J.K. Rowling sent Twitter into something of a meltdown this morning as she announced a Potter play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, is set to open on the West End in 2016.
Rowling said she was reluctant to tweet too many details for fear of ruining the surprise for fans, but said it would not be a prequel. However, she did tweet that it would tell Harry's "untold story".
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Today is a very special day for two reasons. Firstly, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published in the UK 18 years ago!— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/614334108626456576" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-16811-https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/614334108626456576" data-vars-event-id="c23">June 26, 2015</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm also very excited to confirm today that a new play called Harry Potter and the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CursedChild?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-16811-https://twitter.com/hashtag/CursedChild?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#CursedChild</a> will be opening in London next year.— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/614335053724811264" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-16811-https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/614335053724811264" data-vars-event-id="c23">June 26, 2015</a>
Rowling said she had chosen to tell the story as a play rather than as a novel because it was the "proper medium" and she was "confident that when audiences see the play they will agree."
The announcement predictably sent Twitter into a frenzy, with thousands of fans retweeting the announcement and many saying they would be making the trip to London especially.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Words fail.....a play <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CursedChild?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-16811-https://twitter.com/hashtag/CursedChild?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#CursedChild</a> I just can't....it is a new life goal to see this! <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarryPotterForever?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-16811-https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarryPotterForever?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#HarryPotterForever</a>— Monica Rimmer (@Monica_1878) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Monica_1878/status/614337462165483520" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-16811-https://twitter.com/Monica_1878/status/614337462165483520" data-vars-event-id="c23">June 26, 2015</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A NEW HARRY POTTER STORY WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CursedChild?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-16811-https://twitter.com/hashtag/CursedChild?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#CursedChild</a>— Mlle Potter.⚯͛ (@KiwiiChann) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/KiwiiChann/status/614337070274846720" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-16811-https://twitter.com/KiwiiChann/status/614337070274846720" data-vars-event-id="c23">June 26, 2015</a>
Rowling said she was delighted to be collaborating on the play with writer Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany. Thorne is best known for his work on shows including Skins, Shameless and both This is England '86 and This Is England '88.
Tony-award winner John Tiffany directed the stage production of Once and Black Watch, and staged Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie.
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Also involved will be well-regarded theatre producer Sonia Friedman, who has worked on countless stage productions including The Book of Mormon, Bend It Like Beckham and the 2012 Broadway run of Death of a Salesman, which starred Philip Seymour-Hoffman.
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