J.K. Rowling announces that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is in two parts

J.K. Rowling has just revealed that the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will be staged in two parts.

The new stage play by Jack Thorne is based on a new and original story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, and will premiere in London’s West End in summer 2016 at the Palace Theatre.

At 10pm today, J.K. Rowling tweeted: ‘Due to the epic nature of the story we’ve been working on, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will be in two parts!’

Like you, we had so many questions and luckily for us, the play’s director John Tiffany and its writer Jack Thorne were on hand to answer some of them.

BAFTA-winning writer Jack Thorne was elated by the chance to delve deeper into the wizarding world.

‘Obviously I loved it when we decided to tell this story in two parts,’ Jack tells us, ‘because I got to spend more time with the characters and what an honour that has been.

‘It continues to be unbelievable and amazing that I’ve been given this extraordinary chance to bring Harry Potter to the stage. As a fan, who just devoured the books and the films, this couldn’t be more exciting for me.’

The significance of the stage play is not lost on Tony and Olivier Award-winning director John Tiffany. He feels that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a unique production, and we’re inclined to agree.

‘I’ve never worked on anything quite like this before,’ he says. ‘Usually in theatre you’re adapting existing material or creating an entirely new play. With the Cursed Child we have been given the unique opportunity to explore some of the most cherished books and beloved characters ever written, yet work with J.K. Rowling to tell a story from that world that no one yet knows – it’s exhilarating.

‘It shares a scale and ambition with all the Harry Potter stories, so in order to do this justice we have decided to present the play in two parts.’

John and Jack are two of the most successful and respected people working in theatre today. Their utterly charming nervousness about bringing J.K. Rowling’s characters to the stage only highlights what this extraordinary new story means to them.

‘I just hope we do it justice,’ says Jack. ‘I’m so constantly aware of respecting the previous seven stories… I hope people love this play like they loved the books. Everything we do is with that in mind.’

The production doesn’t just mean the world to its director and writer, but also to the entire team working tirelessly to bring the play to London’s West End next summer.

‘There are many people working on this production who grew up with the books, or discovered them with their kids,’ John tells us, ‘and it’s been thrilling and humbling to hear them say, “We never thought we’d get Harry back. But he’s here…”’

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child comes to London’s West End summer 2016. Pottermore will be right here to bring you more news, interviews and much more besides.