Big Job Productions to unleash cult horror musical at The Hidden Theatre with Tasmania’s first-ever theatrical splash zone

Hobart’s fastest-growing independent theatre company is about to get blood on its hands — and its audience.

Big Job Productions, known for sold-out seasons of bold, homegrown work, is bringing Evil Dead – The Musical to The Hidden Theatre at Kickstart Arts from 29 October to 1 November 2025. And they’re not holding back.

For the first time in The Hidden Theatre’s history, audiences will have the option to sit in a live splash zone, where fake blood will fly in gloriously excessive fashion. It’s part horror movie, part rock concert and entirely ridiculous — exactly what fans of Sam Raimi’s cult-classic films would hope for.

“It’s gory, it’s camp and it’s utterly over the top,” says co-director Elise Bagorski, who’s helming the production alongside Tommy Howard.

“We’re taking everything people love about the Evil Dead franchise — chainsaws, demons, possessed friends — and turning it up to eleven.”

The musical follows Ash, the iconic everyman-turned-demon-slayer with a chainsaw for a hand, as he and his unlucky companions battle the forces of evil in a remote cabin. Think singing demons, flying limbs and more fake blood than should be legally allowed in a single room.

Big Job Productions has built a reputation in Hobart for creating ambitious, locally-driven theatre that punches well above its weight. Evil Dead – The Musical continues that tradition, featuring an all-local cast of emerging Tasmanian talent bringing their own energy to the beloved characters.

But the real drawcard might be the special midnight performance on Halloween itself.

Billed as a one-night-only experience, it promises to blur the lines between theatrical performance and full-scale horror spectacle.

“We wanted to give audiences something they’ve never experienced in Hobart before,” says co-director Tommy Howard.

“If you’ve ever wanted to be inside a horror movie while also singing along to ridiculously catchy songs, this is your chance.”

The production runs from Wednesday 29 October through Saturday 1 November at The Hidden Theatre, Kickstart Arts. Tickets are expected to sell quickly, particularly for the Halloween midnight show.

Audiences are advised to dress accordingly — especially those brave enough to venture into the splash zone.

What: Evil Dead – The Musical
Where: The Hidden Theatre, Kickstart Arts, 12 St John’s Avenue, St John’s Park, New Town
When: 29 October – 1 November 2025 (including midnight Halloween performance)
Who: Co-directed by Elise Bagorski & Tommy Howard
Splash Zone: Available for brave audience members

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