Harry Potter. Ron Weasley. Hermione Granger. Draco Malfoy, Snape. Dumbledore. See these characters and well, not quite the 600 others, come to life in a way like you’ve never ever imagined before! When they say characters are so much more vivid and tangible in books than in real life, they have obviously not seen Potted Potter – The Unauthorized Harry Experience and they have been very, very wrong!
A brilliant parody of the seven books of Harry Potter done in seventy minutes, the Potted Potter is one unequivocally hilarious show that is a must-see for everyone, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Huffleouff and Muggles alike. A parody like no other, British improv comics Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner’s Potted Potter is the one that brought the (theatre) house down, bar none.
Sans the enormously magical powers of CGI (though it did have the evidently rented by the hour smoke machine) and elaborate stage design, the two-time Olivier Award-nominated actors make do with a toy train engine to resemble the fabled Hogwarts Express, a writing desk, a closet (borrowed from Narnia we presume), and a number of hats, wigs and props evidently bought from the Dollar store considering the show’s obvious effort to stay authentic to the characters – serpents, dragons and all.
Though by saying more, we obviously walk a very fine line of divulging the secret of the chamber and we can’t possibly do that. The Opening Night at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa was a sold out show packed with adults and children alike. Go see the show (follow @PottedPotter @daniel_veronica and @actorjeff for more updates), whether you’ve read the Harry Potter books or you just pretended you did, this parody will surely catch you up on things. Perhaps not the right kinds of things but it surely make you roar in laughter.
Potter Potter Images Courtesy of Broadway. Big thank you Ms. Steph Kelly, KOWPR.
Just in case you’re wondering and surely, this has crossed someone’s mind at one point or another, is Harry stoned while doing comedy theatre? Well, we’re not sure; perhaps the writers were when they created the show. After all Dame Judy Dench made a very hairy appearance but Potted Potter came from the word “potting,” a British term for “the art of summarizing something into a digestible form, and is intoxicating only in a funny, family-friendly way.”
And funny they absolutely were.
Nominated for the Best Entertainment and Family Olivier Award in the U.K., the always sold out show Potted Potter actually started its world tour right here in Canada, with its North American premiere held in Toronto at the David Mirvish’s Panasonic Theatre. Now it’s back in Canada at the National Arts Centre (NAC-CNA) in Ottawa for 4 glorious nights from March 10 – 13th. Don’t miss this opportunity to see one of the most hilarious, wittingly funny parodies of all times.
And who would want to miss a fierce game of Quidditch! Seekers, anyone?
