I swear I've come across a bug or I'm really just not doing something right - this refers to Level 2 of the game, 'Curtains Down,' so don't read the spoiler if you're not there yet:

So I enter the level, follow the worker into the toilet, sedate him and steal his uniform. Then I go to the receptionist and hand in the red ticket to obtain the jacket/real WWI pistol. Fine. Put this in the toolbox and go to the basement door guarded by the two cops, let them frisk me, carry on under the basement and back up in the changing rooms corridor, enter the dressing room with '!' on the map. I never however get the opportunity to plant or switch the WWI pistol - before I know it my briefing has flashed up 'execution scene has been performed' and yet listening to the background music only two acts have been performed and not the third as the briefing said. I really want to do this because the first time I dropped the lighting on the actor, not the ambassador, and thus had to snipe the ambassador and not get a perfect rating.

Just wait. They're performing ALL OF THE THIRD ACT.

They do it as many times as you wait. So just wait for it to end, and the guy will come back in the room and you'll have a chance when he leaves to go to the bathroom.

Just be sure you're ready with the bomb planted in the attic to smash the other guy.

Oh I see, they're just rehearsing the same act again and again and again?

That is what I said.

Here's how I did that mission.

I stole the worker's uniform and put the WWI pistol in the toolbox. Then I went behind the receptionists's desk, opposite from the bathroom, to find an unguarded door down a set of stairs for staff only. When I get to the bottom, I kill and hide the body of the painter down there with his back to you (there's a large box in the bathroom next to that room). Then, I took care of the other two guys in the next room so I had a chance to unlock the door at the far end. Follow that door to the very end and find the actor's room. Take the sketch he has on his desk and place the WWI pistol there. Then, I go out of that room and across the hallway, there's a door that leads up to the dome above the theater. The chandelier is located there. I placed an explosive on the winch holding the chandelier up and went down the ladder and through the hole to watch the play. I waited there with detonator in hand until the execution took place and the actor shoots the target with the real WWI pistol by accident. When he dies, the ambassador screams and runs down to the ground floor to try to get to the dead actor and cry over his body or something wierd. Right when he's running across the theater floor, if you trigger the detonator at the right time, the ambassador will trip and the chandelier will fall on him. Bam, two accidents in one night. From there, carefully sneak out around all the cops and you'll be okay. If possible, retrieve your suit from that bathroom with the worker for extra points.

You don't need the toolbox, at all. Ever. Leave it there.

Instead go down to the basment, where the painter is painting the door frame. Head down the stairs, and to your right. Then in the first door on your right. You'll end up in the dressing room for all the common actors.

You have time, so go up to the attic via the double doors and plant a bomb. Next, go to the gun actor's room and wait for the FBI guy to go to the bathroom. That or throw a coin, and wait in the closet.

The actor comes in. Poses in the mirror a bunch, sets the gun down, and then goes to do something else. Replace the gun.

Then climb up to the attic again, and then down the ladder. Go through the ceiling and wait on the little platform and enjoy the show. Wait for the execution, and the senator runs up, detonate your bomb. SMASH.

Silent Assassin.

Yeah, the first two missions are really easy, even on Professional.

I can finish A Vintage Year in like 7 minutes.

last hitman game i played was the first one, ages ago... whats a good one to get back into it?

i remember the first one was pretty difficult.

Silent Assassin is REALLY tough.
Contracts is hard in spots, but is a REALLY DARK GAME. It retcons a few events in the first game. And takes place mostly while 47 is actually recalling what he's been doing while he's been mortally wounded. So the dark atmosphere is in part, because he is dying while remembering this crap. There isn't a single mission that takes place during the day.
Blood Money is my favorite so far. But only because you can kill as many people as you want and get silent assassin rating, so long as you make it look like an accident. So I've taken to pushing alot of people off of balconies. In one mission there is a glass bottomed hot tub that hangs over a rather large cliff. I shot the bottom of it out, sending about 6 people plummeting to their death.

Also, the melee weapons are AWESOME if you can get your hands on them and mess around. Hedgeclippers especially.

The Japan missions in Silent Assassin are damn near impossible to get SA ratings on (if there's ninjas around, for the most part forget it, I still haven't been able to do it). The rest follow the classic open play, but is doable if you know how. I still need to get my hands on Blood Money...

I am replaying SA right now, cant wait to get Blood Money.

I walked in to the private booth on the right and waited until I was alone. Then I shot both my targets with a silent pistol (I had a view of both of them) and left the theater. That map was so simple I loved it.