Tyrannical bosses should be more careful about mistreating their employees. Their victims may very well develop into talented playwrights who will later skewer them in viciously funny fashion. Such is the case with Leslye Headland, whose Assistance is now receiving its New York premiere. Headland once worked as an assistant to movie producer Harvey Weinstein, but presumably any resemblance to her former situation in this play is purely coincidental. Yeah, right.

 The playwright--who scored a hit with her off-Broadway comedy Bachelorette that she has now adapted into a film—has created a wickedly satirical look at life in the Tribeca office of “Daniel Weisinger,” where the assistants are routinely browbeaten, humiliated, insulted, used and abused. We never actually see or hear the boss, but their meek responses to his constant phone tirades paint the picture.

At the play’s beginning, new arrival Nora (Virginia Kull) is just settling into her first day, or more accurately first night, since she was kept waiting in the lobby for hours. Showing her the ropes is veteran employee Nick (Michael Esper), whose constant joking is merely a cover for his barely contained fear and anxiety.

Among the other victims, uh, employees are Vince (Lucas Near-Verbrugghe), who manages to score a promotion and move on to bigger things; Heather (Sue Jean Kim), who quickly burns out; Jenny (Amy Rosoff), whose British accent serves her well; and Justin (Bobby Steggert).

In the only scene not set in the office, the endlessly beleaguered Justin has a hilarious mental breakdown on the phone while attempting to “break up” with his shrink, who he clearly desperately needs.

The slight play is essentially a series of snarky one-liners as the assistants attempt to cope with their hellacious boss and his constant demands. But while not particularly deep or insightful, it’s so consistently funny and well acted by the talented young ensemble that the 80 minutes fairly fly by.             

Esper and Kull are particularly good in their comic interactions, especially when their characters engage in some much needed sexual relief after a particularly intense upbraiding by their boss.

Director Trip Cullman has staged the piece in suitably frantic fashion, with the dialogue flowing with the speed of a vintage Howard Hawks comedy. And there’s a delicious coda that won’t be described here, but provides a wonderfully visual correlative to the emotional chaos that has preceded it.

Playwrights Horizons, 416 W. 42nd St. 212-279-4200. www.TicketCentral.com. Through March 11.