Clearly a labour of love, by people who really enjoy the original Harry Potter source material, but also an extremely bland retrot of the original characters. The opening song was much more interesting in that Disney Hercules movie, the Americanitis is an acute case (though hardly their fault), but above all, it's just unrewarding to watch. Characters sing about how great Hogwarts is, but nothing funny happens, what few jokes there are seem phoned in or just really generic, and it seems to ride too heavily on recognition. I'm supposed to say "Oh, look, it's Draco, a character I know, and he's a girl now. That's hilarious!" but instead I feel like The Nostalgia Critic, bemused to find Yeardley Smith's voice in We're Back.

I can only advise people to stick to Potter Puppet Pals.

I first came across A Very Potter Musical in the "Recommended For You" section of You Tube. I immediately became hooked when Harry said, "NO WAY this year anyone's gonna die!" The songs may obviously not be professional, but are very good for amatuers, and quite catchy. The acting and singing are brilliant, especially from the duo Brian Rosenthal and Joe Walker, who plays Quirrel and Voldemort. They worked quite well together, and totally makes you want to ship Quirrel and Voldy. The script was written quite well, combining many of the plots from the books yet is still clear. Some viewers (like The Man Without A Body, who seemed to have forgotten that Potter Puppet Pals also have American accents) may find the Americanized accents distracting, but I found it quite funny, possibly funnier then if they had proper British accents (though, of course, Malfoy would be nothing without his accent).

The only thing that could be improved on is the characterization of Bellatrix, who was quite annoying. Otherwise, this musical is quite a treat. As it was recommended for me, I recommend it for other Potter fans.

Hilarious Potter parody! Yes, it's Americanized, but the Lang brothers writing what they know makes for a interesting spin on the story. At almost three hours, it's a looong show to watch on youtube, but it's impressive that they managed to fit all the key events of a seven book series of doorstoppers in that little time. If you don't have the time, the broken youtube format makes it easy to watch in ten minute shifts.

The music, singing, comic-timing, and even the acting are very impressive for amateur performers. Darren Criss shows off his music skills as a cute, guitar playing Harry, accompanied by Ron (who's like a sitcom character, only actually funny) and a Hermione more canon than Emma Watson. Ginny balances her lovestruck, giggly characterization with a powerful set of pipes, Dumbledore puts some real heart into a campy performance, and Snape is completely over-the-top, but it works. Lauren Lopez kills from the moment she says "Did somebody say DRACO MALFOY?" Even the minor characters, Cedric and Goyle especially, get their moments to shine. Then there's Quirrel, who comes off as a total sweetheart even when plotting murder, and Voldemort who blends "classic villain" with "regular dude" to create an extremely likable, if not loveable Dark Lord. Their relationship ties the show together, and the fact that it's Lord freakin' Voldemort and his minion makes what could have been total cheese into something heartwarming and hilarious. Rule Of Funny is the top priority here, but it really pulls off some surprisingly poignant moments without losing the comedy.

There are some technical issues with the recording, mainly that the music is often too loud for the voices, mainly in the first song. However, as you can see, I kind of liked this show and suggest you at least check it out.

Amateur made? Sure, but is it hilarious? Even more so! It's a bunch of fun, for fans of musicals and of Harry Potter, an alternative take on the series, with twists and surprises. The songs are strong, and the cast is as enthusiastic as they are skilled. You'll enjoy it!