Inspired by the diary of Frantz Schmidt (1554-1634) who was the resident hangman in Nuremberg for 45 years, during that time he had executed over 394 individuals and tortured or flogged many hundreds more.  The position had been handed down to him from his father. However, Schmidt wanted to be a surgeon and despite applying many times he was rejected.

Schmidt kept a journal about each of the people he dealt with and thought the play Making a Killing there’s a sense of remorse and disgust about the role he had to perform.

When Frantz Schmidt’s (Stephen Cavanagh) new apprentice Claus Kohler (Ben Kernow) starts working with Frantz questions the legitimacy and seriousness of the crimes that resulted in hundreds of people being executed. From the journal accounts read out throughout the play the reasons for their execution were unjustified.

Set designer Marion Harrison has done an exceptionally good job staging the scenes from the gallows to the public house with an entirely distressed red painted set. There’s no blood used during the play but the stained stage is a stark reminder of the “bloody mess” that Schmidt would have had to deal with every day. The stench back in those days must have been horrendous.

The cast of two played a range of characters throughout the play with ease. The storyline starts slowly as the main characters become established and the rest of the characters build the storyline. From the corrupt Priest, the Inn Keeper who’s proud of his sausage recipe and Frantz’s wife who is often trying to track her husband down.

During those 45 years, the floggings and hangings were entertaining to the crowds that gathered and apparently enjoyed watching the public flogging, beheading and hangings.

For more information about Making a Killing and future productions at Theatre Royal Winchester please use the links below.

Four Stars

https://www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/whats-on/making-killing

https://www.hahumah.co.uk/