A Norfolk actor has landed one of the most magical roles in London's West End – the part of Harry Potter's son Albus Severus.
Sam Clemmett, a former Thorpe St Andrew School pupil from Brundall, is to play Harry Potter's middle child in the new play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I and II.
The show – based on an original story by Harry Potter author J K Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany – will open at the Palace Theatre on July 30, with previews from June 7.
Set 19 years after the Harry Potter books ended, in the play Harry is now an 'overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic', juggling his career with three children, and Albus Severus plays a key role in the story which sees Harry and his youngest son struggle with the weight
of a family legacy they never
wanted.
Mr Clemmett – who is in his early twenties and recently appeared in the TV show The Musketeers – is an alumnus of the Norwich Theatre Royal Arts Course and has appeared on the city venue's stage numerous times, including as one of the Lost Boys in the 2005 pantomime Peter Pan.
His previous Norwich Theatre Royal Youth Company productions include DNA, Private Peaceful, Robinson Crusoe and Blood
Brothers.
David Lambert, the director of the Arts Course, said: 'All of us at Norwich Theatre Royal are delighted with the great news about Sam.
'Fresh from appearing on prime time TV on Saturday evening in The Musketeers, it is exciting that he has now achieved yet another major role in a highly anticipated stage production.
'Sam was a very enthusiastic member of the arts course.
'His 'can do' attitude was infectious and he would turn his hand to a wide range of different parts.
'Sam also had an enviable ability to bring out the best in his fellow students and was a popular, dedicated and hard-working member of the course.
'Sam came back to tread the boards here in April 2014 when we invited a number of our former alumni back to appear in our summer production The Wind In The Willows. Once again, he helped to wow the audience and threw himself into the part with only the minimal amount of rehearsal which is an enviable trait.
'We all wish him well. As well as being a fantastic role, it also helps to inspire the many arts course students and helps highlight the wide breadth of talent both onstage and off across the region.'
Mr Clemmett recently played killer Lewis Daynes in BBC Three's Murder Games: The Life And Death Of Breck Bednar and his other TV roles have included parts in Holby City, Doctors and Foyle's War.
His theatre roles have included Tom in the RSC's Peter Pan
and Wendy, and Bill in Lord of The Flies for Regent's Park Theatre Company.
Do you have an arts story? Email arts correspondent Emma Knights at emma.knights@archant.co.uk
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