Review: POTTED POTTER: THE UNAUTHORIZED HARRY EXPERIENCE -- A PARODY BY DAN AND JEFF at The Palace Of Fine Arts

Where better to watch a live show about the wizarding world than a breathtakingly magical setting like San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, that seems to have emerged from a fairy tale. That’s where the parody show "Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience -- A Parody by Dan and Jeff," is playing now through January 7, 2024. And though the show could not necessarily be termed magical by a muggle like this reviewer, it clearly was for the Potter fans that converged on the Palace for a chance to be immersed in all things Harry.

Even if you are not a big Harry Potter fan, come anyway to enjoy the Pythonesque comedy in this Cliff notes sendup that Playbill deemed “Theatricum Hilarium.” And in fact, hilarious is exactly the right word for this retelling of all seven Harry Potter books in just 70 minutes or so – including the Quidditch, audience participation portion of the evening!

The show was created by two-time Olivier Award-nominated BBC actors Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner and stars Scott Hoatson as Harry (and a few other roles) and Joseph Maudsley who plays all the rest of the parts in this production which has been seen by over 1,000,000 Potter fans and muggles.

The two performers use inventive props, costumes, and their considerable comedic talents to bring the wizarding world to life. The show is full of jokes, puns, and slapstick humor that will make audiences of all ages laugh out loud. Even die-hard Harry Potter fans will appreciate the clever twists and turns in the show that don’t quite follow the cannon. The two talented stars not only poke fun at Americans (The American title of book one, was dumbed down from Philosopher to Sorcerer) they poke fun at themselves, with Hoatson saying at one point during the fun, “I think we can all agree that the victim here is theatre,” and Maudsley running downstage in order to say to an older couple leaving early, “Don’t leave! It gets better!” Absurdly, it does!

So, whether you're a fan of the books or not, "Potted Potter" is a fun and entertaining way to experience the magic of Harry Potter.

Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience – A Parody by Dan and Jeff
The Palace of Fine Arts Theatre (3301 Lyon St., San Francisco)
Now thru January 7, 2024
Book by Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner
Tickets: www.pottedpotter.com

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

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