Jamie Parker, who played Harry Potter, initially thought the show was a terrible idea. "But a lot of hit shows are terrible ideas on paper," he says. He accepted the role after seeing the team, including producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, and playwright Jack Thorne.
Jamie Parker's journey
Parker listened to Stephen Fry's audiobooks on loop and became a Potterhead. He relates to Harry, having also attended boarding school in Scotland and worn round glasses. The pressure felt shared. "Like Harry, I was barely 12 when I also got on a train and went to a boarding school in Scotland. I also had round glasses!"
He found the magical elements challenging but learned the illusions through musicality. His spatial awareness is poor, but he never caused serious mishaps. One night during a duel scene, his wand flew out of his hand; he caught it blindly, and Alex Price (Draco) cheered.
Audience reaction
During the first preview, the energy was palpable. "The ripple of energy and anticipation that went through the theatre was almost visual. It was put to us that this was like opening the new Star Wars film but in one cinema worldwide," Parker says. Audiences were attentive; he didn't hear a single phone go off.
Illusions designer Jamie Harrison
Harrison studied acting but was told to hide his magic background. He created his own theatre company and introduced illusions. When he got the script, he couldn't sleep for three nights. He drew on past illusionists while making effects new.
The Ministry of Magic phone box almost didn't appear. Director John Tiffany wanted to avoid a big red phone box. Instead, Harrison found an old emergency telephone and created a trick based on David Devant's mascot moth. But after a test audience of superfans complained, they quickly included a phone box. "So Sonia and John said, 'We know we said we didn't want a phone box, but we need one by this time next week!'"
Harrison won't reveal secrets but says the show uses shadows and light precisely. "It might look very organic and handmade, but there is an absolute wodge of technology involved and a huge crew."
The Expelliarmus spell involves a wand jumping from hand to hand. Harrison had to demonstrate it for JK Rowling early on. "I was more nervous than the flipping actors! I demonstrated it and she went, 'Oh! Do that again!' You know you've got somebody if they ask to see it again."
The original two-part production celebrates its 10th anniversary on 30 July and runs at the Palace theatre, London until 20 September; the one part production opens on 9 October.
