Press Performances Bumped Up for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

With some reviewers already breaking the embargo on reviewing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the production decides to push the press showing dates up.

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As we noted last week, J.K. Rowling and the production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are having spoiler issues from a source they weren’t initially expecting. Originally their campaign of “Keep the Secrets” was aimed at over-eager fans, trying to get them not to spill all the beans on social media. (They failed.) But what they did not expect is that some over eager journalists might also spill the beans–in reviews published prior to Opening Night.

As we’ve explained before, the preview period is basically the production test driving their live production in front of an audience to see how the crowd responds. It’s the same process movies also use, except movie “test audiences” are usually a small group of Los Angeles residents who take their job (and their silence) very seriously. We only hear about test audiences for movies when they go so badly that the movie winds up getting reshot.

That the production shown to preview audiences may not ready for prime time is understood by theater reviewers around the world, and though they may be so eager to see a show that they go before the “press invite” weekend, if they do, they do not write up a review, since they understand this is not the final product. That some journalists felt that breaking that tradition and running early reviews, due to the immense popularity of Potter was a shock to the theatre world, and one the production hadn’t anticipated.

LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 08: Members of the public take pictures in front of The Palace Theatre, following the first preview of the Harry Potter and The Cursed Child play last night, on June 8, 2016 in London, England. The new Harry Potter play follows on from the British author J.K. Rowling’s acclaimed series of books about a boy wizard. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

With other reviewers now chomping at the bit to review the show, since some aren’t honoring the regular embargo, it was announced today that the production is going to move the press viewings up. According to The Stage.co:

"Critics will be allowed to review the play five days earlier after the press embargo was brought forward to one minute past midnight on July 26. Producers did not give a reason for bringing forward the press performances, which will now take place over a period of a few days before July 26. However, the show will still be holding its opening gala on July 30, with the play’s script due to be published at midnight on July 31."

Perhaps, since there were not that many changes once the show started running in front of audiences, the production decided it wasn’t worth waiting. Perhaps they felt the reviews coming earlier than planned would help lengthen the hype period for July 31st. (After all, Rowling is used to a six week promotional blitz period for a movie, which stage shows just don’t do.) Either way, it shows a serious level of confidence by the production that it doesn’t need that extra week to fine tune anymore. Whatever the reason, reviews will start appearing earlier that originally planned, and we’ll be rounding them all up here.