Review: POTTED POTTER Is a Goofy, Magical Ride

POTTED POTTER began life as a challenge to Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner -- entertain fans waiting in line for the midnight release of J.K. Rowlings' sixth Harry Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

Clarkson and Turner, hereby referred to as Dan and Jeff, condensed (or "potted") the first five books into a frantic, fast-paced five minutes. And over the last decade that five minute street show has expanded into a frantic, fast-paced seventy minute romp through all seven of Rowlings' Harry Potter books. Yes, that's roughly 4000 pages of story and over 300 characters culled down and squeezed into a little over an hour and yes, it's quite the sight to see.

Jeff takes on the role of The Boy Who Lived for much of the night, but his ambitious plan to re-enact the entire Harry Potter series runs into one little problem almost immediately -- his friend Dan. Not only does Dan not know the difference between Hogwarts and Narnia, Dan's blown their budget on some super awesome dragon for the "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" bit, leaving them with little for props and no actors. Luckily, Dan's a man with a plan: he'll just play all the supporting characters and the rest, well, he'll figure it out.

Dan and Jeff joke that "luckily, it's not the staging that matters," but don't let their self-deprecation fool you -- the staging matters so, so much. It's the lack of space that allows for the simple humor of two men running around in circles, quickly dashing in and out of sight for a quick change and returning in a new wacky wig. It's the props strewn around the stage, a fun mix of everyday household items and toys that may have been raided from a six-year-old's bedroom (that's not an accusation, but there are plenty of stuffed animals and a super soaker so ... I'm suspicious), that provide some of the heartiest laughs.

Don't ever let anyone tell you prop comedy is simple, because it's not.

It can be said that any show depends on the chemistry between its performers, but that's doubly true for a two-man show like POTTED POTTER. Jeff, like Harry, is the straight man at the center of an extraordinarily ridiculous world, at times exasperated and put upon, but fond and clearly along for the ride. Dan is silly and energetic -- what he lacks in Potter knowledge, he makes up for in enthusiasm. Together, they establish a vaudevillian rhythm that keeps the show rolling, the pop culture references coming fast and furious. And they're not just limited to Harry Potter; I caught Miley Cyrus, Fifty Shades of Grey, FROZEN, Lord of the Rings, Bright Eyes, among many others.

Dan and Jeff look like two men having fun, and their joy is infectious. At one point in the show, the audience is divided into teams for a game of Quidditch. (Not to brag, but I was Team Gryffindor. Seriously, it's not a brag - we lost.) Much of the fun came from an audience that was game for anything, and also seekers who weren't afraid to tackle the talent to the ground.

I will say that POTTED POTTER skims the top, so if you've seen every movie, read every book, or cosplay as Severus Snape on the weekends, you'll probably find POTTED POTTER decidedly lacking in, well, Potter. But if "turns out Harry Potter is a wizard" is as much as a revelation to you as it is to Dan, you'll definitely enjoy the show without getting confused. Harry Potter is so ubiquitous that the average person will probably walk in with the working knowledge needed to appreciate the jokes. But, just in case, all you really need to know is that it's the story of a boy wizard locked in a battle with He Who Must Not Be Named (that's Voldemort, by the way -- he's evil).

POTTED POTTER perfectly captures the fun of watching your friends act out the movie they just saw (you know, the one you would have gone with them to see if you didn't have to work on Saturday). It's playful and goofy, and all in good fun. The better the crowd, the better the show, so put on your round, black-rimmed glasses and come ready to Expecto Patronum all over the place.

POTTED POTTER: THE UNAUTHORIZED HARRY EXPERIENCE runs through November 8 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Zilkha Hall, 800 Bagby Street. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.thehobbycenter.org/.

To post a comment, you must register and login.