John Partridge will star as Dr Hannibal Lecter in the world stage play premiere of The Silence of the Lambs, ahead of a major UK and Ireland tour.
The new production opens at Curve in Leicester on Saturday 1 August 2026, marking the first time Thomas Harris’s multi-million-selling novel has been adapted for the stage.
Partridge is best known for his long-running role as Christian Clarke in BBC One’s EastEnders, alongside an extensive career spanning West End musicals, touring productions and television.
The production is adapted for the stage by celebrated playwright Gina Gionfriddo and directed by Curve Artistic Director Nikolai Foster.
When FBI trainee Clarice Starling is tasked with interviewing imprisoned psychiatrist and serial killer Hannibal Lecter, she must decide whether to keep her distance or risk entering his psychological world in order to stop another murderer at large.
The adaptation explores the intense psychological battle between Clarice and Lecter, as the FBI race to catch Buffalo Bill before another victim disappears.
John Partridge said: ‘’How often does an actor get to play a role that by simply saying the character’s name, it takes your breath away. It’s a huge honour, and I intend to savour every morsel of it!’’
Director Nikolai Foster added: “Taking on a role like Hannibal Lecter requires real guts, tenacity and an appetite to confront the darkest depths of the human condition. Working with John on the role has been incredibly inspiring – his instincts are razor sharp – and there is no finer actor to bring to life Thomas Harris’s most chilling creation in our world premiere stage adaptation.”
The production is produced by Indigo Productions and Crossroads Live in association with Curve, with full casting and creative team details to be announced.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
