Silence of the Lambs

The Lowry 

Tuesday 6th to Saturday 10th October 

*** Silence of the Lambs hits the spot better than some feber beans and a nice Chianti. ***

*** Have an old friend for lunch and a show and grab yourself a ticket ***

*** A chilling spectacle that has to be seen ***

***A night full of tension, drama and superb acting***

Silence of the Lambs opens at The Lowry tonight signalling the start to spooky season and wow what a start. A chilling spectacle that has to be seen. It was a night full of tension, drama and superb acting.

We have seen John Partridge in many great shows such as Taboo and Cabaret and is well known for being the Rum Tun Tugger in Cats and Christian in EastEnders and he always goes on his stage to shine. John’s chilling portrayal as Dr. Hannibal Lecter is intense, as his eyes sear into Mollie Gallagher as FBI agent Clarice Starling. John didn’t fall into the trap of following the known stereotype Lecter but creates his own disturbing monster that oozes charisma. He creates suspense with his every word or gesture. He can be intensely calm or have moments of rage.

This is Mollie Gallagher stage debut after leaving the cast of Coronation Street, and we can hope and expect a long stage career following this part. She holds her own on stage unlike her character Clarice who occasionally wavers under the strain of Lecter. The two form a strange alliance as the power between the two is pulled back and forth as the audience question who really is in control. The unsavoury relationship is tested to its limits but John and Mollie create the perfect chemistry is this thriller, in both the quiet and chaotic moments.  

Sam Jackson is a disturbing Jame Gumb aka Buffalo Bill. He delivers a twisted disturbed psychopathic character. We see him sewing his homemade human skin bodysuit and watch as he terrorises his female captives. Sam is wonderful and the perfect counter act to what John and Mollie offer us. He toys with his captive Catherine Martin who is played by Lottie Amor. The chips are down for Catherine when she realises what Buffalo Bill has in store for but she remains strong trying to bargain for her life. Lottie uses all her physicality and plays her role with some tense emotion.

Oliver Farnworth is Jack Crawford the head of Behavioural Science Unit and Clarice’s boss. He is a constant throughout and we see how he tries to play Clarice in more ways than one.

Michael Taylor's sets are a wonder to behold. He has created a clever split set with action happening on both sides. This allows us to focus on the main part of action but allows us a watchful eye on other unsettling events in the another. Howard Hudson lighting compliments these sets, creating a clinically bright spaces for Lecter’s cell and dim spaces for Buffalo Bills lair. The projections used also enhancing rather than distract, we have seen many shows in recent month where sets have been minimal and projections relied on to heavily.

The whole production is a master class in direction by Nikolai Foster. He knows where he wants the actors to enter, where your attention should be, and what he wants you to be aware of. Each moment is cleverly thought out and leads seamlessly to the next. This clear direction helps the pace of the production and keep us on the edge of our seats. Gina Gionfriddo’s play finds new ground somewhere between the original Thomas Harris book and the 1991 film that should keep most happy. There was the occasional scene that needed cutting or tightening up but this is certainly one of the better productions in this ever-increasing genre.

Silence of the Lambs hits the spot better than some feber beans and a nice Chianti. Have an old friend for lunch and a show and grab yourself a ticket and see this thrilling modern-day classic.

https://www.thelowry.com/whats-on/the-silence-of-the-lambs-bv9d