The first casting announcements have been made for The Silence of the Lambs play, which is set to tour the UK later this year and into 2027.
British actor, singer, presenter, writer and director John Partridge, known for his long-running role as Christian Clarke in BBC 1’s EastEnders and extensive range of West End credits from CATS toEverybody’s Talking About Jamie will don the iconic mask as the refined and sadistic Dr Hannibal Lecter.
The Silence of the Lambs is produced by Indigo Productions and Crossroads Live in association with Curve. The play will debut at the Curve in Leicester on 1st August 2026, before heading out on the road to a host of venues leading well into 2027. The play is, of course, adapted from the 1988 book by Thomas Harris, which has sold over 50 million copies. It was adapted into a film shortly after and won multiple awards, with Sir Anthony Hopkins in the lead role of Lecter, with Jodie Foster playing FBI agent Clarisse Starling. Cast for Clarisse in The Silence of the Lambs play will be announced shortly.
When FBI trainee Clarice Starling is sent to interview the psychiatrist and infamous murderer Hannibal Lecter, it’s hoped his brilliant mind will help catch the sadistic new serial killer, Buffalo Bill. Another girl is missing, and time is running out. But Dr Lecter has questions of his own, and now Clarice must decide: keep a safe distance, or let Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ into her head?
The stage play is directed by Curve’s Artistic Director, Nikolai Foster. Writer Gina Gionfriddo’s theatrical adaptation delves into the psychological tension of Thomas Harris’s landmark novel, drawing the audience deep into Clarice and Lecter’s intelligent, intricate, and bone-chilling game of cat-and-mouse, as the FBI scramble to catch Buffalo Bill, a serial killer still at large.
In a statement, Partridge said: ’How often does an actor get to play a role that by simply saying the character’s name, it takes your breath away. It’s a huge honour, and I intend to savour every morsel of it!’’
More on The Silence of the Lambs play as it comes out way.
