It’s hard to review without giving anything away but I wanted to write something just to let you know how good this is.

I am an avid theatre goer of many years and Cursed Child is up there with the best things I have ever seen. It also represents tremendous value for money at £50 per ticket and if Professor Flitwick were marking it, it would certainly get 112%.

The sight lines are fabulous, the special effects dizzying, the acting a treat and the choreography outstanding. The audience was transfixed and the ovation at the end was highly emotional–bear in mind how rare standing ovations are in London.

For the generation who have grown up with Harry Potter, this production carried a huge number of risks but fears that it would be a cynical attempt to make money could not be further from the truth. The script is witty and moving while the strict enforcement of theatre etiquette means enjoyment is not spoiled by loud crunching or camera flashes.

Watching my nearly grown up kids loving Cursed Child was a joy. The first Harry Potter film was my son’s first ever trip to the pictures and so engrossed was he that he tried to blow out the candles in the Hogwarts dining hall. He was just as gripped by Cursed Child — all six hours of it –even though he is far from a keen theatre goer.

Telling a friend about it today — with careful attention to avoiding spoilers — he said it was better than the films because the effects were happening in front of his very eyes.

“I don’t think the actors can actually do magic but I can’t be sure!”