Two-Off Broadway -Silence: The Musical and Olive and The Bitter Herbs

Off-Broadway offers an intimate theater experience at more reasonable prices. There’s usually something for everyone but one size doesn’t fit all. So pick your shows carefully.

Silence: The Musical works best if you are familiar with the movie. It also requires a tolerance for raw adult language and sexuality. The show best appeals to a young 20-30 something audience. The first time I saw Silence of the Lambs, it was on a tape at home. I purposely watched it during the day with the light streaming in through the window, so each time the movie got too intense, I could pause it and take a break. Hardly what the movie-makers hoped for, but that was the only way I could get through the horror flick. I still thought it was great and so did the Academy Award voters; the film received five awards including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress.

This parody of the movie is a musical that replaces the horror and suspense with humor and absurdity. A couple of the most horrific scenes (when Clarice relives her childhood memories of lambs being slaughtered and later when a kidnapped girl is being held captive in a well and being starved for her skin) are set to music.The comic absurdity juxtaposed with the horror is hysterical.

The cast is terrific and the talented group appears to be having a grand old time. Jenn Harris does a wonderful job spoofing Jody Foster. In fact, her parody is more of Foster than of Clarice Starling. There are several references to Foster’s later movies like “The Beaver” and “The Panic Room.” With a glazed expression and a speech affectation, she’s hilarious. As Lecter, Brent Barrett shows off a glorious tenor voice and an attractive persona. There’s an excellent supporting cast all of whom play multiple roles, including that of the lambs. Particularly hysterical is Jeff Hiller, who reminded me of Johnny, the flamboyant character in the movie “Airplane.”

The show exaggerates the actual movie dialogue and events. The language and sexuality are ‘in your face’ and can be objectionable or hysterically funny. The absurdity of serial killers singing makes the show even more comical. Some of the melodies stick with you, but the four letter words prevent including song lyrics here.