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Dr Hannibal Lecter Will See You Now…

By Jo Goodberry Updated

Dr Hannibal Lecter Will See You Now…
Seminal psychological thriller adapted for the stage by
celebrated playwright Gina Gionfriddo
from the multi-million-selling novel by Thomas Harris
 

Directed by Nikolai Foster

Indigo Productions and Crossroads Live, in association with Curve, are delighted to announce first casting for the upcoming UK and Ireland tour of The Silence of the Lambs, ahead of the global cultural phenomenon’s world premiere play debut. The electrifying new production opens at Leicester’s Curve theatre on Saturday, 01 August 2026.
It is today revealed that British actor, singer, presenter, writer and director John Partridge, known for his long-running role as Christian Clarke in BBC 1’s EastEnders and extensive range of West End credits from CATS to Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, will don the iconic mask as the refined and sadistic Dr Hannibal Lecter.

THE ICONIC PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

A WORLD STAGE PREMIERE

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

Dr Hannibal Lecter will see you now…

Come face to face with the chilling cultural phenomenon THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS as it makes its world stage premiere in 2026. Based on Thomas Harris’s gripping literary masterpiece, and starring renowned actor John Partridge (Eastenders, Everyone’s Talking About Jamie, Cabaret) as Hannibal Lecter, this electrifying new play sets the definitive psychological thriller loose across the UK from August 2026.

When FBI trainee Clarice Starling is sent to interview the psychiatrist and infamous murderer Hannibal Lecter, it’s hoped his brilliant mind will help catch sadistic new serial killer, Buffalo Bill. Another girl is missing, and time is running out. But Dr Lecter has questions of his own, and now Clarice must decide: keep a safe distance, or let Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ into her head…?

Written by the award-winning Gina Gionfriddo and directed by the acclaimed Nikolai Foster, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS drips with tension and gets you closer than ever to the iconic thrills and terrifyingly memorable characters of the landmark novel.

THE CLOCK IS TICKING. HUNT DOWN A TICKET AND BOOK NOW…
BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.

Age Guidance: 15+. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

BOOK IF YOU DARE
When FBI trainee Clarice Starling is sent to interview the psychiatrist and infamous murderer Hannibal Lecter, it’s hoped his brilliant mind will help catch the sadistic new serial killer, Buffalo Bill. Another girl is missing, and time is running out. But Dr Lecter has questions of his own, and now Clarice must decide: keep a safe distance, or let Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ into her head?
Acclaimed television writer and playwright Gina Gionfriddo (Law & Order (NBC), House of Cards (Netflix), Becky Shaw) brings Thomas Harris’s gripping literary masterpiece to the stage in a new modern adaptation directed by Curve’s Artistic Director, Nikolai Foster. Gionfriddo’s theatrical adaptation delves into the psychological tension of Thomas Harris’s landmark novel, drawing the audience deep into Clarice and Lecter’s intelligent, intricate, and bone-chilling game of cat-and-mouse, as the FBI scramble to catch Buffalo Bill, a serial killer still at large.
John Partridge says of his casting in the upcoming tour ‘’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 adds: “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.”
At just 16, John Partridge left college to join the original UK tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS, later transferring to the West End production at the New London Theatre to star as Rum Tum Tugger. He reprised the role in the official filmed version opposite Elaine Paige and John Mills.
John’s extensive West End, touring and international theatre credits include: Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Peacock Theatre); A Chorus Line (London Palladium); The Drowsy Chaperone (Novello Theatre); Notre-Dame de Paris (Dominion Theatre); The Fix (Donmar Warehouse), directed by Sam Mendes; Tommy (Shaftesbury Theatre); Grease (Dominion Theatre); Starlight Express (Apollo Victoria Theatre); The Hunting of the Snark (Prince Edward Theatre); Taboo 20th Anniversary Concert (London Palladium); The Witches of Eastwick in Concert (Sondheim Theatre); The Chalk Garden (Theatre Royal Windsor & Yvonne Arnaud Theatre); The Doncastrian Chalk Circle (National Theatre & CAST Doncaster); The Emcee in Cabaret (Rufus Norris production, UK tour); The View Upstairs (Soho Theatre); Rough Crossing (UK tour); The Case of the Frightened Lady (UK tour); La Cage Aux Folles (UK tour); Chicago (UK tour); The Tempest (Northcott Theatre); Miss Saigon (UK tour); Rent (European tour); Black Goes With Everything (Churchill Theatre, Bromley); Marilyn in Boy George’s Taboo (The Venue); and most recently Billy Haynes in The Code (Southwark Playhouse Elephant).
On screen, John is widely known for his long-running role as Christian Clarke in EastEnders (BBC, 2007–2016). His screen work also includes Involuntary Activist (Iris Prize/BBC) and Cleopatra (Netflix).

Full creative team and further casting to be announced.

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🎭 UK & Ireland Tour Dates

LEICESTER – Curve
Sat 1 – Sat 15 Aug 2026
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NEWCASTLE – Theatre Royal Newcastle
Tue 18 – Sat 22 Aug 2026
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GLASGOW – Theatre Royal Glasgow
Mon 24 – Sat 29 Aug 2026
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ABERDEEN – His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen
Tue 1 – Sat 5 Sep 2026
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EDINBURGH – Festival Theatre Edinburgh
Tue 8 – Sat 12 Sep 2026
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NOTTINGHAM – Theatre Royal Nottingham
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 – The Lowry
Tue 6 – Sat 10 Oct 2026
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BRADFORD – Alhambra Theatre Bradford
Mon 12 – Sat 17 Oct 2026
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OXFORD – New Theatre Oxford
Mon 19 – Sat 24 Oct 2026
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PETERBOROUGH – New Theatre Peterborough
Tue 27 – Sat 31 Oct 2026 (corrected date range)
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HULL – Hull New Theatre
Mon 2 – Sat 7 Nov 2026
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BELFAST – Grand Opera House Belfast
Tue 10 – Sat 14 Nov 2026
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DUBLIN – Bord Gáis Energy Theatre
Tue 24 – Sat 28 Nov 2026
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John Partridge as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs stage production poster

🎟️ 2027 Dates

BIRMINGHAM – The Alexandra Birmingham
Tue 5 – Sat 9 Jan 2027
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BLACKPOOL – Blackpool Grand Theatre
Mon 11 – Sat 16 Jan 2027
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EASTBOURNE – Congress Theatre Eastbourne
Mon 18 – Sat 23 Jan 2027
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MALVERN – Malvern Theatres
Tue 26 – Sat 30 Jan 2027
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SWANSEA – Swansea Grand Theatre
Mon 15 – Sat 20 Feb 2027
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CHESTER – Storyhouse
Mon 22 – Sat 27 Feb 2027
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BRIGHTON – Theatre Royal Brighton
Tue 2 – Sat 6 Mar 2027
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TUNBRIDGE WELLS – Assembly Hall Theatre
Mon 8 – Sat 13 Mar 2027
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YORK – Grand Opera House York
Mon 15 – 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 – Sat 10 Apr 2027
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CHELTENHAM – Everyman Theatre Cheltenham
Mon 12 – Sat 17 Apr 2027
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BOURNEMOUTH – Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre
Tue 20 – Sat 24 Apr 2027
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WOLVERHAMPTON – Grand Theatre Wolverhampton
Mon 26 Apr – Sat 1 May 2027
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CARDIFF – New Theatre Cardiff
Mon 10 – Sat 15 May 2027
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BUXTON – Buxton Opera House
Mon 17 – Sat 22 May 2027
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WOKING – New Victoria Theatre
Mon 31 May – Sat 5 Jun 2027
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LIVERPOOL – Liverpool Empire Theatre
Tue 15 – Sat 19 Jun 2027
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SUNDERLAND – Sunderland Empire Theatre
Mon 21 – Sat 26 Jun 2027
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