I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. -Oscar Wilde
Well, Potted Potter wasn’t quite all that but I certainly did enjoy myself. This past weekend while Penny was on her Winecation, I pilgrimaged with some of my Best Friends Ever all the way to the Big Apple to see what all the fuss was about. (I admire the brilliance of Molière as much as the next aspiring thespian, but sometimes I just want something silly.) Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner reenact all seven books of the Harry Potter series in under 70 minutes. Jeff, resident expert of all things Rowling, plays the titular role of The Boy Who Lived while Dan, generally clueless, is left to play Everyone Else with the cunning use of hats.
The show follows the classic duo formula of straight man/funny man, and definitely drew inspiration from the The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged), especially when Harry and He Who Must Not Be Named sing a magical rendition of “I Will Survive” under a glittering disco ball. You have to wonder while watching, does Jeff get tired of being less fun/kind of whiny practically every night? I admit, I developed a serious crush on Dan as he pranced around the stage in devil horns as the Dark Lord or puppeteered Doby’s tearful death scene. (Should you ever read this, Dan Clarkson, I enjoy Thai food and thoughtful walks along scenic waterways.) But it would have been nice to see Jeff flex his comedy muscles a bit more.
As a fairly recent graduate, the powerpoint presentation on Snape: Good or Bad was one of my favorite parts, but the younger members of the audience enjoyed participating in a game of Quidditch and watching an 8 year old girl win for Gryffindor by tackling Jeff dressed as the golden snitch. In general, my friends and I had a blast but probably wouldn’t have shelled out more Galleons for better seats.
Penny and Polly 