The Hitmen

Independent theatre is booming in Melbourne and new kids on the block The Baker’s Dozen Theatre Company are forging ahead. A team of graduate actors from the Ballarat Arts Academy who got together at the end of 2013, have been consistently and tirelessly producing theatre that challenges and provoke audiences. Self-funded, with collaborative eclectic tastes, they consistently excel, producing classical and contemporary works. The Hitmen is no exception, a current piece of homegrown theatre by Mish Wittrup.

The Hitmen delves into the psyche of six wannabe killers who apply for the job of ‘hitman’ on Seek. COC is a secret organisation run by a ruthless, sharp yet neurotic woman known as Gwen (Cazz Bainbridge) who is seeking fresh blood (no pun intended). Gwen runs a tight ship and her croney thug sidekick is there to oversee the six candidates, all as keen as mustard and are willing to kill for the position.

It is a black and humorous introduction to a dark and seedy underworld and a witty thriller commentary on unemployment and the crime underclass.

Blake Barnard has directed a difficult piece of theatre with generous enthusiasm. The set was minimal, dressed more like a mini morgue than an office space. The sound design was barely audible except for the pestering low undercurrent of eerie sounds and the bangs of gun shots. The overall production could have been shaved back, to allow more buoyancy and tension. That said, the play was entertaining and a fun night out for lovers of independent theatre.

Flora Georgiou