Explaining Harry Potter

[thebookofwhizzer]

Posted: 8/17/18 at 10:57am

Next weekend I'm attending Harry Potter with my Grandmother who has never read the books or seen the movies. Im an avid fan of the series, and i've read the play script but I can't really remember the plot (which is good). I'm not exactly sure what I should do to explain to her so she understands the plot. I could tell her some things but i'm worried i'll leave out important information because i haven't read the books in a while  Any help would be much appreciated. 

[JennH]

Posted: 8/17/18 at 11:47am

There's a decent synopsis of it in the playbill that is seemingly helpful for informing non Potterheads (I don't mean this as a knock, just clarifying) about the entire saga. Brief, but useful. 

[John Adams]

Posted: 8/17/18 at 12:28pm

I wonder if it might be more interesting for your Grandmother to see the play first, without any pre-dispositions, then watch any of the films with her (because all of them are pretty good about including the books' characters and plot details) based on any questions she might have.

I think it might be interesting (for you, and her both) to begin at a point where the play stands on its own accord first, and then explore what are, in relation to ...Cursed Child, the "prequels"(?)

[annang]

Posted: 8/17/18 at 11:43pm

John Adams said: "I wonder if it might be more interesting for your Grandmother to see the play first, without any pre-dispositions, then watch any of the films with her (because all of them are pretty good about including the books' characters and plot details) based on any questions she might have.

I think it might be interesting (for you, and her both) to begin at a point where the play stands on its own accordfirst,and then explore what are, in relation to ...Cursed Child,the "prequels"(?)"

This is actually what I did. I’ve never read the books, but I scored a cheap seat, and I’ll see almost anything if the price is right, so I went for it. I loved the play, and it inspired me to read the books. I’m on book 3 now. Intending to go see it again after I’m done reading to see if I missed anything!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/18/18 at 8:59am

Have you asked HER if she want any pre-explanation? You seem pretty young, so I'm sure grandma is as well and has her faculties and can make up her own mind.

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/18/18 at 11:24am

I think she will be fine with the synopsis they provide in the Playbill.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 8/18/18 at 11:56am

She will for sure be fine with the synopsis in the Playbill, but perhaps really drive home what happens in Goblet of Fire for...*keep the secrets* reasons :)) enjoy!!

[Wick3]

Posted: 8/18/18 at 12:17pm

I took my parents to see this show for a combined mother/father day gift on father's day. They never read the books but they did watch the movies when those first came out. They were excited to see this show but they did ask me if they should re-watch all the movies. After all, tickets were $189 per part for each of them so they wanted to make the most of the experience. I told them if they have time, sure... but if they don't have time, it's best to just rewatch Goblet of Fire. They saw the play and loved it! Out of all the HP movies, I think knowing or watching Goblet of Fire helped the most.

If you and your grandmother plan to watch the show again some time in the future, then I agree with others to just see it without any biases and then perhaps read through the books and then see it again afterwards.

[Bwayfan292]

Posted: 8/18/18 at 1:38pm

Im also going next week! Im so excited!

[thebookofwhizzer]

Posted: 8/18/18 at 4:00pm

THANK YOU so much for all the advice! My grandma did ask for me to help her understand so i think i’m going to read some stuff from online to her and show her the goblet of fire movie! I am so excited!!

[mikey2573]

Posted: 8/18/18 at 8:59pm

It's hard for me to put myself in the shoes of one who has no knowledge of the Potter Universe, so I can't really know for sure how the play would "play" for someone completely uninitiated.  But it does seem to me that the play works much better if you are familiar with the books, or at least the films.  The suggestion that she sees the play as a Potter "virgin" is an interesting idea, and I wonder how that would be.  There are so many audience recognition gasps, and things that I think would be confusing without prior knowledge.  But that is just me.  But I do agree with others that, it you need to familiarize yourself with one of the books/films then "Goblet of Fire" would be it. 

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 8/19/18 at 9:22am

I suppose the minimum explanation would be:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Harry and his friends were students at a wizard school that got attacked by dark wizards. Several of Harry's friends died before the dark wizards were defeated.

Any further details would mostly surround the ending of book 4, "The Goblet of Fire."