John Partridge, known for his role in EastEnders, will play the iconic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter in a new stage version of Silence of the Lambs.
I’m so excited for this! I heard they’re adapting Thomas Harris’s famous novel into a play, and Gina Gionfriddo is the one doing it. It’s going to premiere at the Curve Theatre in Leicester from August 1st to 15th, 2026, and then it’s touring all over the UK and Ireland – I can’t wait to see it!
The story follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling, who is tasked with interviewing the brilliant but dangerous psychiatrist and murderer, Hannibal Lecter. The hope is that Lecter’s insights will help them catch a new, brutal serial killer known as Buffalo Bill.
A second young woman has disappeared, and the pressure is on to find her quickly. Meanwhile, Dr. Lecter is probing Clarice with his own inquiries, forcing her to choose: maintain her professional boundaries, or risk letting the dangerous Hannibal Lecter manipulate her mind?
Partridge is most famous for playing Christian Clarke on the TV show EastEnders. He’s also a talented stage actor, having performed as The Rum Tum Tugger in Cats and Hugo Battersby in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
The actor will be taking on the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a part previously played by Anthony Hopkins in the 2001 film and Mads Mikkelsen in the popular TV show, Hannibal.
Partridge expressed his excitement about being cast in the role, saying it’s a rare opportunity to play a character whose very name is impactful. He feels honored and intends to fully enjoy the experience.
Nikolai Foster, the artistic director and director of the production, explained that playing a character like Hannibal Lecter demands courage, determination, and a willingness to explore the most disturbing aspects of human nature.
It’s been amazing working with John – he has incredible instincts and is the perfect actor to play this terrifying character in our first-ever stage version of the story.
Check out our Going Out section for interviews with top West End performers! You’ll find fascinating stories, like why Elaine Paige doesn’t plan to return to the stage and Rachel Zegler’s take on the famous balcony scene in Evita.
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I follow Molly Moss, a Trends Writer at TopMob, and she’s always on top of what’s new in TV, movies, and everything else in pop culture. She’s a really experienced journalist – she has a Master’s degree in Newspaper Journalism and has written for major publications like The Guardian, The Times, and The Sun Online, so she really knows her stuff!
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2026-04-30 20:07