#barry mccarthy

[mrsellacott]

With the lovely Barry McCarthy, following Sept 1st Performance. 

It is always a delight to see Barry. I have actually missed him the last couple of times I have been in, so it was nice to get to see him both Friday and Saturday night. 

I really do adore his performance as Amos Diggory and Albus Dumbledore. 

[pleasesortmeintohufflepuff]

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

[cursedchildsupport]

Did anyone watch 'London Road' on BBC 2?

It featured Paul Thornley as one of the main roles as well as a small appearance from Helena Lymbery and Barry McCarthy!

[mrsellacott]

Cursed Child New Cast - Part Two - 25th May

I am so happy that I went to see the first performances of the new cast. It wasn’t perfect, there are kinks that need to be ironed out, nerves did show, but overall, I think our beloved show has been placed in the best hands possible to take it forward into another amazing year.

One of the most amazing things about seeing the new cast was that I felt like I was seeing the play for the first time again. It felt like a fresh take on the play, the same words and actions, but with each cast member making their roles their own. That feeling was also helped by the amazing audience in for the performance. They gasped, cheered and laughed in all the right places and in places I don't think I had heard reactions for before.

The simple fact is, many of these audiences members had not seen the play before, in some cases, they had managed to avoid all spoilers. Their reactions to the play and the cast tells me that we are in for an amazing year!

Right, now onto the show...

(Warning, this could get long) (Spoilers Ahead)

Before I begin, I need to say that I flat out refuse to do comparisons between the original and current cast, but I may do so to help me put my point across. I won’t compare the casts for the simple fact of there is no good reason to do so, each cast will make the performance their own and that can only be a good thing.

Jamie Glover as Harry, after Part One, I liked him, but after Part Two, I loved him. I know not everyone is convinced by him, but there is something about his quiet presence I adore. I think people tend to forget that Harry was only angry all the time in Book 5, the rest of time he only explodes when he pushed to his absolute limit.

The scene between him and Dumbledore in his office was, in my opinion, brilliantly played. Barry felt more choked up as Dumbledore as a result and I love that. Throughout that scene, Harry’s anger slowly builds up and then he seems to just deflate. Jamie had me in tears at how he played the scene, but it was the way he said “Don’t Go” that made me really love him as Harry. Jamie P always played it with desperation. Jamie G said in such a child-like way, with a vulnerability he was scared to show.

My favourite scenes have always been the two between Harry and Ginny in Act 4 and they were the ones I worried most about. Luckily, Jamie and Emma did not disappoint. There is an obvious connection between the two and with time, I believe we will, again, have that same passionate connection as before.

When they discovered Albus was missing, Emma went straight to be suspicious of Harry from the off, immediately accusing him through the tone of her voice. She immediately jumps to conclusions about why Albus has disappeared and for me, it worked as it made Harry more nervous, more jumpy when Ginny starts asking how heated it got.

The scene that leads them to discovering the message on the blanket was great as well. Jamie really did a great job of struggling with his emotions in this scene and Emma played her part well when apologising for her mistake, when trying to comfort Harry despite him not letting her. The only thing that really needs working on, but is more something that will come with time, is their kiss or in this cases kisses (we got two). Like Jamie and Poppy, the passion is something that will be probably come with time and once it is unleashed, it will be brilliant.

Their conversation in the church was fantastic too, not perfect, but again, with time, it will be. Emma, for me, really shone in this scene, she was able to provide a hint of humour when needs be. I also loved how Jamie delivered the line “I’m lucky to have you aren’t I?” There was a hint of awe in his voice and Emma responded perfectly. The only thing I ask for from that moment is for them to show the passion we know to be part of their relationship.

Lily and James’ Death Scene feels much like it did when I saw the show in previews. Though, again Jamie delivered the lines about Lily with a sense of awe in his voice, which I loved. I also loved how when he collapsed to his knees he brought Emma and Theo down with him.

Any worries I had for Jamie and Emma taking over are definitely gone now. I believe once they have settled in and become comfortable in their roles that they will be even better than they are now and will bring that passion I love so much.

Oh Samuel, how I love Samuel. I really, really do to the point that I do prefer him to Anthony. I realised why that was yesterday morning when I was talking to my best friend. We both agreed that there were times Anthony mumbled, especially when he was working things out in his head out loud. Samuel is much clearer in those scenes. There is also something so lovable about Samuel, not just on stage but off stage as well (there will be a separate post on stage door). James Howard really was right when he said he loved his son, because I now love him too and so will the audiences.

Theo was much better in Part Two, much more relaxed. He has definitely formed a solid friendship with Samuel and it shows between them on stage, especially when they are teasing one another. Loved that he whacked Samuel with his pillow a couple of times after Scorpius has woken Albus up. His delivery of the line about Albus going into Pigeon Racing was just perfect and funny. He is going to be brilliant as Albus.

I will admit I am probably the only one not feeling the Scorbus right now. Even with the teasing, I still felt like it was a strong and close friendship between them rather than a potential crush on one another. Maybe in July I shall see it differently.

Love Sarah Miele as Polly Chapman. She sticks with her natural Scottish Accent and sounds less stuck up than our previous Polly. In the Voldemort AR, she was brilliant. I always bothered by how quick Claudia moved from getting upset about having blood on her shoe to telling Scorpius she was making her own future. Sarah, however, paused for a moment, like she was taking a second to compose herself and I loved that she did as it felt much more natural.

OMG, Annabel as Delphi... I had already heard she was amazing in the role and in Part Two she proved why. She quite literally goes psycho on Albus and Scorpius in the creepiest way possible. I am so happy she was given the chance to take over the role because she is quite stunning as Delphi.

David Annen is our new Snape and I love him. He reminded me a little of how Alan Rickman had approached the role in the movies.

Finally, I shall end with James Howard as Draco Malfoy. I have already praised him and there really isn’t much more than I can say than just how much I love him as Draco. It is his interactions with Samuel that I love. I feel like James plays him in a way that shows Draco desperate to want to connect with his son, but struggling with how to do so. As I said before James had told me he loved his new son, and it genuinely shows in his performance. He even wrapped an arm around Samuel as they left the stage following Curtain Call. I suspect James has taken Samuel under his wing and is helping him through this new experience.

Overall, as I have already said, our beloved show is in safe hands. I already love them as a cast and I can see they have the potential to be even better to the point we will all be scrambling for Cast Change tickets come next year.

[pleasesortmeintohufflepuff]

To all the Cursed Child fans who can't be You Know Where today!

Many fans from all over the world are unhappy now since they can't see off the old cast at #CursedChildCastChange today. Instead of sitting at home and crying into your Cursed Child program let's mark this day as something special wherever you are. Take your Cursed Child program, book or ticket out to a famous sight in your town or landscape for example, take a picture of this item (or of you with the item) there and tweet it to @HPPlayLDN and the cast as a goodbye and way of saying thank you. The Cursed Child fandom is so international it would be interesting to see it in pictures. As a tag I'd propose #CursedChildCastChange or simply #CursedChild Please share this message! (But you can do this no matter where you are, and if you don't have time to go out, you could just do the picture at home.)

[mrsellacott]

Have I ever told you how beautiful, wonderful and amazing the cast of Cursed Child are??? I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH!! ❤️

[pleasesortmeintohufflepuff]

From Bournemouth, UK! *** I had the idea that the fans who can't be at the Palace for the cast change today, can take pictures of their Cursed Child programs, tickets etc. in front of a famous landmark in their city (or anywhere) and tweet it to Harry Potter Play @HPPlayLDN and the cast. It's a pretty international fandom so in the end we might have a big collage consisting of pics of places all over the world. Please share and join!

[pleasesortmeintohufflepuff]

As described before I had the idea that the fans who can't be today at the Palace for the cast change today, can take pictures of their Cursed Child programs, tickets etc. in front of a famous landmark in their city (or anywhere) and tweet it to Harry Potter Play @HPPlayLDN and the cast. It's a pretty international fandom so in the end we might have a big collage consisting of pics of places all over the world. Here's my first tweet. Please share and join!