Potter Parodies

Saturday was my mother-in-law's birthday and we all took her to see Potted Potter, a hilarious stage parody of the Harry Potter series. The play, performed at the Little Shubert Theater, was loaded with laughs from beginning to end -- fun for the whole family. The two stars of the show, Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, are a great comic duo, building on their improvisational skills and quick timing to present a fast-paced 70-minute show that had the audience guffawing and cheering.

It's not the first Harry Potter spoof and it surely won't be the last. One of the most popular was the skit on Saturday Night Live that starred Lindsey Lohan as a maturing Hermione, with Rachel Dratch as Harry and Seth Myers as Ron.

I'm also fond of the parody/tribute band Harry and the Potters. Imagine the Boy Who Lived as a rock star.

There have been many others, from The Simpsons to MAD magazine, it's always the height of praise when something reaches the pinnacle of pop culture fame leading everyone to satirize it.

Potted Potter is playing for a limited time Off-Broadway. It started as a small comedy routine in 2005 in the United Kingdom and has now grown into a full-fledged theatrical experience. Catch it if you can.