Tarantino makes stage debut with Sacha Baron Cohen
The Popinjay Cavalier will premiere in London’s West End in 2027.
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Quentin Tarantino is writing and directing a play for the first time. Sacha Baron Cohen will take the lead role in The Popinjay Cavalier, which the producers announced on Sunday.
The Popinjay Cavalier will be a comedy full of disguises and deception, set in Europe in the 1830s. The producers describe the play as an adventurous production inspired by classic swashbuckling tales, on stage and on screen.
According to the Associated Press news agency, the production will begin preview performances on 23 February 2027. The official premiere is scheduled for 18 March at the Phoenix Theatre in London. This will give the project a permanent place in London’s West End, the theatre district where many major commercial productions are staged.
For Tarantino, the move into theatre marks a new phase in his career. The American became known for films such as Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds. His most recent feature film as a director was 2019’s Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood. For his new project, he is now choosing a live performance, in which the audience and actors respond directly to one another every evening.
For Baron Cohen, too, the production represents a change of professional territory. He became known worldwide for comic characters such as Ali G and Borat, and later appeared in films including Les Misérables and The Trial of the Chicago 7. According to AP, The Popinjay Cavalier will be his West End debut as a leading actor.
The combination of a well-known filmmaker and a comedian with a distinctive screen persona makes the production stand out within the international theatre offering. At the same time, little is yet known about the rest of the cast, the design and the precise storyline. The producers have mainly announced the genre, period and leading role.
The production’s official website confirms that Tarantino is writing and directing the play and that it will come to London’s West End in 2027. Baron Cohen is not yet mentioned on the website. The casting and performance dates in this article are therefore based on the announcement that AP attributes to Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sonia Friedman Productions; further details are still to follow.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is supported by a current AP publication and official production pages. The uncertainty over the official listing of the cast is explicitly reflected in the text.
- confirmed Quentin Tarantino is writing and directing The Popinjay Cavalier. — Mentioned on the official production page. source
- confirmed Sacha Baron Cohen will take the lead role. — Reported by the Associated Press based on the producers’ announcement. source
- confirmed The play is set in Europe in the 1830s. — Description by the producers, as reported by AP. source
- confirmed The previews begin on 23 February 2027 and the premiere is on 18 March 2027. — Performance dates mentioned by AP. source
- confirmed The premiere will take place at the Phoenix Theatre in London. — Location mentioned by AP. source
- confirmed The Popinjay Cavalier is Tarantino’s first play. — AP describes it as his first play; the official website presents it as his first written and directed stage production. source
- confirmed Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood was Tarantino’s most recent feature film as a director. — Background information in the current AP publication. source
- confirmed The official website does not yet mention Baron Cohen. — Check of the current production page. source
Editor's note
The announcement, leading role, performance dates and location were reported by AP. The official production page confirms the project and Tarantino as writer and director, but does not yet mention Baron Cohen; further casting details are unavailable.Sources
- Quentin Tarantino’s first stage play will debut in London with Sacha Baron Cohen as star — Associated Press
- The Popinjay Cavalier — Sony Pictures Entertainment en Sonia Friedman Productions
- Productions — Sonia Friedman Productions
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