Some very interesting news has cropped up and I’d like to share it with our readers: J.K. Rowling is set to join Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender in producing a play set in the world of the Harry Potter franchise. The three have revealed that rather than being an adaption of the eight movies, the play will focus on “the previously untold story of Harry Potter’s early years as an orphan and outcast.”
To me this sounds like the perfect kind of story for a West End play; Billy Elliott, Matilda, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, and Oliver Twist have all spent countless years being performed in London’s top theaters and been seen by millions upon millions of Brits and foreign visitors during that time.
Interesting is that Rowling will not write the stage piece (although she will co-produce and collaborate with a playwright as discussed), but Rowling explained that of the numerous approaches she has had of a stage adaption over the years, the vision put forth by Sonia and Colin “was the only one that really made sense to me, and which had the sensitivity, intensity and intimacy I thought appropriate for bringing Harry’s story to the stage.”
So, rather than show us things that we’ve all seen before, this new glimpse into Harry Potter’s past looks to “offer a unique insight into the heart and mind of the now legendary young wizard. A seemingly ordinary boy, but one for whom destiny has plans…”
Don’t worry about this being a low budget production either, the belief is that Warner Bros, the studio behind the Potter movies, will be heavily involved in the development. I would imagine that the show will be primarily in London, but with touring sets after the initial year (such as they have done with Billy Elliott, Shrek The Musical and Matilda). Also, if you don’t fancy the hefty price tags that are placed on these things or the travelling, the likely-hood is that it will find its way onto DVD (as Shrek The Musical did this year).
I’m sure this is exciting news to all you Potter fans out there and Fantasy-Faction understands that it should be with us in less than two years (mid-2015), which is about the time the next Potter movie, which dives even further into the past, is due!
Jennie Ivins
Richard Marpole
Not 100% sure how this will work. If they intend staying true to the films and books then there cannot be any magic involved (at least not on Harry’s part or anytime he’s around) because the first time he knows anything about the wizarding world is when Hagrid comes to the lighthouse to fetch him. I suppose they can have things happening around him that he cant explain, but no actual magic as per the films.
I imagine it will focus primarily on his difficult life, but, as you say, have characters such as Dumbledore and Hagrid featuring unseen around him…?