Why I’m not reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

I don’t actually remember the first time I read the Harry Potter books, so growing up it felt like they had always been in my life. The long wait between books was always frustrating and filled with reading fanfiction and theories online. The post-read analysis with friends and family could last for weeks and would often involve an immediate re-read. Even after the series ended with the publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2007, new content could still be released by way of Pottermore and fan creations continued including fanfiction, podcasts such as Mugglecast, YouTube videos and the music genre of wizard rock. In the aftermath of the books ending, for me the magic of Potter still felt very much alive.

One of the elements of the books that I had loved most was Rowling’s vivid, sometimes moving, and often hilarious third person descriptions, and it was strange to think that these would not be part of the story anymore

When the concept of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was first announced in ­­­­­­2013, I, like many others, was incredibly excited for more canonical Potter. However, there was no doubt that the form of a play would change the experience completely. I had to wonder whether the play would do the story as much justice as a continuation of the books. Although clearly different elements such as an entirely new visual aspect would be introduced, some much loved parts would simply not exist anymore. One of the elements of the books that I had loved most was Rowling’s vivid, sometimes moving, and often hilarious third person descriptions, and it was strange to think that these would not be part of the story anymore.

To read the script now would feel like experiencing a watered down version of the play…it would diminish the effect of the play when I eventually see it

With the official publication of the Cursed Child script, I don’t feel the same urgency to read it as I would a new Potter book or as I did when the books in the original series were published. While the publication was similar to the release days of the original series in the sense that it offers new content for fans to pore over, to read the script now would feel like experiencing a watered down version of the play.  In my opinion, it would diminish the effect of the play when I eventually see it. Also, while universality and the community experience were an essential part of Potter before, now fans will have completely different experiences based on whether they manage to see the play first or even at all, or read the script. I don’t think I’ll ever see new Potter material as a bad thing but at the same time I don’t think I’ll feel the same excitement and urgency for it as I did for the original book series.

Image Credits: Captain Roger Fenton /Flickr (Header)