By Grace Hatchell- I’m currently double-checking every quiet field I pass… just in case those lambs aren’t what they seem.
The Silence of the Lambs stage play premieres at Leicester’s Curve from 1–15 August 2026 before touring the UK and Ireland, starring John Partridge as Hannibal Lecter in a chilling new adaptation of Thomas Harris’s novel
Something very different arrived in my satchel
Right then… this one arrived in my satchel with a title that sounded surprisingly peaceful.
The Silence of the Lambs.
Now I’ll be honest with you — I initially thought this involved soft woolly lambs dozing in a field. Maybe a gentle breeze, a bit of sunshine… something you could watch with a cup of tea and a biscuit.
It does not.
I am, frankly, aghast.
From lambs to something far more sinister
What we actually have here is a full stage adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs — yes, that one — where FBI trainee Clarice Starling is sent to interview the deeply unsettling (and deeply intelligent) Dr Hannibal Lecter, in the hope his mind might help catch another serial killer still at large.
And if you’re thinking, “Oh that sounds intense but manageable,” let me just say — this is not background viewing. This is the sort of story that leans in and stares straight back at you.
The man you don’t want to meet
Taking on the role of Hannibal Lecter is John Partridge — and I don’t mind telling you, if someone described to me as the “elegant face of evil” invited me into a conversation, I’d suddenly remember I had somewhere else to be.
He’s refined. He’s intelligent. He’s… not someone you’d want to bump into alone.
Opposite him is Clarice Starling, young and sharp, stepping into a situation that feels far darker than it ought to be, having to decide just how close she’s willing to get to Lecter’s world.
(I wouldn’t be getting close at all. I’d be halfway home.)
Why this works on stage
Now here’s what’s caught my attention.
Why bring something like this to the stage?
Because in a theatre, you don’t get the comfort of distance. There’s no screen between you and the story. You’re in the same room. You feel it. You can’t pause it or pretend it’s not happening.
On stage, Hannibal Lecter isn’t safely somewhere else.
He’s there.
And that makes the whole thing feel a lot more… personal.
A strong creative team behind it
This new adaptation comes from Gina Gionfriddo, bringing Thomas Harris’s story to life with all its psychological tension intact, and it’s directed by Nikolai Foster — which tells me this won’t rely on cheap scares. It’ll be controlled, deliberate… and probably all the more chilling for it.
Where and when to see it
It opens at Curve from 1–15 August 2026 before heading out across the UK and Ireland, visiting places like Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Liverpool and plenty more along the way.
Tickets are already on sale if you’re feeling brave.
Final delivery from my satchel
I went in expecting lambs.
I did not get lambs.
What I’ve got instead is a story about power, control, and what happens when curiosity pulls you a little too close to something dangerous. And while I wouldn’t exactly call it a relaxing night out… I can see why people won’t be able to look away.
Just don’t expect a quiet little nap in a field.
Trust me on that.
The Silence Of The Lambs is produced by Indigo Productions and Crossroads Live, in association with Curve.
The Silence of the Lambs – Curve Theatre, Leicester
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS – 2026 / 2027 UK TOUR DATES
Leicester, Curve
Sat 1 Aug – Sat 15 Aug 2026
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Newcastle, Theatre Royal
Tue 18 Aug – Sat 22 Aug 2026
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Glasgow, Theatre Royal
Mon 24 Aug – Sat 29 Aug 2026
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Aberdeen, His Majesty’s Theatre
Tue 1 Sep – Sat 5 Sep 2026
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Edinburgh, Festival Theatre
Tue 8 Sep – Sat 12 Sep 2026
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Nottingham, Theatre Royal
Tue 15 – Sat 19 Sep 2026
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Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes Theatre
Mon 28 Sep – Sat 3 Oct 2026
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Salford, Lowry – Quays Theatre
Tue 6 Oct – Sat 10 Oct 2026
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Bradford, Alhambra Theatre
Mon 12 Oct – Sat 17 Oct 2026
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Oxford, New Theatre
Mon 19 Oct – Sat 24 Oct 2026
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Peterborough, New Theatre
Tue 27 Oct – Sat 31 Oct 2026
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Hull, New Theatre
Mon 2 Nov – Sat 7 Nov 2026
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Belfast, Grand Opera House
Tue 10 Nov – Sat 14 Nov 2026
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Dublin, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre
Tue 24 Nov – Sat 28 Nov 2026
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Birmingham, Alexandra Theatre
Tues 5 Jan – Sat 9 Jan 2027
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Blackpool, The Grand Theatre
Mon 11 Jan – Sat 16 Jan 2027
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Eastbourne, The Congress Theatre
Mon 18 Jan – Sat 23 Jan 2027
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Malvern, Malvern Theatre
Tue 26 Jan – Sat 30 Jan 2027
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Swansea, Grand Theatre
Mon 15 Feb – Sat 20 Feb 2027
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Chester, Storyhouse Theatre
Mon 22 Feb – Sat 27 Feb 2027
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Brighton, Theatre Royal
Tue 2 Mar – Sat 06 Mar 2027
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Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre
Mon 8 Mar – Sat 13 Mar 2027
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York, Grand Opera House
Mon 15 Mar – Sat 20 Mar 2027
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Coventry, Belgrade Theatre
Tue 30 Mar – Sat 3 Apr 2027
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Richmond, Richmond Theatre
Tue 6 Apr – Sat 10 Apr 2027
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Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre
Mon 12 Apr – Sat 17 Apr 2027
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Bournemouth, Pavillon Theatre
Tue 20 Apr – Sat 24 Apr 2027
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Wolverhampton, Grand Theatre
Mon 26 Apr – Sat 1 May 2027
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Cardiff, New Theatre
Mon 10 May – Sat 15 May 2027
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Buxton, Opera House
Mon 17 May – Sat 22 May 2027
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Woking, New Victoria Theatre
Mon 31 May – Sat 5 Jun 2027
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Liverpool, Empire Theatre
Tue 15 Jun – Sat 19 Jun 2027
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Sunderland, Empire Theatre
Mon 21 Jun – Sat 26 Jun 2027
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About the Author
