Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

First things firsst: this review will contain spoilers, if only because it’s impossible to write a review without telling you something of what goes on... otherwise, I’d just end up remarking on how well the set design complements the Palace Theatre architecture.

Next: who is the second title character in Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, which continues one of the world’s best-known story cycles a generation on? It could be Harry’s younger son Albus, at an awkward stage of teenage rebellion; it could be Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Draco with whom Albus forges an unlikely friendship; it could be Delphi Diggory, cousin of the late Cedric and eager to... ah, spoilers; it could even be Harry himself, the orphan now faced with working out how to be a good parent. There’s no shortage of possibility.

No shortage of action either; this dramatic tale needs to be told in two parts (you book tickets for successive nights or a matineeand- evening double-header). Part Two shows some signs of the bloat that afflicted the later novels and films, but keeps a stronger grip on the story itself.

The collaboration between JK Rowling, director John Tiffany and writer Jack Thorne works a treat. One of Thorne’s strengths is a talent for portraying the same kind of emotional honesty as Rowling, so that matters may not be subtle or complex, but they always feel authentic. Tiffany, meanwhile, enlists Jamie Harrison for a wealth of thrilling illusions. Everything from polyjuice-potion-driven switcheroos to a serious wand battle comes alive before your eyes.

The familiarity of the Potter tales also informs Thorne’s writing. The plot here not only makes use of a standard sci-fi/fantasy trope about time travel changing the world you return to, but... Do you know about slash fiction? It’s the term for online fan stories involving romantic or sexual relationships between characters. Well, this is a very slashy affair: the central relationship between Albus (Sam Clemmett, excellent) and Scorpius (Anthony Boyle, brilliant at a whole raft of adolescent moments) nods discreetly to the Harry/Draco fantasies of fans. Nothing explicit, but when they start talking about the Engorgio spell you can’t help but giggle...

Noma Dumezweni brings her exceptional qualities as an actress to the role of Hermione, Alex Price is a reformed and compassionate Draco, while Jamie Parker is an appealingly mixed-up-at-40 Harry, although at times he looks disconcertingly like Robert Peston. The whole thing has both the production quality and the narrative and thematic oomph to make it well worth two evenings of your time. Exspecto considerable long-term patronage.

Playing Wednesday to Sunday at the Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1: 0844-412 4656, www.harrypottertheplay.com