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torestoreamends · 7 years

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Dream Cast Board

Today some of my friends started putting together their dream casts for Cursed Child, and I couldn’t resist joining in, because this is way too much fun.

I feel like a couple of my opinions might be controversial, and that’s actually why I wanted to post this. Everyone in both casts is amazing, and it’s so interesting to find out everyone’s favourites and why! Especially when those favourites are a bit out of the ordinary.

My rules were that I could pick any mix of people from either cast, but no one could play more than one role, however I could pick someone as a cover for a different role (actors listed in brackets are my covers). I also tried to match up people who I thought would work best together, but in at least one case I had to sacrifice chemistry in favour of who I most wanted to play a role.

So without further ado, in order of appearance, here we go!

Sorting Hat & Hagrid – Ged Simmons (Chris Jarman)

When Ged plays the Sorting Hat he’s an ethereal being. I love his detachment from everything going on around him. He isn’t part of the scene, because he’s a hat! He’s not an emotional creature, he’s just there to do a job. I also think the way he does the Godric’s Hollow transition with the pumpkins is pure magic. He spreads the snow with this joyous, back and forth motion, and it soars with beauty and enchantment.

I also think his Hagrid is simply wonderful. He broke me last Sunday when he started to leave Lily and James’s ruined house in despair, but on the way out he heard baby Harry crying and the look of hope and wonder on his face was the most incredible thing. Here is a child, who has survived the most powerful curse in the world, and is here against all odds: the boy who lived.

Chris is my cover because he was the first Sorting Hat I saw. I fell in love with his steady, measured movement. It had such a beautiful quality to it, and I don’t think anyone else has ever matched that.

Harry Potter – Jamie Parker (Jamie Glover)

Is there any choice for Harry other than Jamie Parker? He lived and breathed Harry. He walked on stage and it was like Harry had walked out of my imagination and onto the stage. The fire in him, and the light, boyish, fun-loving side melded together to create sheer perfection.

Jamie Glover is my second choice because I adore his reading of the script with my whole heart. He takes Harry on such a complete journey, and he made me understand Harry in a way I never had before. You can see how he learns through the story, and the moment in the dorm scene when he understands for the first time what he’s done to his son is heartbreaking, which makes the ultimate reunion all the sweeter. He’s come so far in the last few months and he has so much more still to give, so that’s why he’s my cover Harry.

Albus Severus Potter – Theo Ancient (Tom Mackley)

I think Theo is the perfect Albus. I’d been writing Albus for a year before he stepped on stage, and I still get astounded when he does something that matches my concept of Albus so perfectly. The best example of this is in the torture scene, when he walks up to Delphi and presents himself as a target to her when he says “Do your worst”.

He’s an exceptional actor, who is constantly in the moment. On stage he becomes Albus completely, and there’s nothing of Theo left in him. Also, I have a huge desire to see him and Jamie Parker do a blanket scene together – it would either be the most explosive thing ever or it would reduce Theo’s Albus to a puddle of tears. Either way, I’m here for it.

It was tough to choose a cover, but after some deliberation I have gone with Mackley for the unique qualities he brings to Albus. I love his stillness and nobility. I love his humour as well as his serious side, and I’ve adored him with both casts. I think Samuel brings out the best in him, and it’s wonderful to see two people have so much fun on stage together. My Mackley highlight is probably when Samuel made him jump so hard with “Ever since being in the scariest place imaginable” that he fell off the bed in the dorm scene.

I also think it needs to be said that the way his Albus reacts to Craig’s death is stunning – it colours everything that comes after it in the show for him, not just the torture scene, but everything all the way through to the very final scene.

Ginny Potter – Poppy Miller (Emma Lowndes)

Poppy is the only choice for Ginny. She brought together the perfect softness and toughness, and she lived Ginny on stage. She’s another who seemed to have walked off the pages of the book and onto the stage. Also, I can’t pair another Ginny with Jamie P’s Harry. It just wouldn’t be right. They are everything Hinny should be together.

Emma is my cover Ginny for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I haven’t seen Lowri enough times to choose her in good faith. Secondly, I think that Emma does some absolutely beautiful things with Ginny. I love her focus on Albus throughout the play – she prioritises him over Harry at so many points, and that motherly ferocity is a beautiful thing. For that relationship between Ginny and Albus, she has to be my cover.

James Potter Jr/Sr & Cedric Diggory – Tom Milligan (Jordan Paris)

Milligan captured the spirit of James in a beautiful way, so I have to pick him. Hilarious as younger James, grown-up and noble as older James, and his “see you at Christmas, Dad!” will never be matched (although attempts have definitely been made). I also realised at the weekend how much I miss his Cedric, especially when Mackley is on as Albus. Their maze scenes were a thing to behold.

And as my cover, I’ve picked Jordan, because he’s silently become one of my favourites. I love both his Jameses, and his Cedric is wonderful. I don’t really have much explanation behind this one, aside from the fact that I enjoy his attitude on stage and the quality of his acting. He’s not overly showy, and his Cedric in particular really shines because of that.

Ron Weasley – Thomas Aldridge (Paul Thornley)

Tom may not physically match the perfect description of Ron, but in terms of the character he’s everything you could possibly want. From the bubbly humour, to the gentle ribbing of his family and friends, to the way he sneaks sweets to James in the opening scene, he’s just a dream. I also love the things he brings to the other timelines. In the second there’s the desperate desire to find people and places he loves and escape his miserable life, the bravery he tries to dredge up around Hermione, and his soft despair at never getting her. In the Voldemort world he’s trying to fill Harry’s role as a hero, but he’s also so much himself. And of course I can’t possibly talk about Tom without mentioning that glorious animosity with Draco. Tom is literally my dream Ron. Literally.

And I have to take Thornley as my cover. I wildly enjoyed every one of the performances he gave. He and Alex set the standard for Draco and Ron’s hatred. He was so funny, and he established some things about Ron that will be with the character forever – Scrupius, for example, and the kneeling during the reproposal. He set the bar, and he set it really high.

Rose Granger-Weasley – Helen Aluko (Rayxia Ojo)

Helen is such a sweet, dynamic Rose. I love how she teases Scorpius relentlessly, and her facial expressions during the opening scenes of the show are a constant delight. My favourite moment from Helen, though, the moment where she steals the show, is her reaction to the conversation in McGonagall’s office when the kids are eavesdropping. She’s heartbroken, and then she’s angry at her mum, and then she collapses back into heartbreak again. There’s so much there, and she never says a word.

I’ve chosen Rayxia as my cover Rose because I think she has a brilliant, unique take on the character. She’s such a vulnerable Rose. Even though she seems so much older (like Albus’s older and more glamorous cousin) she’s broken, and she needs him to be her friend. I love that take on it, and I’ve never seen anyone else do something like it.

Hermione Granger – Nicola Alexis (Rakie Ayola)

Nicola was playing Hermione for the best performance I’ve ever seen, so she will always have a special place in my heart. I think she’s the perfect middle ground between Rakie and Noma – wild and intense but not too much. She seems to have chemistry with absolutely everyone. I love her playful side, like the way she explores her hair and gives Harry a poke in the back of the head during the Polyjuice transformation. I also adore her Voldemort timeline, and her exploration of her character through developing shades of lipstick (including smearing pink lipstick all over Tom A’s face during the baby or a holiday scene) is one of my favourite memories.

Rakie is my cover Hermione because I adore how she plays the friendship between Hermione and Harry in particular. The moment when Harry walks into his office at the start of the play and we see Hermione and Harry alone together and really interacting for the first time is a beautiful chance to see how they’ve grown but also stayed the same. I also adore the way she plays the Romione moments, from her sheer despair in the second timeline when she’s alone, through to the complete, childlike joy of the reproposal.

Scorpius Malfoy – Samuel Blenkin (James Le Lacheur)

There is no Scorpius beyond Samuel for me. His performance is masterful; that library scene is a piece of art. Right from the start he took a role that had been so memorably established and made it completely his own. He can go from hilarious to heartbroken in a second. He cries more than I thought possible, and he’s so creative, with such beautiful, deep thoughts about the show and the character. He’s the person behind Draco handing Scorpius Delphi’s wand after the duel – a stunning display of the trust between them, and the development of their relationship – but he’s also responsible for the ‘I love Krum’ chant. He’s mischievous, confident, warm; with such brilliant dynamic and emotional range, and a love of everything he does on stage. I could go on and on, but there’s no reason not to pick him as my dream Scorpius.

James Le Lacheur is my cover Scorpius because her performance has such a special place in my heart. I saw her first ever show, and her last. I adored the way she played out the relationship between Scorpius and Albus. The impulsion in her acting was beautiful, with so much thought and intent. You could always see what Scorpius was thinking and how it was guiding his footsteps. And of course, that little Dark Mark arm rub in McGonagall’s office will forever live in my memory. I only wish we could have seen her and Theo together, because I think it would have been a thing of delight (and I’m not sure any of us would have survived).

Madame Hooch/Aunt Petunia/Umbridge – Lowri James (Elizabeth Hill)

Lowri has been my favourite Petunia/Umbridge for a long time. I adore the emotion of her Petunia, which is perfectly balanced, and she’s a masterful Umbridge. I think she finds the perfect placing for these characters that are so easy to overdo or take to a place that isn’t true to the books.

Elizabeth is my cover for Petunia/Umbridge for very similar reasons. She’s brilliant as Petunia, again finding just the right emotional place for her. As Umbridge she’s creepy and wonderful. Her stroking of the fur coat is just the right amount of gross, although she sometimes is a little bit too creepy for me.

Craig Bowker Jr – James Phoon (Jeremy Ang Jones)

It was so hard to pick between these two rays of sunshine, but in the end I had to pick James first because I’ve seen him work with Samuel and I know it’s perfect. This might have been the toughest choice though, so I’m not going to write separate explanatory paragraphs for each. They’re both glorious human beings, with the most adorable Craigs. However, I will say that I love James’s movement, and the fluffiness of his hair as he runs round the suitcases at the start of the show will never not warm my heart.

Polly Chapman – Leah Haile (Rayxia Ojo)

Leah is the prettiest Polly. That’s all you really need to know. I just think she’s glorious, and she’s a delight to watch. I would pick her as Polly every time just because she shines on stage.

I have better reasons for picking Rayxia as my cover. I’ve only seen her once, but the intent in her performance really impressed me, especially in the Voldemort timeline. She gives Polly this very grand air, with a sense of uncertainty and vulnerability. It’s very clear that she’s using Scorpius to establish her position in the world. She’s trying to marry into money and status, and it’s her way of making herself secure. I love that really clear take on the scene.

Yann Fredericks – James Le Lacheur (Henry Rundle)

Yann is one of those roles that doesn’t really feel established until whoever is playing him has covered Scorpius. He’s quite quiet, and the flair only comes out once his actor has had a chance to dig into the real meat of the play. Hence, I’ve picked the two cover Scorpiuses!

James Le Lacheur goes ahead of Rundle only really because she established the role, and I think she did have more intensity of character, however I love Rundle’s take too, and I can’t wait to see him grow into it more over the next few months.

Karl Jenkins/Dudley Dursley – Tom Mackley (Jack North)

Mackley has to be my choice for Karl/Dudley. He brings so much flair and humour to the roles, and his Dudley in particular is very memorable for its ridiculousness. Probably my favourite thing he does as Karl is when he stabs Scorpius in the stomach with the handle of his wand during the line “spill some proper Mudblood guts”. We all need to thank whoever gave Mackley a permanent speaking role, because I am never disappointed.

I have to pick Jack as my cover because I loved his movement so much. He brought so much quality to the track, and it was something I never failed to appreciate, and will never forget.

Viktor Krum – Jack North

I have to split out Krum because of my two principals neither played Krum! Jack had such perfection of movement and precision as Krum, and it’s one of the things I still miss most about the original cast.

Trolley Witch – Sandy McDade (Morag Cross)

I have to split up the Trolley Witch and McGonagall because I do have different preferences. For the Trolley Witch, I love Sandy’s authoritativeness, which I’ve always found carries perfectly through the scene. However, I’ll take Morag as my cover because she’s great too.

Professor McGonagall – Morag Cross (Sandy McDade)

Morag is my choice for McGonagall because I feel such an emotional connection to her performance. Before I saw Cursed Child I’d never really thought about McGonagall or felt too much about her, but there was one show where Morag’s scene after the lake made me cry, so she’s the reason I love McGonagall so much. The emotion she brings is simple beautiful, and I’m always excited to see her.

One of the reasons I fell in love with Cursed Child the first time I saw it was how perfect the professors felt, including McGonagall, and Sandy’s performance was a big part of that. I adore her performance, and recently I love how she’s started emphasising one of her lines differently, giving it a new meaning. When Hermione asks “What did I miss?” when she walks into the post-lake conversation, McGonagall’s reply ends with “Maybe you missed that.” It’s an emphasis that makes so much sense, but I’ve only noticed it recently, and I love it.

Draco Malfoy – James Howard (Ed White)

There is only one choice for Draco. James is perfect. He is Draco, in the way that Jamie Parker is Harry. He was born for the role and I can’t imagine him doing anything else. The strength and authority in his voice is what sets him apart from everyone else, as well as his interpretation of the character, especially in the scene in Draco’s office.

Recently he’s started explicitly playing Draco as being under cover in the Voldemort timeline, which I adore. He glances around before speaking to Scorpius about what he’s up to, and those tiny details are what makes his performance special. Other highlights are playing with his wedding ring when he speaks about Astoria, bracing himself on the desk facing away from Scorpius when he says he can’t lose him too, and that delightful chin grab, where he takes hold of Scorpius’s chin and examines him before declaring that there’s more Astoria in there than he thought. I could go on, but all you need to know is that it’s James, and it will always be James.

I had trouble picking my cover, but in the end I’ve gone for Ed simply because he works beautifully with Samuel (and because James L and Alex don’t work together at all), and because he did the best Draco’s office scene ever. When a Draco puts his hand on Scorpius’s heart as he says there’s more Astoria in there than he thought you just can’t say no to him. He’s my guilty pleasure Draco, everything I want but know I shouldn’t have, and I adore him for that.

Amos Diggory/Professor Dumbledore – Barry McCarthy (Martin Johnston)

Until Sunday I really wouldn’t have had a choice here, but I have now (finally) seen Martin, so this is actually a choice!

I’ve taken Barry first because he is the perfect Dumbledore, and because I love his Amos so much. There are so many tiny details that he’s changed in response to the new cast, and he’s a consummate professional. His Dumbledore really is part of the magic of the show that captured me when I first saw it.

I found Martin’s Dumbledore captivating, and I loved the fragility and vulnerability of it – that was the thing that most broke me when I saw him. I also love the flamboyant grace with which he dismissed the trees in the Forbidden Forest. It really was a thing of beautiful magic. So I feel no qualms in making him my cover, and who knows, when I’ve seen him more times I might end up preferring him!

Delphi Diggory – Annabel Baldwin (Esther Smith)

This was such a hard choice, because I love all three ladies who play Delphi with all my heart and soul. Annabel almost didn’t make it into my top two because I love her Lily too much (and I need her and Milligan to be James and Lily together), but then I came to my senses and realised it was stupid not to pick her.

Annabel has been my favourite Delphi since the first time I saw her. She is a captivating actress, who holds the theatre in the palm of her hand, especially in the torture scene. I love when she goes rogue and slaps the boys or kicks Craig (can someone get the directors to always let her get away with that? Because it’s great). She’s so sinister, and she can bring such powerful performances to the stage, especially in the scene in the church between Delphi and fake Voldemort. She’s just brilliant, and it would be a crime not to take her as Delphi every single time.

I picked Esther as my cover Delphi because I always found her performance so beautiful. She’s not the most creepy or terrifying Delphi ever, but she did some amazing things. I still remember her sobbing in the St Jerome’s scene during ‘the best show ever’, and I loved her hand choreography when she was reciting the prophecy – Annabel does a slightly different version, and I still miss Esther’s sometimes.

Uncle Vernon/Severus Snape/Voldemort – David Annen (David Annen)

Sorry but I refuse to pick a Snape other than David. I refuse. His performance is too special to be replaced. He has such an innate understanding of his characters, especially Snape and Voldemort, which comes from deep readings of the books. He cares so much about these characters, and it’s amazing.

He came up with his Voldemort voice by reading every description of Voldemort speaking from the books. As Snape, the messages he writes on the blackboard are messages of hope to Snape’s students who are struggling in that world. Those special details are simply irreplaceable.

Moaning Myrtle – April Hughes (Annabel Baldwin)

April learned her Myrtle voice listening to the films, and she’d practice it while she made dinner at home. She’s ridiculous, and that voice is perfect. I love the brilliant details she puts in the background of the Myrtle scenes (shaking her head when Albus tells Scorpius everything is going to be okay, waving her feet around by Harry’s head but never quite touching him, and very slowly lifting her leg up in the most flirtatious way when she says “I do like brave boys”). I didn’t think anyone could ever replace Annabel, but she managed it.

Annabel is of course my cover Myrtle because how could she not be? Also, she then gets to play Lily with Milligan, which is the real dream.

Bane – Adam McNamara (Nuno Silva)

Is this my most controversial choice? I think it might be...

I saw Adam’s Bane several times leading up to cast change, and I have abiding memories of the intensity of it. That performance made a huge impact on me. The acting was brilliant, especially the way he appealed to Harry. Those were some of the best Bane scenes I’ve watched.

And Nuno is my cover Bane because I love him just as much. Always consistently brilliant. Delivering show in, show out. I’m always mesmerised by the way he breathes in this scene for some reason. It fascinates me. And I love the strength and anger in his performance.

Station Master – James McGregor (Adam McNamara)

James McGregor’s Station Master is basically the cutest thing in the world. He just looks so young and adorable, and his Scottish accent makes me melt.

And obviously I can’t not pick Adam, because there is no Scottish accent like Adam’s. His Station Master was incomprehensible, just the way he should be. No one will ever match that.

Young Harry Potter – Harrison Noble (Jabez Cheeseman)

Harrison is an incredible little actor. He’s just perfect. My favourite scene of his is the dream at the beginning of Act Two, where he’s so intense. You can hear the fear in his breathing. He’s stunning.

Jabez is my cover because he was a close second behind Harrison before he left for me. The day we found out he was leaving was a sad day indeed, and I miss him a lot.

Lily Potter Jr – Ella Bright (Hope Sizer)

I want a Lily to be tiny and bubbly and full of life, and both Ella and Hope did that. Ella’s the sweetest thing, and she fits with the rest of the Potters so well. I picked Hope second because I always enjoyed her performances and looked forward to seeing her when she was on.

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madmazmind · 7 years

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Scorpius Malfoy x4

**Harry Potter and The Cursed Child spoilers**

Scorpius Malfoy is an amazing character with a depth that allows a lot of different people to relate to him in individual ways. Whoever is playing him shines. Seeing all 4 of the actors who have played him has shown me how the character can be interpreted in exciting, different ways. I’ve noticed that people’s favourite Scorpius (or parts of certain interpretations) seems to be a very personal thing and its really interesting, so I’ve tried to summarise how they each play the character by collecting some quotes from the people who have watched the play, seeing all or some of the performers who play Scorpius.

“I’ve seen Cursed Child three times and every single time I’ve had a different Scorpius.” - Chloe-Amber (@_AceOfGeeks_)

A lot of people relate to a particular performer but also love what the other have done. Several fans expressed having their Scorpius and their favourite Scorpius as two different people. This is where being able to watch covers is really exciting, because you never know when you’re going to relate to someone's decision more than ever.

“I can say which Scorpius is my Scorpius but not which is my favourite.” - Steph (@steph7615)

“The story stays the same and there are things that show it's the same character. But also things that make the character seem a little different. And so different people can feel connected to them in a different way.” - Mello (@PrinzessinMello)

Anthony Boyle

As the first Scorpius, Anthony helped create the groundworks of the character and allowed us to get to know Scorpius and imagine his backstory so well. He shone on stage, winning deserving awards for his performance and making audiences fall in love with the character through his humour.

“One of my favourite things about Anthony’s Scorpius is that he was so reserved with his feelings and thoughts, and it's definitely what got me to come back to try to figure out what was going on in that weird mind and where he came from and what he was doing. Anthony’s library scene will always be my favourite because up until that point he’s a nice, sweet and comical character and then suddenly he gets super serious and it hits you that, oh shit, that’s a human with feelings and ouch you just stepped on my heart.” - Manon (@yomoony)

“The first time I saw it I had Anthony, who focused very much on the comical side of Scorpius.” - Chloe-Amber (@_AceOfGeeks_)

Anthony and Sam were a dream team. You could tell that they had spent a lot of time creating their characters and their chemistry was amazing. Anthony’s Scorpius related so well to the original cast.

“He was the perfect balance for Sam's angsty Albus. I loved the way Anthony would hold onto Alex in Godric’s Hollow after they were reunited, they had a very believable father son relationship.” - Steph (@steph7615)

Anthony’s performance was incredibly popular and we were in awe of the talent he showed us and the depth of his performance. He was constantly challenging whoever he was acting opposite by changing things up and that kept us coming back.

"The thing I found with Anthony is he commands the stage, it’s hard to not look at him. I miss his fidgeting, he was never still. Also his voice, everything about Anthony as Scorpius was so geeky. I miss the way he ran at Alex for a hug as well, when the adults arrived in Godricks Hollow.” - Claire (@clairegallagher)

“Anto has this aura that makes you need to look at him, and focus on his facial expressions.” - Aline (@alienicola)

“I'm speechless, my eyes are sparkling when I see him. Beautiful, unique, breath taking but at the same time it's touching, sad and I'm crying because he show so much emotions on stage. He is the most talented guy I ever met.” - Sarah (@justseera)

James Le Lacheur

When I saw that James was on a few months into the play, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was thrilled to be watching a very different character, not trying to be Anthony’s Scorpius. I personally really related to James’s interpretation because she made me understand Scorpius in a different way. She brought out a vulnerable side to Scorpius that I didn’t realise I’d been waiting for.

“James’s performance as Scorpius was very brave. it would’ve been easy to copy Anthony’s interpretation and it was so different and it worked.” - Steph (@steph7615)

I’ll never forget their library scene, as it was so emotional and broke me. I really looked forward to when she was on.

“James focused on Scorp’s emotional side, her performance made me cry much more than that of Anthony’s.” - Chloe-Amber (@_AceOfGeeks_)

“James made me cry the most, first time I saw her library scene I just broke down. Watching this made it clear just how much Scorpius was hurting. I don’t think I've ever seen it done better.” - Claire (@clairegallagher)

“What I loved most about James' performance is how much it touched me. They way she looked when talking about Astoria or how she'd break down on the stairs in the wings and sob, just for example. During the scenes she is on stage I always found it difficult to not look at her because her emotions as well as her reactions always captured me. She has a massive presence on stage and always seemed a lot more overly reactive which I loved. What I also loved is that she did her own thing.” - Mello (@PrinzessinMello)

James’ interpretation of Scorpius soon became something I never wanted to miss.

“James' Scorpius really stands out to me as they brought a subtlety that none of the others have. I truly believe that their Scorpius was brought up at Malfoy Manor alone and the fragility is very obvious throughout. Their energy is unique and it was one I became attached to instantly.” - Perrine (@Perrine_Davies )

“I'll never forget James Le Lacheur's interpretation of Scorpius Malfoy. They played the part so well. So funny, yet so vulnerable. They made me really feel for Scorpius and fall in love with the character. I remember taking my mum to see the play and being so excited when I found out that James was on. She still tells me every now and then that Scorpius was what she liked best about the show!” – Lynn (@augurey_slyth)

Cast 1 provided us with a good understanding of who Scorpius was and many of us really related to Anthony or James, but cast 2 has been enhancing this so much.

“There are things I miss from Anthony and James, but there are also things that Samuel does, and now Harry that I prefer as well.” - Claire (@clairegallagher)

Samuel Blenkin:

Anthony and James left some big shoes to fill so a lot of us were nervous about how the cast 2 actors were going to bring, but Samuel didn’t disappoint.

“Samuel is perfect. I was so worried about Scorpius, more than any other character really, because I love the character so much, would I like someone else after Anto? He just gets it.” - Claire (@clairegallagher)

“I remember my first feeling when I saw Samuel's Scorpius was that he was already so full. I don't even know if that makes sense but I don't know another way to describe it, his Scorpius was already so filled with everything.” - Manon (@yomoony)

Samuels’ Scorpius provides a very balanced character, leaving us the time to laugh and the headspace to cry.

“He gets the balance of comedy, sadness and anger exactly right. He gives a very natural performance.” - Lucinda (@lucinda_chaplin)

“I keep thinking back to the bit where he comes out of the lake for the last time and screams about harry potter because it was so funny!” - Montana (@XMontanabirksX)

“He delivered all the comical lines in hilarious ways and nailed Scorpius’ goofiness just like Anthony did, but he also showed so much emotion during more serious scenes. His performance in the library scene (which had me sobbing) is by far my favourite of the three and all throughout the show he got the level of comical parts and emotional parts just right.” - Chloe-Amber (@_AceOfGeeks_)

It’s really exciting to hear that people have found something they can related to in Samuel. He really pushes himself emotionally in the library scene and changes things which is keeping us on our toes and making us understand Scorpius in new and exciting ways.

“Samuel is the only one that made me cry for minutes without being able to stop. He is touching, and you just want to go on stage and hug the shit out of his Scorpius. Because he seems lost, unhappy if his friend is not around, vulnerable while still trying to toughen up. His physical looks also reinforce this feeling, frail body, sad eyes, but true smile.” - Aline (@alienicola)

“Sam B is my Scorpius in the sense that he's almost exactly what I picture when I read the script and when I now imagine the character I see Sam. When Sam walked out I was like 'Oh. There he is.' - Steph (@steph7615)

“Samuel showed up and he is so open and generous and it's like he gives you subtitles to what's going with Scorpius and he takes you with him and it's like a new roller coaster of emotions and it's exactly what I needed to complement Anthony.” - Manon (@yomoony)

Harry Rundle:

Harry has only had a weekend and 1 week as Scorpius, so his interpretation is new and will no doubt keep evolving but he’s been getting a lot of love during his runs already. He is as cute as anything and is remarkably different from the other three performers.

“I don't know if this makes any sense but Harry is my Scorpius. I realised he is exactly the Scorpius I had in my head when I read the script.” - Hester (@HesterEline)

“The way he delivered some of the funny lines was so different to how the others do it, but I thought it was brilliant. It was good to see a jealous Scorpius again. I also remembered how funny his facial expressions were. When he was talking to Myrtle and also after he delivered the 'it's time time turning became a thing of the past' line. It was so funny people were still laughing when Theo went to deliver his line.” - Claire (@clairegallagher)

“HE WAS AMAZING! A very geeky, awkward scorpius and I loved it!... [I loved] the Malfoy the unanxious line when he was flexing his muscles and the arm on Theo's leg when Rose said hi to him in act 4!” - Lucinda (@lucinda_chaplin)

“Henry is a puppy. He is so pure, so clueless, shows enthusiasm for everything as long as he can do it with his best (lover) friend. He is SO pure that he literally breaks everyone’s heart when he talks about his Mom. He is a true kind person, and brings a sentiment of being ready to sacrifice himself for who he loves and what he believes in, which gives his Scorpius a brand new face.” Aline (@alienicola)

We are so lucky to have seen such different, rich interpretations of a character that, as big geeks, we are able to relate to so personally. It’s amazing to be able to watch a character in such a way because it makes them into more of a real, relatable person. Despite the fact that each performer is delivering the same lines, and following the same direction, they react differently and make different decisions as a real person would. These 4 interpretations are so different, which is a gift that provides such a depth to this well-loved character.

“I don't have a favourite, I see Scorpius as a mix of the four of them but not quite any of them. I want Anthony’s humour, James’s emotion, Samuel’s strength of character and Harry’s sweet nature all in one.” - Susy (@susybumblebee)

#Harry Potter #harry potter and the cursed child #cursed child #scorpius malfoy #Scorpius #anthony boyle #James le lacheur #samuel blenkin #Harry Rundle

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pleasesortmeintohufflepuff · 7 years

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Can someone teleport me to London? My friend is sending me pics of Jamie Parker at the stage door!

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inekepp · 7 years

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Sunday 21st of May 2017

So i’d like to apologise in advance for the state of this recap as i was crying through out entire act 3 and 4 and the fact that most of my attention went to Jamie. However, im gonna try anyway and some facts are derived from things i heard others say.

The emotions started already with the opening music and the potters arriving on stage. I nearly lost it at the sight of them but managed to contain myself. During scene two, were Noma was apparently crying already and had to turn around to compose herself (i missed this bc the too busy staring at jamie part) And i got the feeling that jamie and poppy were holding each other more firmly here.

Then enter scorpius. I had never seen James as Scorpius before so that took a bit to getting used to, but she had me in tears during the scene where astoria died, which had never ever happened before. I just broke there, which resulted into my first tears of the day.

Upon act six i started to realise that Jamie pulled of his glasses to wipe at his eyes a lot. I thought it mightve been me but it kept on going and others seemed to have picked up on it too. I guess he was really emotional, but then again, the entire theatre was. During this scene sam actually also fell of the stairs when Delphi came in, which i had never seen to this extent before, but it definitely made for a good scene.

During the next scenes the emotions even came more apparent, when it came to the nightmares and the way jamie reacted after the famous line about albus being his son. He seemed more hurt and seemed to plead even more emotionally than he did before and that carried through to the next scenes and jamie seemed sad and with his mind there a bit even still at the extraordinary wizarding meeting.

The polyjuice scene was brilliant and got massive, massive cheers. Jamie absolutely killed it and i loved the look on his face when Ron/albus started going on about a baby. It was really obvious he both did not want to be there and was also surprised about the turn of events and i dont think ive ever seen him bolt away from that so fast. And then during the riddle part themselves… they all were glorious. Jamie fucking killed it. The happy and high notes he made when speaking aa scorpius… it was again a sight to behold.

Act two had jamie being more emotional during nightmare scènes again than i ever saw him before and it was really painful to watch because you could actually feel his pain. It was terrible and all i wanted to do was hug the man. I also happened to notice jamie kept holding his wand in his right hand, but did it with his left at the end of part 2. I wonder what that all is about… Anyway jamie got me all to the point of tears again when hé was with albus in the hospital wing, which actually didnt help much at all because james was full on crying at points during the staircase ballet which had be bloody crying all over again. SHe really hit me there and it was just painful to watch.

The audience had to laugh when alex was smiling about harry doing most of the cooking, but it was really funny to watch because jamie was looking over at him like ‘what?’. But then james played it up again in the libary and the entire rant about his mother had multiple people sniffing if the sounds in the audience where anything to go by. You could really feel the pain she was projecting. It was amazing.

Noma and Paul on the staircases were just really sweet and yet again i thought that there was going to be a kiss but unfortunately that didnt happen :(

Enter annabel. Annabel has been fucking nailing it as both Delphi and myrtle so im very glad shes staying on. Today she was myrtle again and she really pulled it out of the park, especially when she said the line about being impartial about a certain Malfoy and the reaction she had to both draco and harry. She completely stole the scene to the point that i was not watching jamie as much (which probably says a lot) And when the scene ended and the lake scene went up a massive cheer came from the audience for her performance. And with massive i mean massive.

Before act three i hardly saw people who werent hugging and crying and bring all sort of emotional. For me it felt like huge weight was pressed on my chest and that was the moment i knew i was not gonna be fine. Sure enough, within the first seconds of act three i was a blubbering mess and that did not stop until it was over.

James killed it in the alternate reality and the tears really started to flow when it came to astoria again. It looked like Paul bentall was honest to god crying when it came to the lily ,mention as his shoulders seemed to be shaking and then the following was just as emotional (even though the audience got yet again to laugh at nomas giggle and pauls the universe rests on neville line).

The romione kiss was the best one i had seen up until then and it was a shame when the dementors came bc i really thought it mightve gotten heated. James seemed to be crying or near tears again after having witnessed it all and snape got one massive cheer after he got rid of umbridge. Like truly massive. I think he changed his line a bit there too but im not entirely certain there.

James was amazing when everything got back to normal and there were massive laughs when hé adressed them all. But then the scene with mcg. Poppy seemed to be comforting noma and then i cried even harder between cherelle and noma because it was so emotional and i think noma was crying and cherelle maybe too and gooood. Ive never seen it played so well. Meanwhile jamie got me in tears the following two scènes and i think he was starting to lose it there because he pulled off his glasses so much.

CUE ACT THREE SCENE SEVENTEEN. I think every romione shipper loves it because of the entire renewal part and they took it up big time yesterday. First we got to laugh about the Ron being drunk line and then Paul went fucking down on one knee when hé threw out the line, which got massive whoops from the entire audience. The kiss was also a sight to behold. What a kiss.

The crucio scene was really painful to watch too. It was horrid to see them all in pain and then they threw it up a notch when craig died, with james actually pressing her face to the floor.

Cut to extraordinary meeting second go around. This was truly hard. Noma was choking up on her last lines here with Paul comforting her. She could hardly get her lines out as she was so emotional and that made it really painful to watch. It caused many people to tear up again if the sniffing was anything to go by. Aand then jamie and dumbledore. Ill never not get emotional at that and even when draco entered later i was still in full cry mode while jamie took forever to put his glasses back on his face.

The help shouting part was brilliant as always and then back to Jamie and poppy bc yknow, my attention. When jamie said the line about the shrine poppy honest to god seemed close to tears. She managed to compose herself enough but the emotions on her face were absolutely real. The kiss was absolutely intense too. Fuck i love their chemistry so much.

Godrics Hollow Time! Alex once again got the audience in stitches with his farmers market comment and then when they all got into the right time and poppy was running up to albus i swear she was crying. It was so hard to watch and james and alex also seemed to be hugging so hard. Poppy remained an emotional mess during the Church scene and there was a really tight hug between her and jamie where poppy was crying after she told him that she was happy to discuss just how lucky he was.

And then the last scenes… they were all messes when it came to jily. James was standing there shocked with his mouth open and jamie was yet again held upright until lily died and he collapsed to the floor. And the scene after that he literally did not stop crying still. Kept wiping his nose and eyes and then sam was starting to get emotional too. I was literally crying so hard because of that i was unable to scream at all until cherelle came up, visibly crying, and when i thought the audience could not possibly get louder than they already were they proved me wrong when the Final five came up. The cheers were massive. Wands went up in the air. The cast was crying. They came back three or four times for applause and then it was a mad dash to stagedoor.

I wont say much about that, aside from the fact that when secufity told people at the front jamie was coming a cheer went up so loud we at the back wonderen what was going on until word travelled and we got news jamie was on his way - proven one minute later when hé and noma jogged around to our end to start with us so we wouldnt have to wait as long. The cheers for him went wild and werent even as loud for jack and John who showed up for stagedoor as well.

All in all it was one massive show and i was so glad i flew out for it again. I wouldnt have missed it for the world and im gonna miss this cast so much.

Thanks for everything. Thanks for portraying the characters so Dear to our hearts so well and went above and beyond with them. Thank you for this experience. Thank you.

#harry potter and the cursed child #cursed child #the cursed child #cast change #end of an era #harry potter #jamie parker #poppy miller #jack thorne #john tiffany #noma dumezweni #alex price #james le lacheur #sam clemmett #paul thornley

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mayhemtothenthdegree · 7 years

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Notes about James Le Lacheur as Scorpius: May the 4th, Part 1.

(Disclaimer: I always struggle with the pronouns when writing about James' Scorpius as I normally use "they/them" for James and obviously "he/him" for Scorpius. So i've decided that because I'm mainly talking about the character here, through James' acting, I will use he, but keep in mind that everything I point out is James'.) - Scorpius' sweets-song is super cute and I love how you can see on his face as he sings that he realises it was a stupid idea to sing the song in front of people.

- When Scorpius gets sorted in Slytherin, he shrugs and smiles to himself and you can feel that he is not surprised yet a bit relieved by this outcome. I love the proud Slytherins. - When Albus joins Scorpius on the train in third year, after Astoria has died, Scorpius is always super composed, his back straight, head up high, gaze lost somewhere far ahead, but his face looks so helpless and it takes him a few lines before he actually looks at Albus and the whole thing is just so sad. - On the train, fourth year, the Rose/bread encounter, At first, he's genuinely trying to compliment her, he is himself a delicate and pure human being talking about delicate things like flowers and bread, and he is so confused when it backfires and by the time she storms off, he looks really upset and if I were Albus I would want to squeeze him too! Everything James does as Scorpius seems so genuine and innocent, you just want to protect him at all cost. - When Albus explains his plan to save Cedric, as soon as he mentions the time turner, Scorpius freaks out a bit which leads seamlessly to the "I'm not a massive fan of time turners" line, it was brilliant! - One thing that I like when James is on as Scorpius, is that I discover some lines that I never quite catch with Anto since he talks so.fast, haha. The train roof is a good example! And the ripples line in the library scene. - After Scorpius comes out of the bookcase and gets his appearance back, I like how he solves the shadow riddle. He's like "Sometimes behind, sometimes in front..." and at the same time points behind and in front of him and then he sees his own shadow and you can see the light-bulb switch on in his brain. And when he says "We beat the library!!" he looks so excited and relieved, he's just too cute. - In the forest, when Albus, Delphi and Scorpius are getting ready to travel back in time, I like how James' Scorpius doesn't show dislike towards Delphi at first. He's just genuinely confused to be the third wheel for the first time and to not have Albus' full attention. You could also think that he wants Delphi's attention too. Up until she makes "fun" of him and his "two points", then he becomes bitter and insist on the "second POINT, the most significant POINT". Once again, he seems so genuine and clueless when he says "she didn't kiss me, did you notice?" I want to squeeze him. Scorpius Malfoy doesn't know the first thing about girls and really does he need to. - Ok, the "staring at Hogwarts" scene just did things to my heart. I love that scene, I think everything about the music and the lighting and the atmosphere is beautiful. And I couldn't stop thinking that it was James' last time doing this scene. And when Albus rushes to Scorpius side to reassure him and say "You're my best friend too and...", I swear I saw something pass between Sam and James and they suddenly got a little bit too emotional compared to usual, I could see the lights dance in Sam's shiny eyes. I wondered how they were supposed to keep it together for the upcoming first task scene, and James simply over-acted the travelling through time bit by looking over-excited at the time turner turning. Nicely done, James! - From the first time I had seen James as Scorpius back in December, the Staircase Ballet had blown me away, and it has been the case every time. James does it perfectly, as in exactly how I would want it to be done. And they play it in a very emotional/heartbreaking way. At some point when Scorpius was climbing up the stairs, he just lost it and stumbled with a loud sob and ended up crying on the stairs up until Hooch came around and made him move. Then when Albus and Scorpius meet at the top of the stairs, I love how James' Scorpius is always the first one to look away. He just can't stand to look at Albus and knows that he's going to run off anyway, so he takes control and steps aside with a little gesture as if to invite him to go ahead and keep walking. That little gesture breaks my heart every time. And when Albus doesn't move, he finally tries to talk to him but Albus stops him and oh the hurt on Scorpius' face is painful. At the end, when the two staircase are brought back in the wings, Scorpius kept staring at Albus with an upset face for awhile and then when he reached the wings he lost it again and broke down on the stairs sobbing: I absolutely adore that they keep acting even in the wings up until you can't possibly see them. (I was on the far left side of the stalls = wing privilege) - After the chat with Delphi, when she says "find him Scorpius, you two you belong together", there was a look a proper determination on Scorpius' face like it was obvious that he's going to take her advice and go get his friend back! I loved it. - The library scene was intense. Like I said before, James' Scorpius is so caring, so delicate, so pure, that Albus' attitude comes across as even more dickish. I like how the whole "Oh poor Albus Potter" bit is said in such a mocking tone, like he is properly making fun of him, and gets Albus even more worked up and annoyed, and then suddenly Scorpius explodes with the "TRY MY LIFE!" and everyone shut up, Albus and the audience and the flies. And every time Albus tries to cut in, James takes a step back toward him and they point at him with both hands and the whole thing is too intense to describe. Also when Scorpius talks about his mum, he broke down again and hid his face in his elbow for a second and then was just a crying/screaming mess and from my view I couldn't really see James' face so I was just focusing on Sam's which was a mirror of emotions. - What I call library scene 2.0, and which is my favourite bit. When they come back from under the cloak. I remember looking at James, sitting on the chair, looking up with little red bags under their eyes, and Sam sitting behind, looking at them, all puffy eyed, and I remember thinking that they both looked incredibly beautiful. I love how James' Scorpius is upset, but willing to forgive Albus as soon as possible, because really there's not an ounce of resentment in him, he just wants his friend back. And as soon as Albus apologises the first time, he is almost in awe. After all this time forced away from him, he is just so relieved. Oh and something that I love about James/Sam is that when Albus brings Scorpius into the hug, Sam's face ends up on James' right shoulder, so Sam's face is closer to the audience (it's the other way around with Anto), so you can properly see how Albus just snuggles against his shoulder, looking so relieved, and he even tightens his grip on him mid-hug before snapping out of it when Scorpius starts talking. It is just adorable. - James came out of the lake with their arms outstretched and did a victory "woop" and it made the audience laugh and it was sweet (and smart cause then the audience is too busy laughing/being aware that there is a freaking basin on stage, to see James adjust their mic!) to be continued...

#cursed child #scorpius malfoy #james le lacheur #tcc #hptcc

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the-eighth-story · 7 years

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Excuse me while I go lie on the floor and sob

#hpcc #cursed child #so much love for james #she made me fall in love with scorpius all over again #so glad i got to see her perform twice #such a privilege #rest well #that's it guys #thats another chapter closed for hpcc cast change #hpcc cast change #james le lacheur #scorpius malfoy

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cursedchildsupport · 7 years

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Cursed Child 17/5/17

James Le Lacheur is on as Scorpius Malfoy for Part Two today Someone came on to announce that Anthony would not be performing the rest of the show

#cursed child #Anthony Boyle #James Le Lacheur

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aberorca · 7 years

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Cursed Child 04/05/17 Part One review:

Disclaimer: this recap will involve a lot of gushing about James Le Lacheur. Second disclaimer: even though I tried to make some notes in the interval, there are so many things about this performance that stood out which I want to remember and write about but I know I won’t remember everything because there was just too much.

So, this week we have James Le Lacheur’s last hurrah as Scorpius (which is very sad but let’s not dwell on that but rather her sheer brilliance). I’m going to go ahead and say it - she’s my favourite Scorpius. Now, she and Anthony are both equally brilliant. They are superb actors. It so happens Anthony got the Olivier (and deservedly, too) but I firmly believe that if James had the role full-time, she’d have got the gong. She is superb. When she is on stage I find it difficult to take my eyes off her: her emotions and reactions (she seems much more overtly reactive) are captivating and she has a command and a presence that is really incredible given that she has so little time, relatively-speaking, over the course of the year to develop and mould the role within the show. She doesn’t try to be Anthony and I love that although Scorpius still shares some of the same quirks, such as fiddling with his clothes. I also find that James plays the comedy differently. Her Scorpius gets laughs where Anthony’s does’t, and vice-versa.

Anyway, here we go:

I love watching Harry and Ginny on the platform. I know I’ve mentioned this before but them standing there with their arms around each other gives me all the feels, especially as they get put to the test a lot in the story.

Cases/Trunks: I was in Row A for this show so I was able to see details I don’t normally see. I noticed that Rose has a big, shiny new case with “RGW” on it in huge bold letters. In comparison, Albus’s case looks small, old and battered and has “POTTER” stamped on it in peeling letters. It looks like it could be Harry’s old trunk. This is gloriously metaphorical. Lots of people have talked about how the suitcases carried around in the show are also used as gravestones in the final scene, each with the initials of a dead loved-one, and how the kids are literally carrying around the emotional baggage of their parents. It’s basically the same here, whether Albus’s case used to be Harry’s or James’s, he’s carrying with him to his first year at Hogwarts someone else’s history and identity that he doesn’t want, and which he feels he can’t match with his own. In contrast, Rose is already brimming with confidence, and carries no one but her own person.

I was so happy to have Tom Milligan back. I love him, he’s perfect for James Sirius. His James is the best and I missed him two weeks ago and I’m going to miss him lots when he goes. When James makes the thestral joke, Ron hands him on the shoulder and grins, as if to say “Good one.” When Albus begins to express worries about Slytherin, Ron and James laugh. Ginny and Harry both swung their heads around at them. Ginny definitely had a glare on, but I couldn’t see Harry’s look though I suspect it probably wouldn’t be as stern. I think Harry has a secret soft spot for James Sirius’s jokester nature. When Harry tells him off for teasing Albus on the Platform at the stat of second year, it’s very half-hearted and he fails to hide a bit of a grin. James then playfully slapped Harry in the stomach with his “See you at Christmas, Dad” and the way he said it - I could tell he felt he wasn’t really being told off and Harry just grinned at him, he couldn’t help it. I imagine that James and Harry have a very easy relationship. James takes after his namesakes and has a lot of Weasley (notably Ron and the twins) in him too. I think Harry is really fond of his light-heated nature and secretly a little proud of the level of prankster that James is. He also loves that James carries the quidditch talent and I imagine that when James first got onto the team, Harry would try to make as many matches as he could. Harry, as he says, understands James because he’s seen so much of who James is before. He has seen James in Ron, he saw him in Sirius, he saw him in Fred. Albus, is of course, far more like Harry than James and in consequence Harry can’t understand Albus, because it would be like trying to analyse himself. Of course, the ease with which Harry and James rub together only aggravates Albus’s insecurities. I also think that Harry doesn’t entirely take James’s teasing seriously. I think, when it’s about Slytherin, for example, something Albus is really insecure about, the teasing hurts him much more than Harry or James realise.

That being said, James allows himself to tease Albus but he doesn’t allow anyone else to do so. When Albus got sorted into Slytherin and Yann said “Maybe his hair isn’t that similar…” James hit Yann and gave him a very brief glare that plainly said “Shut up about my brother” and Yann (played by Josh Wyatt) retreated. I think James would have hexed an Albus bully so fast they’d never have seen it coming but the fact that James and Albus are in different houses and different years means that James isn’t in a position to protect Albus all the time. It would also possibly make the teasing worse - Albus would be teased even further for having to rely on older brother for his defence.

Speaking of different years, I can confirm that the school robe designs do vary among the different year groups (you can see this best during the First Task in the Twiwizard Tournament).

Within the first two years of school, James Le Lacheur talks in a higher pitch than he does in the rest of the play to emphasise that Scorpius is younger in these scenes. In third and fourth year her voice drops. I love that she added this detail. Also, she is so delightfully awkward and bumbling in the scene on the train (and in general) when Scorpius first meets Albus. So endearing.

On the platform for third year when Albus and Harry are at odds, a passer-by who was watching (played by Nuno) actually laughs out loud them, in a nasty way. Harry turns around and looks at the man. He was facing away from my direction to look at him, so I didn’t see the look he gave but I imagine that if looks could kill… I really liked this detail. One of the things overlooked in discussion of this part of the story, though not understated in the script, is that gossip dogs Albus as soon as he is sorted into Slytherin. Amos Diggory had “read about” Albus, the “Potter, who is in Slytherin”. Dumbledore hears gossip at the school and at the Ministry. I imagine Rita Skeeter had a field day when she first heard about Albus being sorted into Slytherin. Harry is used to gossip and rumours and I imagine he has a much thicker skin for it by now, but Albus is just a child, the child of the most famous wizard in the world, and not only does he have rumours within school, but outside of it. Every person he meets knows his name, not because they know him personally, but because they’ve read malicious rumours about him and it all comes down to the fact that he, in the eyes of others, doesn’t match his Dad, So Albus internally rationalises this into being all Harry’s fault. It’s hard enough to have a difficult relationship with your parent, but dealing with it in the public eye, with everyone guessing at things and spreading the guesses, must be absolutely awful and it’s bound to affect that status-quo of said relationship. It just makes it all ten times worse.

During the first EGM, I was able to see into the wings of the stage because my seat was at the far right of the aisle. Someone (Anabel, I think) was waiting just out of sight for the St. Oswald’s scene that followed, and her walking frame suddenly started to shoot toward stage far too early. She darted out to grab it before the EGM got interrupted by a walking frame. It didn’t get as far as on-stage so you wouldn’t have seen it unless you could see into the wings. General audience probably wasn’t aware but it was funny.

Ron and Ginny are both in the EGM and when Hermione mentions Harry’s scar, Ron approaches Ginny in the crowd and talks to her. It looked like a “Why didn’t you tell me?” type-thing.

Tom Milligan plays the carer who loses his trousers in the St. Oswald’s scene. He’s also one of the people who pushes the walk against Albus and Scorpius. This isn’t visible to general audience, but he’s still in his boxers when he’s pushing the wall.

I mentioned this two weeks ago but when Draco roars at Ginny after Albus and Scorpius go missing, Harry’s hand whips to his wand and he’s ready to curse the absolute shit out of Draco. The look on his face is murderous. I’d shit bricks if Harry looked at me like that. Of course, Ginny handles it herself because she’s awesome but Harry’s hand doesn’t leave his wand until Draco leaves. Now I’ve noticed this detail (only took me year - oops), I’m absolutely obsessed with it. All the Hinny feels, you guys. <3

More on Harry: Jamie’s waistcoat thing is quite well-known by now (and it should be) but another habit he has is taking his glasses off. He does it when he’s tired, or stressed, or frustrated or emotional. It’s as if he finds it too hard to look through his own eyes, as if it’s too tiring, too strenuous, to see what Harry Potter sees.

When Harry was ordering McGonagall to keep Albus and Scorpius apart, he normally slaps a hand down on the Marauders Map on McGonagall’s desk. It fell off, and he picked it up off the floor and slammed it down again. As a Harry fan, I find this scene really hard to watch because I don’t like his words and actions even if I understand his reasoning behind them. It’s the uglier side of his flaws. But of course, he recognises his mistakes later and makes up for them, because my boy is a heroic human being and that’s perfect example of a flaw and a strength.

When Albus leaves the hospital wing with Harry and meets Scorpius and tells Scorpius that “We’ll be better off without each other, OK?” James L stumbled back at these words, as if Albus had just run him through the gut with a knife. It was a perfect example of how she is so brilliant. She didn’t stay staring at Jamie as Anthony normally does but immediately crumbled to the floor as though in physical pain. Powerful stuff.

Hermione in the first AU: I love how Noma plays her in these scenes, it’s really beautiful. In particular, I love the manner in which she leaves the DADA scene. She walks off stage slowly, bringing the blackboard with her her hand. She’s half-commanding the blackboard but also half-steadying herself with it too. She walks off with such a straight back, her head held high, so dignified despite her personal internal pain. It perfectly exemplifies why Hermione is such a role model - not because she’s clever or becomes Minister for Magic, but because she’s brave and steadfast in her grievances and carries her burdens with grace and dignity, walking into and out of battles with her head held high. Another thing I love in these scenes is that when she and Ron meet on the staircase and he starts talking to her about Albus thinking they were married, she looks away from him and keeps facing away. I get the sense that as she’s hearing this, if she were to look at him, she’d break, because she loves him so much and it causes her such agony that they aren’t together. Having to look at this love of her life, whom she can’t be with, would just be too much for her composure.This scene is the most heartbreaking scene between them: it’s worse than the Dementor scene by far.

The library scene. Oh my, the library scene. It is nothing short of a privilege to see James do this scene. I remember the first time I saw her as Scorpius back in December and this was the stand out scene but this time around I was two rows closer and oh, my God. You could have heard a pin drop in the audience, she just floored everyone. I think I was sitting there with my mouth open, I was transfixed and I had no time to look at Sam, I just couldn’t tear my eyes from James. The way she screams out frustration with Albus, finally at the end of Scorpius’s tether and the way her body moved and twitched and curled, as if someone was performing the Cruciatus curse on her as she spoke about Astoria. The sobbing, the tears and the snot and everything. This was the most heartbreaking thing I’ve seen so far in this play, and that’s saying something. Honestly, I just can’t find words to express how powerful she was. It felt like the Earth had moved.

I love that Albus hands back the time turner when trying to get Scorpius under the cloak, it’s like a peace-offering and a gesture of trust. I love how James, when McGonagall left, sat so rigid and proud, her Malfoy showing, determined to be stoic and dignified after pouring her heart out but then when she admits that “I didn’t much like my life without you either”, the biggest smile split her face, as if Scorpius was for a moment, taken away and just living the pure happiness that Albus brought to his life. Albus then pulled Scorpius into a hug and Scorpius shrieked with shock as Albus did so which was funny and adorable; he’s just so uncomfortable with all this contact. James is a very shrieky Scorpius (which works brilliantly when Jamie plays Scorpius in the Polyjuice scene and gets all overexcited about the books). As I’ve said, James gets laughed where Anthony doesn’t and vice-versa. When Scorpius was talking about actions creating ripples and how they created “really bad ripples” the way she said those three words, so dramatic and dark, made the audience laugh out loud. I wish I could describe it, it was fantastic.

I always make these things too long! That’s all I can remember for now. Part Two in a few hours!

#cursed child #james le lacheur #tom milligan #jamie parker #james sirius potter

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