Harry Potter #KeepTheSecrets SPOILER thread

[SFCowboy]

I hope this is OK, folks. Some questions have been popping up on the HP Seating thread, where they really don’t belong.

WARNING ... PLEASE DO NOT VIEW THIS THREAD IF YOU HAVEN’T YET SEEN THE SHOW.

Since this is the first post, I’m going to put my question in a spoiler box just in case someone accidentally lands on this page.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

WARNIGN - BIG SPOILER AHEAD!

My question has nothing to do with special effects, but with the context of the play.

Near the end, when Voldemort enters the church and races down center stags, down the magic staircase, and into the audience, why does he not see any of the other characters standing around and not even trying to hide? Am I missing something here?

 

[willep]

I’ve always taken that as his arrival in Godric’s Hollow, not that he is literally walking through the church they are hiding in.

[BroadwayConcierge]

willep said: "I’ve always taken that as his arrival in Godric’s Hollow, not that he is literally walking through the church they are hiding in."

Agreed.

[adamgreer]

PThespian said: "willep said: "I’ve always taken that as his arrival in Godric’s Hollow, not that he is literally walking through the church they are hiding in."

I don’t think you quite grasp the concept of what a spoiler is.

Why would you go through the trouble of putting your question in a spoiler box and not this?

#KeepTheSecrets"

 

The person who posted that is not the same person who asked the original question.

I would assume a thread with “SPOILER” in the title wouldn’t need a spoiler box.
 

[LesWickedly]

PThespian said: "I disagree. Maybe it’s just my fat fingers, but if I’m using the app I frequently end up opening the wrong thread accidentally."

I think they make it very clear it will be a spoiler thread and if you do accidentally press it, there's big bold lettering that says DO NOT READ, if they make it past all those signs then it is their own fault. 

[SFCowboy]

willep said: "I’ve always taken that as his arrival in Godric’s Hollow, not that he is literally walking through the church they are hiding in."

I guess that makes sense, thanks.

My recollection is a little fuzzy now, but I thought someone said “He’s coming” or “He’s here” right before he burst through the church door. Maybe I have that wrong, but I was sure confused at the time. I should have thought more theatrically!

[willep]

LesWickedly said: "PThespian said: "I disagree. Maybe it’s just my fat fingers, but if I’m using the app I frequently end up opening the wrong thread accidentally."

I think they make it very clear it will be a spoiler thread and if you do accidentally press it, there's big bold lettering that says DO NOT READ,if they make it past all those signs then it is their own fault."

 

Wow. Yeah, it is literally a SPOILER thread...and if you accidentally open it and still don’t read the thread title, then the first post has a warning in BOLD that you have to scroll past to get to my response to my question. I’ve always respected ya, PThespian, but can’t really agree with your attitude on this one.

And for the record, I am a huge supporter of #KeepTheSecrets and won’t even discuss the production with my friends and family who have read the show but not seen it. Sorry for chiming in in a place where I thought I could actually discuss the thing.

[willep]

Also, the difference between the OP’s question and my response is that my response doesn’t spoil anything. I don’t name any characters. Okay, I name a location...that doesn’t necessarily give anything away except that someone visits that town.

[adamgreer]

Anyone who knows even the littlest bit about the Harry Potter Universe (i.e. they’ve watched the films) would probably be able to surmise that Godric Hollow would factor into the story at some point. It’s a fairly significant location.

[Lauren2]

So can we put spoilers or not? Because I have a lot I want to discuss and how do you add a spoiler box? I don’t know how to. Could someone tell me how to.

[LesWickedly]

No spoiler boxes necessary for a spoiler thread! :)

[Lauren2]

[veronicamae]

The question posed in the first post was literally the only question/confusion my sister and I had after seeing the show.

We were just like...wha????

I guess it was just like...a staging choice to put him right into our laps, so to speak? Strange even with the, "he wasn't really in the church" explanation.

[LesWickedly]

PT, have al the respect for you so this isn't said to start any kind of discourse, but it seems the creators have wanted to #KeepTheSecrets to prevent people who are going to see the show blindly from being spoiled. Everyone posting here will have most likely seen the show and want to discuss and ask questions about particulars in the show. Fully respect your choice to not partake in this thread, especially since it seems you technically aren't supposed to. 

[Myshmoopsiepoo]

I thought or I guess just assumed that #keepthesecrets was to prevent spoiling it for those who have not seen it. It's like not talking about other big productions, Star Wars films or Avnegers, etc, it is just unkind to go around ruining the endings or plot for others. I think they do not want people publicly talking about it or writing about it on Twitter because there's no way to warn others they're going to be spoiled. But I have discussed the show with those I saw it with... is that no longer keeping the secrets?

[CT2NYC]

"Keep The Secrets" refers to not spoiling the plot for those who haven't seen the play yet. It has absolutely nothing to do with discussing it among people who have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jvwA5ObQeA

[Shh_413]

It's like the Fidelius Charm. You can only talk about the secret only among those who know about the secret. Only the Secret-Keeper (Rowling/the cast) can share the secret with other people to make them also in on the secret, through the performance.

[greenifyme2]

Ok can we discuss the show now? I really want to know how Albus and Scorpius get into the water from under the stage.

[Lot666]

CT2NYC said: ""Keep The Secrets" refers to not spoiling the plot for those who haven't seen the play yet. It has absolutely nothing to do with discussing it among people who have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jvwA5ObQeA"

^ This.

Remember when some douchebag yelled "Snape kills Dumbledore!" at a bunch of people who were in line to buy the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince book? That's what #KeepTheSecrets is about.

[HeatherAV]

To add my two cents to the original question posed in this thread...

I went back and read the play from the published book and the actors definitely just say "He's coming" and 
"He's here," referring to you-know-who's arrival in Godric's Hollow, not his arrival in the church.  Besides, why would he be in the church when he was in Godric's Hollow to visit a specific townhouse?  I interpreted the decision to have him walk right down the center aisle of the stage and the theater to show just how close Harry and friends were to him and thus highlighting their choice not to take action.

For the lake, I can only assume there's another square opening just off stage where the actors enter the water.  Then they use those small portable breathing tanks (scuba divers sometimes carry them strapped to their calf, they're about 12 inches long with a diameter of 3-4 inches) to swim 10-15 feet to the opening we see on stage.  How else could they get in (and out at the end of the scene)???  That's just my very uneducated guess, I welcome other's thoughts. 

[greenifyme2]

That would make a lot of sense! I could see the portable tank on their backs under their costume, but didn’t think that the “lake” could be so much longer than what we see. The three times I saw Part 2, Albus always pops up right on cue. Scorpius must hand signal to him somehow under the water is my only guess there.

[HeatherAV]

greenifyme2 said: "That would make a lot of sense! I could see the portable tank on their backs under their costume, but didn’t think that the “lake” could be so much longer than what we see. The three times I saw Part 2, Albus always pops up right on cue. Scorpius must hand signal to him somehow under the water is my only guess there."

Again, I have no insider information, this is just my take on it... I assume there's another person (a stage hand or member of the tech crew) who is in the water tank with whatever actor is in there, just for safety purposes.  In my mind, the actor is using a small hand-held tank (or breathing off a second regulator from the stage hand's scuba tank) and the actor hands his tank or regulator to the stage hand before popping to the surface.  I'd be surprised if an actor was under water alone just from a safety standpoint.

[Lauren2]

[HBP]

My assumption re: the telephone booth effect:

On entering the booth, the actor lowers below stage via trapdoor. The outline of her/his person is maintained using some sort of wire frame. For the disappearing effect, the wire frame and surrounding robe is collapsed and pulled through the telephone.

When Harry, Ron & Hermione enter the booth together, you notice they walk offstage into the dark and reemerge for a few moments before entering the booth. I think when they return from stage right, it's just one actor surrounded by dummy frames of another actor on either side. Then all three frames collapse for full effect.

I hope I'm totally wrong! The magic in this show was thrilling, I only noticed one effect and it blew my mind in its simplicity, but I won't give that one away :)

I'm also puzzled as to how they managed to light the dementors' flight so well as to hide their wires. Truly could not see them. It was a beautifully eery effect.  

[TheQuibbler]

I’m wondering if the pool is actually on a lift and Albus and Scorpius get in the pool (essentially a large fish tank with an open top) under the stage and it rises into position under the trap.