The hitman stories: hitmen with a conscience, hitmen with a life outside, hitmen doing their jobs – all stories we are used to seeing on screen, rather than in a play. There are all the technical aspects of actually killing someone on a stage, how to make that look real without the obvious special effects and squibs and cutaways that they can do on film, so how does this play hold up in comparison? The answer is very favourably.
Thankfully the hitmen actually being women is not just a gimmick to try to set this play apart. There are no lengthy dialogues about what it means to be a woman and how femininity and leadership, not to mention murder, is not part of that gender: something we will forever be grateful for. The women are strong, fierce, and get things done: simply being whatever they decide they want to be. What we do get is a well crafted play about finding joy in your work (or not), about duty and loyalty to family, and about growing up: which applies to all people, and how wonderful to find it in a story where women are the protagonists and examples of human beings having these discussions, rather than the usual men.
The play is disquieting, potentially shocking right from the start, and there is an extraordinary level of detail in the set and the special effects, including deaths, which are, without giving spoilers, absolutely brilliant. To the point of being in the audience and wondering how on earth they accomplished them for a good while. Everything on the stage has been presented in realistic terms which works well: we feel we are on the seventh floor of a semi constructed building. Clearly the wet concrete could not be staged, so the smoothing the clearly non-existent concrete could be skipped.
It’s also an incredibly funny play, with dark comedy that works really well in American stories: Grosse Point Blank springs to mind. There is a richness to the writing which is really enjoyable, regardless of the lack of satisfactory explanation of why two siblings would have a safe number; some of these words and phrases could be explored more fully especially in the second act, as there are some jewels there yet to be brought out.
Grace Vincent portrays a passionate and totally convincing Ami, with some lovely detail in her performance including shock and shaking. She is a joy to watch, as is Elizabeth Kroon as Abi: with the distaste for what her mother and sister do for a living but nevertheless having little conscience about her part in it. A fine line, played really well. Jack Morris looks every bit the fierce, swaggering and sassy matriarch and would be a little more menacing and scary if she lowered her vocal tone. Simon Bigg has the difficult job of being the tied up Todd beautifully acted bouncing between frustration and begging for his life. Fox Moody who is on stage throughout has some good moments as Sheila but could deepen the portrayal: there is potential there to be explored.
It’s a well presented piece, which almost hits very high notes. It’s beautifully lit: watching the sun move through the plastic sheeting at the back of the stage, shining different lights in the room; changing the atmosphere, however the blackouts are a little long and could be staged differently. With a deepened portrayal of Sheila and perhaps more pace in places, this could be superb, as it has the potential to be.
New Venture Theatre, 11 November 2025
Kill Local runs until 15 November 2025
Photos credit: Strat Mastoris
