Tom Felton and the Soporific Musical

As we know from last edition’s “The Arts in New York: The Empire State of Mind”, there is nothing quite like a Broadway play. Going into “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” I thought it couldn’t get any better. I’m glad to say I couldn’t have been more wrong. Walking into the Lyric Theater was unlike anything I have ever experienced, it truly felt as though I had walked into the wizarding world. The dim lighting, stage set up, and house colored drapes, created an ambient atmosphere.  

When it was first released, the Cursed Child was under much speculation over whether it lived up to the original series. The story follows Harry Potter’s young son, Albus Severus Potter and his best friend Scorpius Malfoy as they attempt to alter the past to bring back Cedric Diggory. It explores his complicated relationship with his father and adds a new unexpected twist to the beloved series. Upon seeing the play, it became clear that it was just as good. The musical was much different than the typical broadway experience—there was no singing—yet the choreography more than made up for it. The stagecraft embodied the Harry Potter experience; from the set to the special effects, it was truly consuming. About halfway through the show, the theater was filled with dementors flying around the room, surpassing the limits of the stage. This made the play truly interactive and allowed the audience to feel as though they were immersed in the world. 

One of the most powerful aspects of the show was watching Tom Felton reprise his role as Draco Malfoy. When he first took the stage, the audience erupted in applause that lasted for nearly two minutes, but the truly impressive part was how he stayed in character the entire time. Despite the sense of nostalgia it brought, his role has developed greatly over time. We were able to see a new matured rendition of the character that was evidently brought by fatherhood. His performance was layered and unexpectedly soft. The rest of the cast followed suit in terms of performance. 

In my personal opinion, the actors for Hermione and Ron were really boring and they acted differently than any previous attempt at the characters but that can be attributed to bad writing. Some of the acting choices made, came off differently than they did in the screenplay which had varied effects on the quality of the performance. Although there are many inconsistencies and plot holes in the original screenplay, including the main storyline, the musical rendition presented a much improved version of the writing. Many find the central idea at which the screenplay was based off is a pointless and possibly even cretinous one. While I tend to agree with most opinions of the kind, I believe the execution of the musical itself was a spectacle worth viewing. 

Click below to get your tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at Fox Theatre in Atlanta! In theaters from February 28, 2026 to March 15, 2026.

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Tickets

(Tom Felton not included)