We met and became friends through Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, so it's very special to us. And we are also massive nerds. As such, we've discussed every theory, timeline, possible plot hole, character and question about the play. One discussion we have often is who the 'Cursed Child' actually is. Obviously we know the title is meant to be deliberately ambiguous, with the creative team publicly stating so, but it's still interesting and fun and everyone seems to have their own ideas - so here we are!
Albus Potter
Albus is arguably the main character of Cursed Child, with much of the plot revolving around him. He was the next generation character who JK Rowling was most interested in when she wrote the epilogue, and indeed he does have the most lines in the play.
Albus is the middle child of Ginny and Harry Potter who struggles with his family's fame. He's burdened by the enormous weight of his family legacy, and in a sense, that is a curse. Albus is different, he's introverted and not as accustomed or as comfortable with the fame that naturally comes with his family name as the others appear to be.
Additionally, the famous logo of the boy sitting inside the Snitch-shaped nest could only really be him. Albus is the only dark-haired boy who features prominently in the play.
Scorpius Malfoy
Scorpius grew up in isolation at Malfoy Manor. He knew no one from his age group at all and had no friend except the one he invented - Hector. Whereas Albus is born into fame and renown, Scorpius is born into infamy - a tainted family which also carries a heavy burden.
He is a strong contender for the role of the Cursed Child as his family are cursed with a powerful blood malediction which his mother, Astoria, lives with and eventually dies of. As if that's not enough, rumour and gossip surround his true parentage. Scorpius is believed to be the child of Lord Voldemort, the most feared tyrant of the wizarding world. Yikes.
Part of Scorpius's arc shows him learning to live with his lot, he accepts the things he can't change and embraces the idea that the future is his to make. Which brings us onto...
Delphi
Delphi could easily be the titular character too. Like with Albus and Scorpius, Delphi is the progeny of (spoiler!) Lord Voldemort, which is a curse in anyone's book. Orphaned young and raised in secret by people with questionable motives, she takes it upon herself to resurrect the father she never knew but whose respect and pride she craves.
There is scant information about her upbringing, but we imagine it to mirror Harry's in some respects. Whereas Harry's life changed when Hagrid burst through the door and told him he was a wizard, it was Rodolphus Lestrange (Bellatrix's loyal husband) who found Delphi and told her of her true identity, and of the prophecy he believed she was destined to fulfill.
The prophecy is all-consuming for Delphi. She devotes her life to it, presumably because it gives her a sense of purpose. She spends years watching the Potters, learning all she can about them. She primes in on Harry's weaknesses and targets Albus. Delphi is well-prepared by the beginning of Albus's fourth year, passing herself off as the niece of the grieving Amos Diggory. Delphi's obsession with the prophecy, at least in an abstract sense, is also a curse, and is eventually her downfall.
Harry Potter
Another name often thrown into the ring is Harry himself. Over the course of the play we see a few flashbacks to his abusive and solitary childhood with the Dursleys. Even as an adult, he is haunted by those memories of the life anyone would be eager to forget.
Like with Delphi, Harry's childhood was blighted and marred by prophecy and unwanted expectation. It didn't sit well with him, but deep down Harry always knew he was the Chosen One, that he had to bring an end to Lord Voldemort's reign of terror. His implication in the 'big' prophecy is a curse and continues to effect Harry's life as a married father of three.
Harry in Cursed Child feels great shame and responsibility for the losses faced during the wizarding wars. He's conscious of the unfairness of it all, without realising how unfair he's being on himself. He wants to set injustices right, and is desperate to make peace with the inner child he so wants to protect.
Overall, we quite like the fact that the title is ambiguous and entirely open to interpretation. It refers to all of these characters, and maybe even some others *cough* Hugo Granger-Weasley *cough*, but for us it most strongly resonates with Albus and Delphi. Let us know what you think! Feel free to tweet us (@SparesAreSpared and @PCKL) because we both love a good discussion.
Albus Potter
 |
| Albus Potter, played by Sam Clemmett. London Cast One. |
Albus is arguably the main character of Cursed Child, with much of the plot revolving around him. He was the next generation character who JK Rowling was most interested in when she wrote the epilogue, and indeed he does have the most lines in the play.
Albus is the middle child of Ginny and Harry Potter who struggles with his family's fame. He's burdened by the enormous weight of his family legacy, and in a sense, that is a curse. Albus is different, he's introverted and not as accustomed or as comfortable with the fame that naturally comes with his family name as the others appear to be.
Additionally, the famous logo of the boy sitting inside the Snitch-shaped nest could only really be him. Albus is the only dark-haired boy who features prominently in the play.
Scorpius Malfoy
 |
| Scorpius Malfoy, played by Jonathan Case. London Cast Four. |
Scorpius grew up in isolation at Malfoy Manor. He knew no one from his age group at all and had no friend except the one he invented - Hector. Whereas Albus is born into fame and renown, Scorpius is born into infamy - a tainted family which also carries a heavy burden.
He is a strong contender for the role of the Cursed Child as his family are cursed with a powerful blood malediction which his mother, Astoria, lives with and eventually dies of. As if that's not enough, rumour and gossip surround his true parentage. Scorpius is believed to be the child of Lord Voldemort, the most feared tyrant of the wizarding world. Yikes.
Part of Scorpius's arc shows him learning to live with his lot, he accepts the things he can't change and embraces the idea that the future is his to make. Which brings us onto...
Delphi
 |
| Albus and Delphi, played by Sean Rees-Wemyss and Madeleine Jones, respectively. Melbourne Cast. |
Delphi could easily be the titular character too. Like with Albus and Scorpius, Delphi is the progeny of (spoiler!) Lord Voldemort, which is a curse in anyone's book. Orphaned young and raised in secret by people with questionable motives, she takes it upon herself to resurrect the father she never knew but whose respect and pride she craves.
There is scant information about her upbringing, but we imagine it to mirror Harry's in some respects. Whereas Harry's life changed when Hagrid burst through the door and told him he was a wizard, it was Rodolphus Lestrange (Bellatrix's loyal husband) who found Delphi and told her of her true identity, and of the prophecy he believed she was destined to fulfill.
The prophecy is all-consuming for Delphi. She devotes her life to it, presumably because it gives her a sense of purpose. She spends years watching the Potters, learning all she can about them. She primes in on Harry's weaknesses and targets Albus. Delphi is well-prepared by the beginning of Albus's fourth year, passing herself off as the niece of the grieving Amos Diggory. Delphi's obsession with the prophecy, at least in an abstract sense, is also a curse, and is eventually her downfall.
Harry Potter
 |
| Harry Potter, played by Jamie Ballard. London Cast Three. |
Another name often thrown into the ring is Harry himself. Over the course of the play we see a few flashbacks to his abusive and solitary childhood with the Dursleys. Even as an adult, he is haunted by those memories of the life anyone would be eager to forget.
Like with Delphi, Harry's childhood was blighted and marred by prophecy and unwanted expectation. It didn't sit well with him, but deep down Harry always knew he was the Chosen One, that he had to bring an end to Lord Voldemort's reign of terror. His implication in the 'big' prophecy is a curse and continues to effect Harry's life as a married father of three.
Harry in Cursed Child feels great shame and responsibility for the losses faced during the wizarding wars. He's conscious of the unfairness of it all, without realising how unfair he's being on himself. He wants to set injustices right, and is desperate to make peace with the inner child he so wants to protect.
Overall, we quite like the fact that the title is ambiguous and entirely open to interpretation. It refers to all of these characters, and maybe even some others *cough* Hugo Granger-Weasley *cough*, but for us it most strongly resonates with Albus and Delphi. Let us know what you think! Feel free to tweet us (@SparesAreSpared and @PCKL) because we both love a good discussion.
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| The Palace Theatre, London. Taken by our very own Bertie Lyman. |
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