Award-winning director John Tiffany speaks about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’s pressures and success.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child director John Tiffany knows this play is bringing a whole new audience to the theatre, and he couldn’t be happier about it.
The established British director is no stranger to stage success. He is responsible for the theatre adaptation of Once, winning both the Drama Desk and Tony Award for Best Director. But he knew with the global phenomenon that was Harry Potter, Cursed Child would be an entirely different beast.
Tiffany recently spoke to WhatsOnStage about what it was like creating a massive show like Cursed Child that would be seen by a whole new generation of fans.
Tiffany’s Thoughts
"I knew a huge amount of the audience would be first time theatregoers. I wanted to make sure we could deliver something that wasn’t disappointing. I had read those books with my nephews and God-kids and had seen how they connect with the emotional heart of it. I knew that I didn’t want to be the person that made Harry Potter boring."
Tiffany worked with writer Jack Thorne and J.K. Rowling herself to create the story and spent two years mounting it for the stage. The hard work has paid off: the show has received rave reviews from theatre critics and has continually sold out all available tickets in London. Tiffany continues:
"You spend your life desperately trying to get people into the theatre and then a show like this comes along… We knew it would be popular, but my heart goes: Oh God, I want those people that really want to see it to come. But once we’ve got more productions open around the world, that will alleviate the pressure."
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is gearing up for a Broadway run in 2018.
Next: Harry Potter and the Accents of the Cursed Child Actors
For London-based Harry Potter fans, there are still performances happening until April 2018. There are just limited (very, very limited) tickets available, and the Friday Forty lottery.