HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD Predicted To Become 'Most Read Play Of All Time'

Plays are written to be seen, not read, so naturally the demand for published play scripts rarely extends far beyond those in the theatre community and regular playgoers.

But the current West End production of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, PARTS I & II is an entirely different matter. Instead of being based on J.K. Rowling's enormously successful book series, what plays on London's Palace Theatre stage is Rowling's newest original installment of the series scripted by playwright Jack Thorne.

So, unlike seeing a "Harry Potter" film based on one of the previous books, fans can come to the play without any knowledge of what will happen.

And beginning on its July 31st publishing date, they can read the play's script without that knowledge as well.

The Stage reports that 4.6 million copies have been printed for the first edition of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One & Two (Special Rehearsal Edition Script): The Official Script Book of the Original West End Production" by its United States publisher, Scholastic, an extremely high number for a play script.

Still in pre-orders, the book is currently #1 on Amazon's Best-Seller List.

Matt Applewhite, managing director of Nick Hern Books, which has published Thorne's previous plays, predicts, "I think it's going to be the most read play of all time."

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Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany with movement by Steven Hoggett, set by Christine Jones, costumes byKatrina Lindsay, music & arrangements by Imogen Heap, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Gareth Fry, illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison, music supervision & arrangements by Martin Lowe and casting by Julia Horan.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is one play presented in two parts. Both parts are intended to be seen in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings. On Thursdays there will be an evening performance of Part One and on Fridays an evening performance of Part Two. On those days tickets to each part can be bought together or separately. Tickets for Wednesday matinee and Wednesday evening performances can also be bought together or separately.

The regular performance schedule is as follows - Monday - no performance, Tuesday - no performance, Wednesday - 2pm Part One & 7.30pm Part Two, Thursday - 7.30pm Part One, Friday - 7.30pm Part Two, Saturday - 2pm Part One & 7.30pm Part Two, Sunday - 1pm Part One & 6.30pm Part Two.

Every Friday, The Friday Forty takes place at 1pm when 40 tickets are released for every performance the following week for some of the very best seats in the theatre. Subsequent ticket releases take place each Friday for performances the following week. Priced at £40 (£20 per part) tickets will secure a seat for both Part One and Part Two on consecutive performances. Customers will be selected at random for the opportunity to buy tickets online and will be able to purchase a maximum of two tickets for both Part One and Part Two in one transaction. To ensure that as many people as possible have the chance to access these tickets, they will only be available to buy online. www.harrypottertheplay.com/ticket-information

Returned and other late-release tickets may also become available at short notice. These are not guaranteed, but any tickets that do become available will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis, online or in person at the Palace Theatre box office at full price.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callenderand Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.

Box Office - 0330 333 4813 Visit HarryPotterthePlay.com