"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," the eighth story in the "Harry Potter" universe, officially premiered in West End of London on Saturday, July 30, receiving highly positive reviews from critics. The script of the play was published the day after, on Sunday, July 31, but it could be the last time fans will get to read a fresh story about the famous wizard.
"[Harry Potter] goes on a very big journey during these two plays and then, yeah, I think we're done," author J.K. Rowling told the press during the official launch of "The Cursed Child," as quoted by RadioTimes. "This is the next generation, you know. So, I'm thrilled to see it realised so beautifully but, no, Harry is done now."
The Sunday reviews are in for the #CursedChild. pic.twitter.com/NrvXwFqMi2
— Harry Potter Play (@HPPlayLDN) July 31, 2016
The new story, conceptualized by Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany, centers on the younger of Harry's sons, Albus Severus. It takes place 19 years after the events in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," at the time of the book's epilogue. Fans will recall that Harry and Ginny, along with Hermione and Ron, were at Platform 9 3/4, saying goodbye to their kids who were bound for Hogwarts for the school year.
In the play, Albus is sorted into Slytherin and goes through his years in school standing under the shadow of his famous father. He and his friend, Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Harry's rival Draco, get into all sorts of serious trouble as they try to change the past using the last Time Turner.
Harry, meanwhile, is not having an easy time, either. Apart from being a husband to Ginny and a dad to three kids, he is also an overworked employee at the Ministry of Magic.
"It chimed perfectly with the material I had about the next generation and I could see it would work perfectly," Rowling said. "So I never wanted to write another novel, but this will give the fans something special."
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" is performed at the Palace Theatre in London.
