Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - how to get the new release of tickets today
Months after it opened, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has won dozens of five star reviews and kilometres of late-night queues to pick up JK Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany's script of the blockbuster two-part play.
But if you're one of the many who didn't manage to buy a ticket in the first two frenetic ticket releases last year, don't fret: this morning, thousands of new tickets will go on sale in the first proper extension of the play since it opened. Here's what you need to know
When do the tickets go on sale?
Tickets will go on sale today, Tuesday, 22 November. Set your alarm for 11am.
How do I buy them?
Online is your best bet. Head to the official Harry Potter and the Cursed Child website. Unlike previous ticket releases, there's no option to register your interest beforehand, and no pre-sales, either.
If you have physical access needs then call 0330 333 4410, but don't call this number for general ticket sales, as you won't be able to buy them on this line.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a magical show with a strong emotional core - review
How much are they?
Depending on where you sit, a ticket will set you back between £15 and £70 per part. There will be 300 seats at each performance priced at less than £20 per ticket.
Do I need to book tickets for both parts?
If you want to see both parts, yes. The vast majority of people going do. The good news is that you keep the same seat for both sections, the bad news is that you may have to raid Gringotts to pay for them.
On Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, both Part I and Part II are performed in one day. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, Part I takes place at 2pm, then Part II kicks off at 7.30pm. On Sunday, Part 1 begins at 1pm, while Part 2 starts at 6.30pm.
On Thursdays Part I is performed at 7.30pm, and on Fridays Part II is performed at 7.30pm. Most people try to see both parts in the same week. If you don't, there's a chance that the actors will change between performances due to holidays.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: even on the page, the emotion is devastating
When are these tickets for?
Save the date: these tickets are for performances running from December 13 2017 to February 2018. Now that's getting ahead with your Christmas shopping.
What if I miss out this time?
The good news is that throughout the run, including from now, there are tickets available every Friday as part of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child's Friday Forty scheme.
Every Friday at 1pm 40 tickets are released for every performance of the following week, in the best seats in the theatre.
Lucky customers are chosen at random to be given the opportunity to buy a maximum of two tickets for both Part One and Part Two in one transaction, for £40 total (£20 per part).
To be in with a chance, visit the Friday Forty page here at Friday lunchtime and hit the "book tickets" button at 1pm. You'll be entered into a virtual queue.
Will Harry Potter and the Cursed Child reach international theatres?
If the producers have decided to take the play to Broadway, they're keeping schtum. Producer Sonia Friedman told The New York Times that they are thinking about it, but haven't firmed down any details yet. "Of course, it would be disingenuous to think New York and Broadway weren’t part of our thinking," she told the paper.
“Harry Potter, the brand and the story, are as iconic over there as anywhere in the world, and, Colin and I being theater producers and Broadway producers, of course it’s on our radar, but where, how, when and with whom, we have no idea.”
So, for now, it's London or bust.
Buy Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Part I & II tickets now
