Award winning playwright Gina Gionfriddo’s stage adaptation of author Thomas Harris’ novel The Silence of The Lambs has finally opened as a Made at Curve world premiere, directed by Nikolai Foster on Curve’s gigantic main stage. Stemming from a Covid pandemic period original idea of a play that might draw audiences back to the theatre once the pandemic was over, time, perseverance and creative staging rights have prevailed and Foster’s vision of the fictional 1980s US horror story bring us into the company of serial killers Dr Hannibal Lecter (John Partridge) Buffalo Bill/Jame Gumb ( Sam Jackson) and trainee FBI Academy officer Clarice Starling (Mollie Gallagher).

To complete the cast we have the very naturalistic acting and accents of Oliver Farnworth (Jack Crawford FBI Head of Behavioural Science), Lottie Amor ( Frederica Bimmel and Catherine Martin), Andrew Joshi (Peterson, Lamar and Pembry), Jonny Magnati (Brigham and Miggs), Jo Mousely (Kimberley Emberg and Senator Ruth Martin), Minal Patel (Frederick Chilton), Mark Peachey (Lucas, Noble Pilcher and Greg), Mary Timbrell- Hill (ensemble).

This is a highly anticipated theatrical production. It is culturally respected Nikolai Foster’s first dip into directing a play in the genre of a thriller. It carries all the hallmarks of a quality production in the decidedly capable hands and creative mind of Leicester Curve’s Artistic Director.

It is a collaborative piece of page to stage drama exquisitely done. The Silence of The Lambs director says that it isn’t horrifying in a literal sense, despite the subject matter. For him it is the sustained psychological tension that is the key and the artistic challenge is sustaining that intensity and tension for two hours. Fosters’ ultra keen eye for detail and character definition is evident throughout. His choice of casting is inspired and authentically driven by all of the acting team.

Talk about using every inch of the stage. To use an appropriate term, many of the scenes and the actors in them are allowed to bleed into each other for theatrical effect and this adds greatly to the story that is conveyed on multiple levels, including the depth, on the stage. Curve’s The Silence of The Lambs has plenty of dramatic bite and is psychologically very gripping. As an outstanding evening at the theatre it is a killer of a thriller.

The play utilises Michael Taylor’s genius set design, and it is mightily enhanced in the lighting design ( Howard Hudson); the gripping sound design (Carolyn Downing); the superb projection applications and design (George Reeve) and musical compositions by Grant Olding.

Curve’s The Silence of The Lambs is unmistakably a top dollar theatrical thrill ride and through Gionfriddo’s stage adaptation we get more insights into the lives of the three main protagonists with Clarice Starling’s back story and personal terrors thrust front and centre to the storytelling. In fact, so deeply focussed and invested in this stage production are the onlookers on press night that it should be renamed ‘The Silence of The Audience!’ A whole box of pins may have dropped but no-one would have noticed.

Whilst having accolade winning television acclaim for her work on Coronation Street as Nina, it comes as a surprise to learn that Mollie Gallagher’s challenging role as Clarice Starling is her debut professional work as a stage actress. Gallagher is superb, not only in her specific American accent and forthright manner of interacting, but in the very vulnerability of her portrayal as a female policewoman, routinely dismissed by her male peers, in the misogynistic company of her fellow police officers and the super unnerving Dr Hannibal Lecter. Convincing doesn’t come close to defining her accurate and winning portrayal. It will be fascinating to see where see goes next.

Actor John Partridge has a huge stage following and given the calibre and versatility of his stage work in musical theatre, television and plays it is not hard to see why. He is a very likable person; a professional to the core and quite often wears his heart very much on his sleeve. However, cast as serial killer Dr Hannibal Lecter, he is probably going to be inclined to be having some wretched victim’s heart, or liver in his mouth! Partridge plays the incarcerated cannibal Dr Lecter full of confidence laced with a certain sly intelligence and charm but interlaced with animalistic savagery when opportunities show themselves. Whether he is sniffing the air in a predatory manner; probing Ms Starling with very alarming and personal questions, peeing un-selfconsciously in his toilet or taking up a stance not unlike that of a military man in the arms behind the back ‘at ease’ position, Partridge takes the darker than dark role, moulds it into his own interpretation and is bloody brilliant.

Now if you are inclined to want proper scary in your thriller experience then dare to enter the sparce domain of serial killer and flayer of human skin, nick- named Buffalo Bill. In terms of exposure this character gets much more stage time than there ever was in the film of The Silence of The Lambs and Sam Jackson almost under plays the part which adds to the chill factor of how such an evil person might have lured his female victims to their grisly ends. Jackson’s performance is magnetic and the first act finale featuring his deranged character is up there with the best thrilling first act finales ever!

As mentioned previously, the whole of the set is utilised during dramatic segments and the incidental music introducing scenes or applied in enhancing them, are key to the play as is the visual projection work and the tremendous ancillary lighting and flashing lights during heightened aspects within the drama.

All of the cast work hard to bring the story to life on stage and I would like to mention Mark Peachey who plays the mildly eccentric etymological expert Noble Pilcher for adding some subtle humour to a dark and dangerous piece of theatre. Also bravo to Curve returnee Jo Mousely who excels in her part of the Senator Ruth Martin, desperate to free her daughter in Buffalo Bill’s captivity at all costs.

From captive and captivity comes the word captivate or the verb to be captivated. Either way, I can guarantee you will be capitally captivated by Curve’s stunning world premiere of The Silence of The Lambs. Runs at Curve until 15th August then tours the UK and Ireland.

Photos credit: Marc Brenner

Age guidance: 15+. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes (including a 20 minute interval)
Show warnings: This production contains disturbing scenes of threat, violence and murder, very strong language, onstage prosthetic human remains (including dead bodies), sexual references, sexual harassment and violence, flashing lights, haze and loud noises (including gunshots).