First off, I'm not really a fan. Sorry. I appreciate that Snape is a morally gray figure. Some of the best characters in the history of literature are complicated, with vague motivations and dark backstories that make them difficult to trust. I didn't have the luxury of learning from a friend who had finished the series that Snape was actually not as bad as he was coming across, because we were only getting one book every few years. So, while I have a personal dislike for his character, it's based on his actions from the first couple books.
By the seventh, however, we were able to see how much his character mattered to JKR. She grabbed hold of Snape's image and wouldn't let go. She was determined to erase our impression of him as an adult who bullied one of his students because he was the son of a crush who had friend-zoned him back in the day. And it worked, to a degree. I'm not trying to minimize Snape's struggle or his sacrifice, but his actions and the way JKR absolved him of that has become a point of contention in the fandom. I felt that this was an important fact to acknowledge first.
Alive?
Seeing that Snape was one of the more significant characters in the book series, it makes a certain sense that they would want to bring him back for a cameo in the second act of a "Greatest Hits" play. He's still alive in the dark universe and, since Scorpius is somehow aware of Snape's secret double-agent status while his dad was in school, he could potentially be reached for help in order to set things right. That does sound good on paper. I can for sure see something like this popping up in fanfiction.
Here's the main reason why this is completely and profoundly wrong.
SEVERUS SNAPE
WOULD NOT BE ALIVE
IN ANY ALTERNATE UNIVERSE.
This is a massive oversight and puts JKR's authorship massively into question. How can I be so sure of this? It all comes down to Voldemort's desire to master the power of the Elder Wand.
1. Snape killed Dumbledore, who was in possession of the Elder Wand.
2. By doing this, Snape wins the allegiance of the Elder Wand (from Voldemort's perspective).
3. Voldemort obtains the Elder Wand.
4. Voldemort kills Snape to guarantee its allegiance.
These facts would not change under any circumstance. There is no ripple effect from Cedric Diggory losing the 2nd task during the Triwizard Tournament that would have derailed these events. The origins of the "dark universe" came from Cedric killing Neville and stopping the Golden Trio from destroying all the Horcruxes in time. This doesn't alter the events that lead to Snape's death, because Voldemort would've ALWAYS had the Elder Wand.
Having Snape alive in an alternate universe where Voldemort won that battle makes zero sense and is a pathetic attempt at squeezing popular characters into a sequel for no reason, other than nostalgia. But they didn't stop there. No, we can't just upend the canon. Let's also ruin his character while we're here!
OOC - Out Of Character
I know that Snape was given a redemption arc, and JKR shoved it down our throats in the Epilogue by having Harry name is second born Albus Severus (you know... instead of Albus Remus, or Albus Sirius, or Albus Arthur...). No matter what events could have taken place in this bizarro story, Snape should still NOT be a hero. He's not the nice guy. That's just not his character. This debate has been going on for some time now, but Snape was never a hero. And there is nothing wrong with that. We don't need to make him something he's not. Severus Snape was the selfish, broken cog in a machine to overthrow evil, when he was once a willing participant. The play is making a clear distinction that he was never gray. He was good. This is a classic fanfic move.
Lily and His Namesake
Snape is a significant part of the play. He reveals the developing theme of the "light in the darkness" for Scorpius, who doesn't have to feel so alone in the "dark universe" because there is someone he can reach out to for help. However, the Snape we know from the books would have never believed some fourth year student who said he had time traveled from an alternate universe. Bringing up Lily Potter would have infuriated and confused him, because only Dumbledore was aware of his secret.
Let's talk about our feelings and past heartaches, shall we?
Mmmm no, I don't think so. That's not Snape.
The same can be said of the sentimentality that Snape secreted when he learned that Harry Potter's son was named after him. Severus Snape wouldn't have been touched by this. He despised James, and it would've made his skin crawl to hear his name attached to anyone named "Potter".
"Tell Albus I'm proud he has my name."
I think I actually dry-heaved when I read this. If you want to get this idea across, use actions! Actions evoke sentiment. We can illustrate the same message without needing to spell it out. That gets exhausting. It makes the readers feel like the writers think we're stupid and need our hands held. Not good storytelling, fam. You know, Creative Writing 101... Show, don't tell (reminder, they are making millions). Have the characters reveal an impactful, intimate moment to the audience around this concept.
So, use it. Fine. Just don't make it so lame!
Missing the Mark
In nearly every instance, Snape was depicted inaccurately. He's suddenly lovable, optimistic, kind. They even made him smile. Snape! doesn't! smile! This is the worst passage of the lot:
SNAPE: I'm dead, presumably.
He looks at SCORPIUS, whose face drops. SNAPE smiles thinly.
You were a little too surprised to see me. How?
SCORPIUS: Bravely.
SNAPE: Who?
SCORPIUS: Voldemort.
SNAPE: How very irritating.
There's a silence as SNAPE digests.
Still, there's glory in being taken down by the Dark Lord himself, I suppose.
HERMIONE: I'm sorry, Severus.
SNAPE looks at her, and then swallows the pain. He indicates RON with a flick of his head.
SNAPE: Well, at least I'm not married to him.
Glory? There's glory in being taken down by the Dark Lord? Snape didn't want glory! And he accepts the reality of his death with a cringe-worthy joke at Hermione's expense? So, he's funny now?
In act two, Snape gives advice like "Think about those you love," and immediately shrugs off a profound statement with, "I didn't just quote Dumbledore did I?" Like, who are you and what have you done with our Potions Master?
Here's a literal transcript of the margin notes I scrawled in red pen:
SCORPIUS: I need your help.
SNAPE: I exist to serve.
lolz
SNAPE: You're a king, and I'm a professor.
Scorpion King haOh shutASAaofinagpaeoirfnaangnnaaaa
SNAPE: Listen to me, Scorpius. Think about Albus. You're giving up your kingdom for Albus, right?
Now you're just AgpoignaerpgiuanpAGAAAGPOIEASGRPEAION!!!!
Conclusion
By keeping Snape alive, when he clearly wouldn't have been, you changed canon. By making him a heroic, humorous part of the squad, you changed his characterization. By making him sensitive... (*dry-heaving*) you showed us that it was all done for the sake of emotional manipulation.
I hope it was worth it. Because you ruined him.
Jo, you thought it was so important to redeem Snape in our eyes that you took six steps off the end of the dock. He was never black or white in terms of morality. He! Was! Gray! That's what MADE HIS CHARACTER COMPELLING! An essential part of the reason we tolerate and, dare I say, like Severus Snape during a reread of the Harry Potter books is because of our renewed perspective that he had to suffer in silence! His true allegiance was a secret. And what happened to the one man who knew? Snape was forced to kill him. Only Dumbledore understood what Snape was really sacrificing all those years.
The core of who Severus Snape was as a character has been stripped away in the fact that he was no longer suffering in silence, wishing to be a hero for the sake of his feelings for the martyred Lily Potter. That he was willing to stay the course for Dumbledore, and Harry, and the mission... all without anyone knowing. He was the spy who would proudly go down fighting without applause, without anyone knowing the truth that he was actually fighting for the right side.
Yes, in taking his final breath, Snape informed Harry. But the tragedy of his character is that he was unable to see Harry's reaction. Giving him the opportunity to express that side of himself, and the chance to learn that people were aware of his goodness and that he could receive redemption posthumously, COMPLETELY DESTROYS HIS CHARACTER. Did you honestly have to wrap him up in a shiny red bow? Leave him be! It's okay to do that, you know. Ugh! The wish fulfillment quotient here reveals the degree to which this play can be considered fanfic.
If I'm being honest, I understand what they were trying to do. It's not a terrible idea for Snape to have a glimpse into the possibility of redemption, but the execution of this idea is appallingly trite. If you're going to do it, find a better way. The Cursed Child version of Snape is not only impossible in light of canon, but it's a cheap knockoff. The understudy to a once compelling, ambiguous character. I don't even think Alan Rickman would have played this part, were he alive to do so.