Harry Potter was my generation. The last film came out when I was a college frosh. Except for The Fantastic Beasts franchise, I didn’t keep up with the wizarding world. I was looking for Broadway shows in SF and saw they were showing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, so I booked tickets.

I got the closest seat available. It’s been a while since I saw any Harry Potter show, although I did reread the whole series in 2020 when COVID was just starting.

There’s only one word to describe the show: magical. I know how special effects work in movies but to see it in live-action is something else. It’s not a musical, but from the very start I was blown away with how creative it was. The props and stage design were something else!

This is probably the most packed area I have been to since the pandemic so I felt a little weird (and antisocial). The theater was crowded and it was already dark when I arrived so I didn’t get to appreciate the Curran theater much.

The best part of the show was re-awakening my childhood, getting so excited, and having that excitement once again. Movie effects no longer impress me as they used to, but for this show, my insides were just bursting. During the intermission, I texted my family saying how much fun it was.

I’m aware there’s a book about this but I never read it. It doesn’t veer away from HP’s overarching theme, and whether you’re familiar with the wizarding world or not, the story is solid by itself. They will be in the Curran until September 4, and tickets can be bought online.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Curran Theater, 445 Geary Street
San Francisco, California