Review: SILENCE! The Musical

Featuring an ensemble of 10, SILENCE! takes on the story of rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling trying to catch a serial killer with the help of psychiatrist / maniac Hannibal Lecter. The musical, which began at the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival, follows the movie narrative very closely, just with songs. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it’s not trying to reinvent the wheel, but it does raise the expectations in terms of humour, song and dance.

The cast is good, especially Mark Oxtoby as Hannibal Lecter, who brings a healthy dose of camp to the role to make it his own. In contrast, Phoebe Panaretos as Clarice is an over-the-top Jodie Foster, mimicking her characteristic speech pattern, which starts to grate after five minutes.

The dialogue is witty, while many of the jokes are rather predictable. You expect a lot more than cock jokes in a production of this calibre, and if it tries to be shocking it doesn’t hit the mark. Anyone vaguely familiar with the film will see the throwing of semen and smelling of Clarice’s you-know-what coming.

There are a couple of surprise turns, and the singing and dancing is good, just don’t expect anything groundbreaking. SILENCE! The Musical will no doubt appeal to fans of the movie and it’s a fun night out for anyone in the mood for catchy tunes, horror and a chorus of lambs.