Silence! The Musical ★★★★ The Turbine Theatre | September 4 - 28, 2024


Like the film it parodies, this show is not for the fainthearted. Trigger warnings: references to cannibalism, grisly serial murder plots, and some extremely raunchy humour. On the other hand, if you don't mind such things, here's a spoof of The Silence of the Lambs that may be just your cup of Chianti. It is difficult not to like a loony chorus of dancing lambs, and a serial killer singing about his sexual obsessions is disturbingly funny. Some familiarity with the original movie is definitely required, but the plot comes back quickly as the story unfolds. Rookie FBI agent, Clarice Starling, is assigned to interview psychiatrist and murderer, Hannibal Lecter, in order to gain his help in tracking down another psychopath who kidnaps, kills and skins his victims. In exchange for this information Lecter demands personal information about Clarice which includes reliving her own youthful traumas. While this may not seem like fertile territory for satire, the mixture of humour and horror is a fairly traditional cocktail, and this show has some intoxicating moments of inanity. Much of comedy is about the timing, and this show bounces along, never overplaying the moment. Jon and Al Kaplan's music and lyrics are catchy and clever as they calculatingly gross out the audience. All of the performances are full of a manic energy that magnifies the madness, and the whole cast displays a charisma that is contagious. Phoebe Panaretos is a sure-fire success as she recreates Jodie Foster's quirky Clarice, and Jake Anthony is wonderfully weird as the object of her pursuit. The evening, however, belongs to Mark Oxtoby whose Lecter is simultaneously somewhat scary and absolutely silly. It is a terrific performance that captures both senses of the word crazy. Silence! The Musical is full-on foolishness that will have you laughing and looking over your shoulder as you leave the theatre.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Mark Senior

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When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: Arches Ln, Nine Elms, London SW11 8AB, UK

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