Sacha Baron Cohen will play the lead role in Quentin Tarantino’s debut stage play, The Popinjay Cavalier, producers confirmed on Sunday, October 11th.
Set in 1830s Europe, The Popinjay Cavalier was written and directed by Tarantino. According to the official description, it is a “rambunctious tale of deception and disguise” inspired by the “grand adventure epics and sparkling romances of stage and screen, including the works of Hollywood’s golden greats — George Bruce, Ernest Vajda, and Jesse Lasky Jr.”
“Follow Rupert Sebastian Thomas Jr., the world’s greatest actor, as he heads to Paris to perform for the illustrious Comédie-Française. But after a few ill-advised words about the French land him in hot water, Rupert the Magnificent’s triumphant trip across the Channel takes a decidedly more dangerous turn. Expect Tarantino’s signature style and rapier wit in a sweeping celebration of theatre, complete with acrobatics, swordplay, daring deeds, dastardly acts and an incredible cast whose virtues put the very saints to shame.”
The play is set to open for previews at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End on February 23rd, 2027. The production will officially open on March 18th and run through June 13th. Tickets are on sale now.
Cohen, also making his stage debut, revealed in a statement that he immediately said yes to the role. “When the best director in the world calls, you don’t ask questions,” the comedian and actor said (via Deadline). “I am beyond delighted that we will be losing our West End virginity together, I have made him promise not to be gentle.”
“To see Quentin in action in a rehearsal room is extraordinary,” said producers Sonia Friedman and Tom Rothman, the chairman and chief executive of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group, in a joint statement. “His delight in working with actors, fencers, acrobats, musicians and our creative team is infectious, and there is such pleasure in hearing his delicious language come alive and discovering what his world can become on stage.”
“And now we have Sacha Baron Cohen at the heart of it all: a fearless, brilliantly inventive actor with the wit, mischief, and daring this role demands. We feel immensely fortunate to be producing this show. Audiences are in for a tremendous treat.”
Up next, Cohen is set to reprise his role as satirical hip-hop journalist Ali G in the upcoming film Ali G: Who Iz I?, opening in theaters on October 23rd.
Meanwhile, Tarantino is reuniting with Brad Pitt for the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood standalone sequel, The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, releasing in IMAX on November 25th before making its way to Netflix on December 23rd. Its companion novel, The Adventures of Cliff Booth, hits shelves on December 8th.