Fellow Harry Potter fans - July 30 was the midnight book release of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Part I and II” and the world premiere of the two-part production in London’s West End. The play – based on an original new story by J. K. Rowling and written by Jack Thorne and John Tiffany – picks up after the final seventh book. Harry is now a father of three and works at the Ministry of Magic. All seems well until Harry’s oldest son, Albus, must grapple as “the past and present fuse ominously,” according to the website’s plot teaser. The poster bears a resemblance to the one for Broadway’s smash-hit hip hop history musical.
If you are a theatre lover who dreams of experiencing the Wizarding World come alive on the stage, you are in for a magical surprise. Starting on August 4 you can buy tickets to upcoming performances for as low as $20 (£15) per part. That’s $40 to see not only a West End production, but a very Potter one at that. That’s surprisingly affordable, but the thought of getting to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean might seem daunting financially.
Let’s compare that ticket price, though, to the Broadway show that is currently inspiring countless Instagram captions (“There’s nothing like summer in the city”) and political parodies (“Jeb! The Musical”) around the country: that’s right, you guessed it – “Hamilton: An American Musical.” The “Hamilton” website says that tickets are “extremely limited,” but you can still get your hands on a resale for - wait for it - $500 to $3,500. If you don’t live in or near The Big Apple transportation and hotels could easily add up to become an even more expensive night in New York. So why not book a ticket that will take you to Platform 9 ¾ for under $1,000?
Let’s assume that you already live in or close to New York and have been saving up for Lin Manuel Miranda’s masterpiece. For the cost of two Ticketmaster resale tickets ($976 total) for “Hamilton” on August 27 you can instead take a solo trip to London for under $1,000.
Poking around Expedia I found a round trip flight with hotel for $886. Hop on your broomstick (a.k. a. British Airways) from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Heathrow Airport in London leaving August 26 and returning August 29. The Thistle Barbican Shoreditch Hotel might not be Hogwarts, but it is 40 minutes away from the Palace Theatre where all your Harry Potter sequel dreams will come true.
After getting your play ticket that leaves you about $70 for food. At $35 per day, check out this list of great cheap places to eat in London. Bibimbap in SoHo is halfway between the theatre and hotel with meals for £7. The prices on the list are all in British pounds, but the conversion is £1 equals $1.23. Are you can let Google do the conversion for you.
While you’re in London why not check out some free fun places like the Victoria and Albert Museum, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and more.
