On Saturday, January 15, 2022, I went to San Francisco to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Here’s What I Knew About Harry Potter & the Cursed Child at the Curran Going In
- I would need to show my COVID vaccination card & ID to enter
- That I needed to arrive one hour early to ensure I had enough time to show my ticket, get my snacks, & find my seat
- The Curran boasted that as soon as you walk in you’ll feel like you’re in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- The original story and that it had been modified after COVID
How well did these things live up to my expectations? Let’s dive in.
COVID Vaccination Card & ID
This was 100% true. I did have to show these things in order to get into the theatre. There was also a line to go through metal detectors. Unfortunately (or fortunately in this case), I have a metal rod in my leg. So, I am not supposed to go through metal detectors. Security seemed a little confused by my request, but then they let me in through a side entrance, essentially allowing me to bypass the line.
While this was extremely convenient for me, it bothers me how easily I was able to bypass the line. Someone still should have searched me. I didn’t have any contraband or weapons on me, but someone else might have. And that would have been missed by their security.
You Need to Arrive One Hour Early
Probably. I cannot say definitely, because I did not need to arrive that early as I was able to bypass the line as stated above. I will say though that it was packed. So the recommendation to arrive early was probably a good one.
As Soon As You Walk in You Feel like You’re at Hogwarts
Entirely false. The Curran should not be making this claim since they in no way live up to it. There are a couple of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child posters, and employees walk around asking if anyone wants anything off the trolley in British accents. But really that’s it. There is so much more they could do here. Given their claims, I had expected to be whisked away on a magical adventure the moment I arrived. And that just didn’t happen. It was a huge let down.
My Seat & Cost of the Ticket
My seat was in the 6th row of the orchestra section, in the middle set of seats, but towards the left aisle. (I get claustrophobic, and I wanted to be close to an end). Although there were a few tall people in front of me, I could still see pretty well thanks to having such a good seat. My ticket cost $289. And, if you have the money to spend on premium seats, then it is definitely worth it. There are cheaper seats available for $69 or similar if you’re looking for more budget friendly seats, but you will not be as close to the stage or have as clear a view as I did.
Snack Package
The snack package consisted of two vouchers for items at the bar, a bottle of water and a huge chocolate galleon. For my vouchers, I was able to get a huge bucket of popcorn. You can see the tubs in the photo. The snack package was $35 in total and way over inflated for what it was actually worth. Especially since it did not actually include any of the Harry Potter candies. Do yourself a favor and skip the snack package, and just buy your water and a Harry Potter snack. That is, unless you’re like me and hadn’t eaten all day. Then it’s worth it to get the popcorn. I will rate the different snack items in a separate blog post.
The Play Itself
To be honest, I felt as if much of the first act was rushed. And they completed cut Lily and Hugo from the play. They are mentioned, but they do not appear. There were also jokes added, and it felt like they were trying too hard to impress Harry Potter fans. What they really did, in my opinion at least, was make fun of Harry Potter to the point that I almost found it offensive.
At the end of the first act, when the dementors bestowed their kiss upon Severus Snape, they came into the audience. It felt really realistic and really immersive, and I have to say that this was where they really had me.
The second act was pretty much as it was in the original script, so I won’t go too much into detail there. I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed the play, and it did become magical as of the end of the second act. However, I found myself disappointed in the ambiance.
There really wasn’t all that much of Harry Potter at the theatre, and as stated above, I feel they could have done more.
To purchase tickets to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, go here.
AprilCoxTravel & Freelance 