Silence of the Lambs premiere UK tour

John Partridge (best known as Christian Clarke in EastEnders) will play serial killer Hannibal Lecter in the premiere UK tour of The Silence of the Lambs.

Northern dates include the Lowry, Salford (October 6-10); Bradford Alhambra (October 12-17); Hull New Theatre (November 2-7); and in 2027 Blackpool Grand (January 11-16); York Grand Opera House (March 15-20); Buxton Opera House (May 17-22) and the Sunderland Empire (June 21-26).

Adapted from the novel by Thomas Harris, the story follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling as she interviews psychiatrist and convicted murderer Hannibal Lecter in the hope his insight will help catch a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill. The novel was first published in 1988 and remains a landmark of the thriller genre, famously turned into s film starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.

Partridge's previous stage credits range from Cats to Everybody’s Talking About Jamie - a long way from psychopath Hannibal Lecter.

He said: "How often does an actor get to play a role where simply saying the character’s name takes your breath away? It’s a huge honour, and I intend to savour every morsel of it."

Adapted for the stage by Gina Gionfriddo, the writer behind Netflix’s House of Cards, the play will be directed by Nikolai Foster, artistic director of Leicester's Curve Theatre.  

Foster said of Partridge’s casting: "Working with John on the role has been incredibly inspiring – his instincts are razor sharp. Taking on a role like Hannibal Lecter requires real guts, tenacity and an appetite to confront the darkest depths of the human condition." 

The Silence of the Lambs will open in Leicester on August 1 ahead of the tour.

More info and tickets here