Harry Potter play to open in London next year

JK Rowling ‏has confirmed that the Harry Potter play, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”, will open in London next year.

“It will tell a new story, which is the result of collaboration between writer Jack Thorne, director John Tiffany and myself,” she wrote on Twitter. Rowling's website stated that the play would receive its world premiere at London's Palace Theatre in the summer of 2016. Tickets will go on sale this autumn.

On Twitter, Rowling described Thorne, Tiffany and producer Sonia Friedman as “a dream team.” “I've had countless offers to extend Harry's story over the years, but Jack, John and Sonia Friedman are a dream team!” she wrote. “It has been a huge pleasure to share with them (and soon, with you!) this untold part of Harry's story,” she added in a series of Tweets on Friday.

Rowling ‏revealed that the story “is not a prequel,” but added: “I don't want to say too much more, because I don't want to spoil what I know will be a real treat for fans.”

Rowling addressed the issue of her choice of medium for the story. “To answer one inevitable (and reasonable!) question — why isn't #CursedChild a new novel? — I am confident that when audiences see the play they will agree that it was the only proper medium for the story,” she wrote.

Rowling began the series of Tweets on Friday by describing it as “a very special day for two reasons.” The first was that “Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,” her debut novel and the first in the Harry Potter series, was published in the UK 18 years ago. It was published in the US under the title “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone” in 1998.

Source: Variety