkins, Cate Hamer, Tim Hibberd, Max Hunter, Dewayne Jameson Adams, Emma Louise Jones, Laura June Ness, Geffen Katz-Kaye, Louise Ludgate, Sophie Matthew, Nathan Muwowo, David Nairne, Mariam Pope, Helen Power, Jocelyn Prah, Claire Redcliffe, Ian Redford, Martin de los Santos, Adam Slynn, Joshua Talbot, Callum Tempest, Alex Tomkins, and Jake Tuesley. Jasper Franklin, Sebastian Halford, Rachel Kirk, Effie Linnen, Theo Martin, Zachary Seaton, and Harper Tricker alternate two children’s roles.

So you think you know all the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child characters? Let’s test that, shall we? With the introduction of the next generation of witches and wizards, there are a few names you may not be as familiar with.

The definitive guide to all the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child characters

You know the books. You know the films. But how well do you know the stage play currently on at the Palace Theatre in London’s West End? Meet everyone in the record-breaking show based on J.K Rowling’s wizarding world.

Familiar characters in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Let’s start with all the characters you know, love and (sometimes) hate.

Harry Potter

The boy who lived to be an overworked Ministry of Magic employee and dad of three. See the lightning-scarred protagonist all grown up as we re-enter the Potter-verse where The Deathly Hallows left off - 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts. The next generation of magical folk - including Harry’s son Albus - attend the hallowed school. Due to the pressures of work and a strained relationship with Albus, Harry says a few things a father shouldn’t, leading to disastrous events and a dash through time.

Ginny Potter 

Helping Harry to become an official member of the Wesley family, Ginny is Harry’s wife. In the show, Ginny helps Harry to reconcile with their son Albus - proving herself to be wise and grounded, just as she was in the books.

Hermione Granger

The over-achieving Hermione is now the Minister for Magic. She and her husband, Ron, have a daughter named Rose who is attending Hogwarts with Harry’s children. Ever the loyal friend, Hermione joins Harry on his quest to repair the damage done to his son.

Ron Weasley

Following his brother Fred’s death, Ron has paired up with George to run Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley. Completing the magical trio, Ron joins Harry and Hermione on an adventure through time in hopes of fixing the present.

Draco Malfoy

Harry’s nemesis, Draco, has led a difficult life. After the Second Wizarding War, he shed his prejudices and distanced himself from his Death Eater family. After finding love, Draco has a son called Scorpius who becomes Harry’s son’s best friend. Though his opinions have changed, his treatment of Harry and his friends hasn’t, leading to further tension between them.

There’s no need to hunt for the goods as this year, as we've hatched a list of egg-cellent family shows to make your Easter holiday im-peck-able!

Easter is the perfect time to hop into the spellbinding world of theatre!  The West End is chock-a-block with hen-credible entertainment, so hare really is something for everyone! Whether you’re ready to crack into the latest instalment of the magical world of Harry Potter, or fancy a trip to Arendelle this spring, the West End is exactly where you need to be!

Pun count: 8

Hogwarts awaits! Currently in its eighth year in London’s West End, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child have today announced a further extension for the original two-part multi award-winning play! The productions critically acclaimed spell at the Palace Theatre will now continue until 2^nd March 2025. Don’t miss your chance to see this spellbinding show, book your tickets today!