The Assassin, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham

Fans of dark, edgy plays with an existential twist will be delighted to hear that a rarely-performed play by Jean Paul Sartre is to be staged in Birmingham.

The Assassin is to be performed at the Crescent Theatre for just a few days in May, offering an intense jumble of politics, philosophy and psychology.

Set in a fictional country during the Second World War, it follows the tale of Hugo Barine, a member of the Proletarian Party seeking to bring down the fascist government.

Stung by accusations of being a "bourgeois intellectual", Barine begs to be allowed to become an assassin.

Producers explain: "The worlds of politics and philosophy collide as Hugo struggles to find the psychological moment.

"Tortured by his own indecision and self-loathing, he finds comfort and purpose from a most unlikely source."

Birmingham's Crescent Theatre is one of the oldest theatrical companies in the city and has a full and busy summer of productions.

National Express operates a regular coach service to and from Birmingham, with savings to be made on advanced bookings.

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