Oscar-winning filmmaker Quentin Tarantino will make his stage writing and directing debut next spring with “The Popinjay Cavalier,” a London West End production starring Sacha Baron Cohen, producers announced Sunday.
The play, scheduled to open March 18, 2027, at the Phoenix Theatre in London, will begin preview performances Feb. 23, according to reports from Variety and ABC News. The three-month limited engagement is slated to run through June 13, 2027.
A 19th-century swashbuckler
Billed by producers as a “rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise,” the story takes place in 1830s Europe, The Guardian reported. The production draws inspiration from classic Hollywood swashbucklers, including works by writers George Bruce, Ernst Vajda and Jesse Lasky Jr.
In theatrical notes, a popinjay represents a vain or conceited person, while a cavalier refers to a cavalryman or courteous gentleman. Tarantino, 63, said in a statement that he was “keen with anticipation to give the West End a great night out.”
Baron Cohen, best known for satiric roles such as Borat Sagdiyev and Ali G, will make his West End debut in the leading role. The 54-year-old actor, who previously studied under French clown teacher Philippe Gaulier, praised the director’s offer in a statement released by the production.
“When the best director in the world calls, you don’t ask questions,” Baron Cohen said, expressing excitement that the pair would make their West End debuts together.
Backing from major producers
The staging is being produced jointly by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sonia Friedman Productions, the theatrical firm behind recent Broadway and West End revivals, IndieWire noted.
Tom Rothman, chairman and chief executive of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group, and Friedman praised the collaboration in a joint statement, highlighting the director’s energy during early preparations. They noted Tarantino’s collaboration alongside performers, musicians, acrobats and fight choreographers, while describing Baron Cohen as a fearless performer equipped with the mischief and wit necessary for the lead part.
The creative team includes scenic and costume designer Tom Pye, lighting designer Natasha Chivers, sound designer Ian Dickinson, fight director Philip d’Orleans, action coordinator Sam Lyon-Behan and composer Tim Phillips, according to Variety. Casting director Jim Carnahan will oversee further ensemble selections.
Transition from cinema to stage
Tarantino has directed nine feature films, starting with his 1992 debut “Reservoir Dogs” and earning screenwriting Academy Awards for “Pulp Fiction” and “Django Unchained.” His most recent feature release as director was the 2019 film “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.”
While Tarantino previously appeared on stage as an actor in a Broadway revival of “Wait Until Dark,” this project represents his first professional venture directing theatrical work. He first acknowledged completing a stage script during a 2025 appearance on the Church of Tarantino podcast, noting he had prepared the work for London.
The stage run comes amid a period of other storytelling projects for the director. Tarantino penned the screenplay for “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,” a follow-up to his 2019 film that is being directed by David Fincher and scheduled for release in November, ABC News reported. Tarantino also authored a tie-in novelization for the upcoming picture scheduled for publication in December by Harper.
Tickets for “The Popinjay Cavalier” go on sale Monday morning in the United Kingdom, starting at 25 pounds, with producers noting that more than 16,000 tickets across the run will sell for under 50 pounds, according to The Guardian. The production company said additional cast members will be announced before rehearsals begin.
