"Harry Potter and The Cursed Child" is one of the latest installments in the famed "Harry Potter" franchise. Contrary to its predecessors, this installment is a two part play in the West End written by J.K Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne. This new medium for the "Potter" series explores the tenuous relationship between Harry Potter and his second son, Albus Potter.

The realistic portrayal of parent/child relationships

The character of Harry Potter is seen as the biggest success story in the wizarding world. This is explored through the book series prior to "Harry Potter and The Cursed Child." The defeat of Voldemort paints our favored protagonist as a hero.

However, the crux of the play surrounds Harry's failures as a parent. This is a refreshing new angle taken with "The Boy Who Lived" and one that humanizes these characters on a level the audience can relate to. This realistic portrayal of the parent/child relationship is a nod to parents and teens alike. It creates an immediate connection with the audience as the struggles are played out on stage. The handling of fan favorite characters as adults is masterful. The relationship between Harry and Albus is tested throughout the play and rather than end in resolution, it ends in a manner implying there is still work to do to maintain their relationship. This realistic representation adds depth to the emotional tethers of the play and leaves the audience wanting more.

Albus Potter struggles to find a place in his family

The play's protagonist is Albus Severus Potter. Throughout the years, from the first at Hogwarts to the oncoming fifth, Albus struggles to find a place in his family. Being the only member of the #Potter clan to be sorted into Slytherin, Albus' life is immediately thrown into chaos.

He questions the very nature of his character and is blind to the connections with his own family. Albus is ostrasized from his family as his relationship with his father deteriorates. This highlights the all-important father-son relationship or lack thereof. The questioning of his own identity is a major component to Albus Potter's character.

It breeds self-doubt and low self-esteem which makes Albus resent his family, his father in particular. The legacy of #HarryPotter is impossible to live up to and because of this Albus and Harry are caught in a sort of dance throughout the play as they try to understand one another.

Relationships have always been an important part of the "Harry Potter" franchise. "The Cursed Child" offers long-term fans of the series an opportunity to see a father-son relationship explored in detail. This relationship was one that was not explored in the book series as protagonist Harry Potter was an orphan. Harry's struggle with parenting links back to these novels as he explains to his son that he never had a father as a role model. "Harry Potter and The Cursed Child" is a refreshing, new take on old characters through the eyes of Albus Potter, where important issues are raised and resolved.