Silence! The Musical
The notorious homicidal psychopath Dr Hannibal Lecter befriends the young FBI trainee sent to interrogate him, and decides to help her track down the current serial killer Buffalo Bill.
Tory Ross (Clarice) and Miles Western (Hannibal Lecter) in Silence! The Musical at Above the Stag Theatre Photo: Derek Drescher
This unauthorised parody owes as much to the Zucker Brothers movies such as Airplane and Naked Gun, as it does to the popular 1991 thriller starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.
Hunter Bell’s hilarious book railroads through the original story and Christopher Gattelli’s ebullient direction jumps on every available comic opportunity and plays it to the hilt.
The musical numbers are well crafted in a musical theatre mould with outrageous lyrics and phrasing set in a catchy score, featuring such gems as If I Could Smell Her Cunt, Quid Pro Quo and the ballad My Daughter is Catherine.
Miles Western is superb as Dr Lecter and even amid all the outrageous comedy, he still manages to maintain dignity and an indefinable, menacing charm.
Western’s musical numbers are handled with panache and he imbibes them with enough gravitas to make them truly hysterical. Tory Ross as Clarice Starling demonstrates succinct comic timing, coupled with a strong sense of the bizarre.
Tim McArthur, Catherine Millsom and Leon Kay all embrace their supporting roles with comic zeal and the inferred misogyny within the FBI allows Shakella Dedi as Ardelia Mapp full range with an unresolved lesbian sub-plot.
Western and Ross’ double act carries much of the show, but there is a rich ensemble cast working here, providing some hilarious moments that parody musical theatre as much as the source work, including affectionate nods towards Wicked and even The King & I.
Production information
- By:
- book by Hunter Bell, music and lyrics by Jon Kaplan and Al Kaplan
- Management:
- Above the Stag, Peter Bull and Victoria Lang
- Cast:
- Miles Western, Fabian Hartwell, Catherine Milsom, Bart Williams
- Director:
- Christopher Gattelli, also choreography
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Run sheet
- Above The Stag London
- January 21-February 28 2010
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