If you're jonesing for a Harry Potter fix and the November 2016 release of the prequel(ish) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is too long of a wait, you don't have to make a batch of Felix Felicis for good fortune, because it's already here: a two-part play based on a short story by J.K. Rowling will act as a follow-up to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, giving fans worldwide a glimpse into the life of the most famous and beloved boy wizard 19 years after the seventh book's conclusion.
Developed by Rowling, along with director John Tiffany and playwright Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will focus on Harry's post-hero life as an overburdened civil servant for the Ministry of Magic and as a family man. As the Boy Who Lived comes to terms with being the Man Who Is Living, his youngest son, Albus, grapples with the burden of his birthright.
So now you know it really isn't a prequel: Harry Potter & the #CursedChild starts #19yearslater! Go to @HPPlayLDN for more information.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 23, 2015
Here is an official synopsis below:
"It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children. [...] While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places."
The parts of the play are intended to be seen in a consecutive order—either on two separate nights, or, for the die-hard Potter fan, in one fell swoop on the same day in one matinee and then an evening performance.
(And if you're worried about how to book tickets, Rowling and her team created a handy flowchart to visually guide you through the process.)
As for Rowling's foray into theater? The author seems confident about the quality of the work—and, more importantly, the medium in which the next chapter of Harry's life will be told.
"The story only exists because the right group of people came together with a brilliant idea about how to present Harry Potter on stage," she relayed on her interactive fan site Pottermore. "I'm confident that when audiences see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child they will understand why we chose to tell this story in this way."
Right now, would-be ticket holders have one day to sign up for the "priority booking" list. Submitting your name doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be guaranteed a seat during previews or after the play officially opens, but it will grant priority members a first chance to preorder once tickets are obtainable.
Tickets will become available on Oct. 28. Previews are scheduled to go up in May 2016, with full performances opening in June.
Via: The Verge
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