Potted Potter Is a Must-See for Denver Potterheads and Comedy Lovers

"Potted Potter is the most fun I've ever had on stage," says actor Scott Hoatson.

And Denver is about to get in on that fun, too, when Potted Potter - The Unauthorized Harry Experience lands at the Newman Center for a run from Wednesday, January 10, to Sunday, January 14. Buckle up your broomsticks, because this Olivier Award-nominated parody condenses all seven Harry Potter books into seventy side-splitting minutes. Created by actors Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, the production eschews conventional retellings for a wildly irreverent approach to J.K. Rowling's groundbreaking series.

"It's a two-person production in which I play Harry and the other actor that I work with, Joseph [Maudsley], plays everybody else," says Hoatson. "We do the entire epic saga of Harry Potter. We have a blast on stage, so the audience can have a fun night at the theater. Joe and I riff off each other, so no two shows are ever 100 percent the same. Every night is different and fun, depending on what the audience says. It does not feel like work."

For Hoatson, the interaction with the audience is a key aspect that makes each show unique and exhilarating. "It’s 70 percent the script that Dan and Jeff create, because we do have to tell the story, and 30 percent improv," he explains. "We always tell the full story, but depending on shoutouts from the audience or how the live game of Quidditch we play with them goes, things can change dramatically, but usually in a very funny way."
To keep up their energy in the fast-paced one-act play, the actors "drink lots of coffee or Powerade," says Hoatson. "The show is a bit like a runaway train: Once we get going, there's no stopping. Occasionally, tech will fail us. For example, we've had to go off and fix a microphone, but that stuff doesn't stop the show. Everything keeps running, so you’ve just got to hold on till the end."

He revels in the show's dynamism and the immediate feedback from the audience, contrasting it sharply with such film and television projects as Bluestone 42 and The Wicker Tree. What's more, Denver holds a special place in his heart. This will be Hoatson's third time performing Potted Potter at the Newman Center, and he's itching to get back in front of the Mile High City's audiences.

"Denver audiences are the best," Hoatson says. "I love a raucous crowd, and Denver audiences do not disappoint. I've done Potted Potter twice in Hong Kong, and culturally, they're used to listening, and then they'll give you their reaction at the very end of the curtain call. So it was quite difficult, because we were getting laughs and things, but not the way that we got laughs in the U.S. Here, audiences are very gregarious and will laugh during the show. The time of day also affects things. If it's a matinee crowd on a Saturday, the audience is more skewed toward moms, dads and young families, who tend to like a bit more of the slapstick comedy. However, the night crowds, which are usually more young adults and adults, laugh at the slapstick slightly less, and they go for the sort of wink-wink jokes much more."
Over the years, the show's creative team has continued to update the script to keep the material fresh. "As things happen in the world, the boys, Dan and Jeff, who wrote it, and Richard [Hurst], the director, sort of tweak the show," Hoatson notes. "Some jokes get added, some jokes get rewritten and new bits might come and go, because the world of Potter keeps changing. Although the seven books remain the same, the references and the way we interpret bits can always be updated. The last time I was here was about two years ago, and I did it with a different actor. So with Joe this year, we have a slightly different show."

Through Potted Potter, audiences are invited to engage with the wizarding world in an entirely new way. It's a communal celebration of one of the most beloved stories of our time, told with a comedic twist that's as unpredictable as the Whomping Willow.

And, as Hoatson puts it, the show is perfect for "tiny kids right up to Dumbledore's age. For die-hard fans, they’re going to love all the Easter eggs, and if you've never seen any Harry Potter stuff, you’ll love it because it’s a classic farce. You can watch two lovable idiots ridiculously tell the entire story of Harry Potter so you can be culturally brought up to date, because honestly, you really should know the story of Harry Potter — it's 2024!"

Potted Potter — The Unauthorized Harry Experience, Wednesday, January 10, through Sunday, January 14, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 East Iliff Avenue. Tickets are available at pottedpotter.com.