It’s not necessary but it is helpful to have seen the movie Silence of the Lambs, which the musical Silence! parodies. Its heroine Clarice hopes to become a full fledged FBI investigator by finding killer Buffalo Bill. She has to seek help from Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a cannibalistic killer in prison. A group of lambs helps narrate her quest. Unlike the movie, the stage musical is almost incredibly vulgar, especially being shown in a staid place like Venice, Florida. But the excellent fast-paced direction and devoted performances get the audience through the action. Pluses include performance of the flat music with inventive choreography on an intimate stage. To cite as bawdy the lyrics, the titles of some of which cannot be printed here, would be an understatement. Praise to the entire cast, musicians, and crew of the show for acting so enthusiastically, especially considering all their doubling and tripling of roles with split second changes of funny clothing and props! With so much to see, the audience can usually quickly get over perverted lyrical messages and mimicry of sexual activities. As the lead Clarice, Kari Solum always stays on track to get info from Hannibal, discover Buffalo Bill’s hideout, and prevent him from killing another woman. Charlie Kollar couldn’t be more duplicitous or perverted as Bill. Andrea Keddell elicits pity as his intended next victim. Steve McAllister shows a self-sex affinity with him as a prison shrink. Rik Robertson is memorable as a strict boss of Clarice and also her Papa, in addition to being in a chorus of Lambs and FBI people. Other hard working FBI personnel and silly Lambs include Danielle Snelling, Paul Costello, and Amanda Heisey. Who’s the scary Dr. Hannibal Lecter? Chris Caswell, as good a singer as an actor. His diction is perfect and a great contrast to Solum’s Clarice who slurs every word that begins with th. The two combine to foil Buffalo Bill in a way that benefits them both, bringing a happy ending to this musical but perhaps suggesting a serial. Prissies, beware of this show! Everyone else, who knows? You might like it!
