Silence! the Musical – The Unauthorised Parody of The Silence of the Lambs – review

Ewe’d never guess which film they’ve put on the stage next at the Edinburgh Fringe – Jonathan Demme’s legendary 1991 thriller The Silence of the Lambs, based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris, is given a send-up in Silence!, a one-act show that drops the c-word (the really bad one) more times than probably any other show out there.

Following FBI newbie Clarice Starling as she tries to solve a serial killer’s spat of crimes by seeking the advice of an imprisoned cannibal, Hannibal Lecter, many of the film’s iconic moments are replicated here, with added gimmicks, gags and spandex.

The main problem is – The Silence of the Lambs was 14 years old when Silence! first hit the stage. It’s now been over 33 years, and Silence! itself is over 19 years old. The parody’s comedy beats feel dated, unmodish and clunky, desperately in need of an overhaul, occasionally a full-blown evaluation even – especially with the portrayal of murderer Buffalo Bill.

It’s salvaged thanks to the work of Broadway director Christopher Gattelli, returning to the show after directing its original run. Given his credits include the likes of Death Becomes Her, Newsies, The Cher Show and SpongeBob, here is a man who knows exactly how to keep a show tight, bright and comedically on-point – even within the more limited parameters of the Edinburgh Fringe.

Gattelli also has a magnificent performer in the form of Mark Oxtoby playing Lecter – seemingly never blinking while on stage, Oxtoby’s powerhouse vocals and comedic instincts are right on the money: you know the guy’s a killer when he’s even making the other cast members (the rest of the impressively large ensemble are also on solid form) corpse.