I somehow saw it three times too, haha, it was just that one show where everyone I was in town with wanted to see! (And I the only regret I have is I missed Brendon Urie by a couple weeks the one time :'()
On a different note, as a Christmas present for my family I was able to get tickets to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child when they first released them for the restaging, and by a stroke of luck we were wedged in there right between it re-opening and being closed again for COVID. I was fortunate enough to see the show when it was still in its 'Auguries in America' format, so I was super curious how it would fair as one singular show!
Was in the back of the back of the top most section both times, and I truly have to say there isn't a bad seat/don't be afraid of the nosebleeds. There is so much going on, on such a large scale, I actually would almost recommend the top balcony, just be sure you can get somewhat centered (there are a number of effects that work best straight on). Not to say the actors don't do a fine job with the more intimate moments, but truly nothing is lost by not being able to see every single detail of Harry's scar; this show is truly about the storytelling, the spectacle, and honestly just turning off your brain and enjoying an absolute master class in stagecraft!
As for the content of the show itself and how well it faired condensed down, I really think they did an almost surgical job with the cuts they made! It has been a hot minute since I read the script (which, tbh, I still feel like is a WattPad fan fic that somehow got the blessing of She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named), but I genuinely couldn't remember or notice anything that was cut in the moment. There was the occasional bit of clunkier than usual expositional dialogue that I couldn't remember being quite as overt the first time, and looking back they did cut any actual kid actors, along with
Hagrid's cameo and Harry's nightmare sequences
, but honestly they were not entirely missed.
The effects, the transitions between scenes, the effects, the score by Imogen Heap, the EFFECTS; seriously this deserved every technical achievement award it was nominated for! I was happy to report not a single big moment was tampered with, and sure while you could sit there and work out most of it if you really wanted to pencil and paper your way through it, you could, but the joy is in the experiences, and good god is it an experience! From the moment you enter into the lobby to taking your seats, not a single fiber of the theater has been untouched (I am not going to spoil anything, but I really do mean that last sentiment!). One of the best aspects for me as a theater tech nerd too, though, is while there are plenty of cutting edge technological achievements, SO many of the effects and most magical moments rely on old school theater tricks (blackout scrims, simple lighting gags, etc) so it was awesome to see a mix of the classics in with the new!
One other note I found interesting about the plot and a re-write:
I was actually kind of taken by surprise they altered the dialogue and conclusion somewhat to make Scorpius and Albus' relationship explicitly romantic, or at least go far and above simply implying Albus may have feelings for him. In the original text it was a lot more ambiguous, even down to Scorpius asking Rose out at the last second, as if to say "Whoops, didn't want you to get the wrong impression here, haha, he str8". Now, instead of asking Rose on a date, the comedic moment is kept in, but he mentions he asked to be her "friend" instead. The nail in the coffin though is during Albus and Harry's moment together at the end in the graveyard. Harry opens up to Albus regarding the impact that losing Cedric had on him, and in this moment of vulnerability, Albus takes the time and mentions something to the effect of "Scorpius is probably the most important person in my life...and he might always be the most important person" I actually really found it sweet, and while it didn't come right out with it (no pun intended), I felt like it definitely did add another layer of depth to the scene and show as a whole.
Overall, such a fantastic show! If you have a chance to see either staging version, I would really really recommend it!