Theatre

MAKING A KILLING

Thursday 7 May 2026

The ropes are ready, the crowd is waiting, and the hangman has a new apprentice. When Claus Kohler is apprenticed to Frantz Schmidt, Nuremberg’s seasoned executioner, the two men are thrown together in a world where duty, morality, and power collide, and every decision leaves a mark. But as the gallows fill and suspicion takes root, their fates become dangerously entwined, until both must decide who they are, and which side of the rope they stand on. Performed by just two actors, Making a Killing is a razor-sharp, dark comedy about justice, corruption, and the cost of survival in a world disturbingly like our own.

Book Now

Bar opens 6:30 P.M.
Starts 7:30 P.M.
Early Bird £18.00
General Admission £20.00

10% off for members

Unreserved Seating

Book online at any time, at the Lyme Regis Bookshop and Bridport Tourist Information Centre during normal opening hours, the Marine on Monday mornings 10 – 1, and over the phone on 01308 424901. The displayed price includes a £1 restoration levy.

Our booking fees cover the cost of providing ticketing services and software. We don't charge this to make a profit, but it contributes to our overheads as a charity.

The ropes are ready, the crowd is waiting, and the hangman has a new apprentice. When Claus Kohler is apprenticed to Frantz Schmidt, Nuremberg’s seasoned executioner, the two men are thrown together in a world where duty, morality, and power collide, and every decision leaves a mark. But as the gallows fill and suspicion takes root, their fates become dangerously entwined, until both must decide who they are, and which side of the rope they stand on. Performed by just two actors, Making a Killing is a razor-sharp, dark comedy about justice, corruption, and the cost of survival in a world disturbingly like our own.

Bold, biting, and impossible to ignore, the play takes inspiration from The Journal of Master Frantz Schmidt, Public Executioner of Nuremberg, 1573–1617. A remarkable historical record that lays bare the humanity and contradictions of a man who killed for a living.

“Two actors. One stage. A dark comedy that hits hard and never lets go. Expertly written, brilliantly performed. Thoroughly enjoyed it, thank you.” – Audience member

“We were so impressed by the acting, as the turning from one well defined character into another, almost on a pinhead, was so good. The story line had resonance with today’s world too, the silencing of those who don’t agree with powerful men is a sadly familiar theme.” – Audience member

Suitable for ages 14+ (contains mature content)