Phoebe Panaretos and Mark Oxtoby in SILENCE! The Musical. Photo by Mark Snr
Directed and Choreographed by Christopher Gattelli
Design by Scott Pask
Music and Lyrics by Jon and Al Kaplan
Review by Annie Aslett | August 3, 2024
Silence! The Musical is billed as the unauthorized parody of Silence of the Lambs, which catalogues the relationship between convicted cannibal Hannibal Lecter, and rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling, as they work unsteadily together to track down a serial killer. Parody it may be, but to call Silence! a send-up of the 1991 movie is to sell this show short. The musical is reverent in paying homage to its namesake, faithfully recreating some of the film’s most iconic scenes, drawing side-splitting humour from some of the movie’s most disturbing moments.
The show opens on a choir of ‘lambs’, providing key exposition for the uninitiated in the audience, in a confident opening number that leads off the show’s parade of high-quality music penned by Jon and Al Kaplan. It is rare for a parody musical to boast such memorable songs; one feels that the musical ought to have more mainstream success, though unrepeatable song titles make this unlikely. The ‘lambs’, made up of the 10-piece ensemble cast, walk the hilarious line between camp and adorable in their floppy ears and shiny hooves. Adding to the show’s impish quality, they pop up throughout to provide back-up dancing, scene changes and general hilarity…
Read the full review on corrblimey.uk
