Actors excited for magical debut in Harry Potter show

Suffolk actors Mariam Pope and Kai Spackman have both landed roles in the West End Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage show

Two former Suffolk school pupils are making their debuts in one of the biggest shows on the West End, just months after graduating from drama school.

Kai Spackman, from Lowestoft, and Mariam Pope, from Ipswich, will tread the boards of the Palace Theatre, London, in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Mr Spackman will take on the role of Scorpius Malfoy, while Ms Pope, who previously attended St Joseph's College in her hometown, will play Polly Chapman.

The two actors said landing roles in the award-winning production was a dream come true, and they cannot wait to entertain their first audience.

Mariam Pope will play Polly Chapman in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

"I was obsessed with Harry Potter as a child, and I read all the books all the time and I used to do all the voices," said 21-year-old Ms Pope.

"Every day in rehearsals I have to kick myself that it is real."

Mr Spackman added on social media: "I feel so grateful to be working with such a phenomenal group of people, on and off stage.

"Thank you to all the incredible people who have helped me on this journey. There's far too many to name but I love you all."

'Dreams'

Mr Spackman is making his debut just two months after graduating from the Guildford School of Acting, while Ms Pope auditioned for the role after completing her studies at Rose Bruford College, Kent, with a first class degree in September.

"The thing with the audition was you were literally pretending to have magic and to be in Hogwarts, so the nerves kind of went immediately," Ms Pope added.

"You just throw yourself into it and it was so fun - everyone kind of dreams to have magic, so you kind of forget you are auditioning after a while."

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is celebrating its ninth anniversary this year

The play is set 19 years after the final instalment of the initial story, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and follows the new generation of wizards at Hogwarts.

These include Harry and Draco's sons, Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy, who befriend one another early on, despite their fathers once being sworn enemies.

Since debuting nine years ago, it has been watched by more than 11m worldwide, with more than 2m of those audience members seeing it in the West End.

The spectacle has also earned 60 major honours, including nine Olivier Awards and six Tony Awards, two of which were for Best New Play.

"The show is incredibly technical, it is a well-oiled machine - we are keeping the magic alive," Ms Pope said.

"It is going to be really, really fun."