'Potted Potter’: The joke is on Harry

For a Potterhead like me, seeing anything that has something do with the epic tale of Harry Potter will always be personal. After all, most of my growing up revolved around this "boy who lived." (And if you knew that it was from the evil plot of He-Who-Must-Be-Named that Harry lived, then we are probably on the same boat. Good!)

So to sit inside the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of the RCBC Tower in Makati City for the opening night of Potted Potter, The Unauthorized Harry Experience—A Parody by Dan and Jeff, is a must. 

Also, we Potter fans could be quite obsessed, even long after the book and film series ended. I admit I still follow the lives of J.K. Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. Do you think so too, Yana Dotarot (my little sister who was my date for the night)? 

Sisters. Say "Hi!" to my pretty little date. ;)

But I was surprised to realize that Potted Potter left no room for bittersweet nostalgia, even after successfully condensing and reviewing all seven books into only 70-minute+ show. I found myself literally laughing from beginning 'til ending of the parody. 

A little backgrounder first. Potted Potter was created by Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner in 2005 only as a five-minute parody for fans waiting the release of the sixth Harry Potter book at a London bookshop. Maybe it was magic thereafter because the show then grew into a full-length stage production. It was first seen at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2006.

From that humble beginning, Potted Potter has now toured internationally--and continues to do so--with sold-out seasons at Adelaide, Melbourne, London, Toronto, New York, New Zealand, and finally Manila!

Delighting Filipino Potter fans, Potted Potter toured here for a very limited season of 10 shows from August 28 to September 2. 

If you are a Potterhead and you did not catch it, awwww, I'm so sorry for you. But if you are not a fan and you were able to watch it, you did the right thing! You now have all the reasons to start reading the books, and watching movie marathons.

Now off the show. Being one of the first audience to the parody, I immediately realized why Potted Potter is winning the hearts of many. It is witty, candid and very hilarious—thanks to the only two comedians slash actors. Never underestimate the power of two, namely British Jesse Briton and Irish Gary Trainor.

Gary and Jesse. These two have pretty hilarious tricks up their sleeves! Never a boring moment.

Waiting for the show to start, Jesse roamed around the auditorium and talked to plenty of kids—kids at heart included. Meanwhile, Gary sat silently on the stage while deeply immersed in a Harry Potter book. This immediately hinted the comedians’ characters.

Jesse was the livelier of the two, at many moments almost crazy since he was even laughing at himself. He was everyone’s source of LOLs especially with his habit of making fun of Gary. But I wouldn't underrate the significance of the serious Potter geek Gary, for without him, I’m sure Jesse would totally lose it.

Without giving away too much—especially for the benefit of those who will watch Potted Potter upon return to Manila—I would only tell that the show hilariously journeyed everyone back to Harry’s adventures, better yet misadventures. I will not divulge details.

Basta, from book one to book seven, major characters, memorable duels, sad deaths, kissing scenes, fire-breathing dragons, and many more magical events were rehashed, and nothing was ever serious, believe me. However, the interesting part of it all, was that many parts did felt true, despite the jokes weaved into it. Which made writers Clarkson and Turners really adept about Harry Potter.

Also, when you think Boracay, Eraserheads and Ateneo have completely nothing to do with the boy wizard, well think again. Apparently, they all had in Potted Potter, earning loud cheers from the audience.

The highlight of the show was the Quidditch match. Yes, we played Quidditch sans the broomsticks. How it happened? You’ll just have to wait for Potted Potter and see for yourself. 

Tears shed for last 'Harry Potter' premiere

“EMOTIONAL” was exactly how everyone—from Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, the filmmakers, JK Rowling, to the fans — felt at the last red-carpet premiere of the Harry Potter saga on July 7 (July 8 in Manila) at Trafalgar Square, London.

The red carpet for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was set on a backdrop of thousands of fans who gathered and waited for days to catch one last time their favorite Harry Potter actors.

And as the last film adaptation of Rowling’s seven-part book series ends a 10-year journey, main characters Radcliffe, Watson and Grint could not help but be moved to tears.

Counted at 3,000, fans not only from the United Kingdom but also from other countries including Canada, Australia, Brazil, Italy, Sweden, Belgium and Singapore camped out at Trafalgar Square for days under bad weather.

More fans became part of the red-carpet premiere as Warner Brothers Inc. showed a live stream through its Harry Potter fanpage on Facebook.

Arriving at the much-awaited event, Grint, Watson and finally Radcliffe (who flew in from New York where he was rehearsing for Broadway to catch the premiere) were welcomed by the excited screams of the fans at Trafalgar Square.

They were not disappointed as the three signed autographs, had their pictures taken with them and returned gratitude to their loyal fans.

The three young stars made a quick stopover at the big stage in the middle of the square to share their feelings on what is dubbed as “the end of an era.”

The actors, who first became Harry Potter (Radcliffe), Hermoine Granger (Watson) and Ron Weasley (Grint) at the age of 10, grew up filming Harry Potter.

Now at 21, they said that they cannot believe that it really is the end.

The three admitted how emotional they were when they shot the last scene.

Still, Radcliffe, cannot help but feel “incredibly happy” despite the saga’s end especially on how the last film turned out.

He said, “The way it [Deathly Hallows: Part 2] turned out, we cannot have made a better version.”

And summing up, Radcliffe, who gave life to boy wizard Harry Potter, described the whole journey to be “inspirational, surreal and bizarre.”

The three then became really emotional when they said thanks to one another.

Watson, who really cried hard said that she will definitely miss the two boys.

Grint, however, expressed it best when he said, “The best half of my life, I shared with you two. I love you.”

Fans at Trafalgar Square and around the globe cried with their idols as they tweeted messages of sadness and happiness in Twitter.

They, too said that Harry Potter had been a part of their lives growing up reading and watching the saga.

Besides Radcliffe, Watson and Grint, the fans also showed their love to the Harry Potter creator, JK Rowling. Cheers of “JK! JK! JK!” from the crowd made the author cry.

She said that she did not imagine that Harry Potter would be such a phenomenon. But all the credit she gave to the readers saying, “No story lives unless someone wants to listen.”

And to Rowling, Radcliffe said, “Whatever happens for the rest of my acting career, I owe it to you.”

Other favorite Harry Potter actors who also arrived, much to the delight of the fans, were Robbie Coltrane as the half-giant Hagrid, Ralph Fiennes as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Lord Voldemort, Helena Bonham Cater as the evil Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange, Alan Rickman as Professor Severus Snape and Tom Felton as arch nemesis Draco Malfoy.

Distributed by Warner Bros., Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:Part 2 will be released in Philippine theaters and IMAX, in 3D and 2D on July 14.

It opens worldwide on July 15.

First published for The Manila Times. See here.