The Popinjay Cavalier: Sacha Baron Cohen leads Tarantino play at the Phoenix

Quentin Tarantino’s stage debut now has a home, a leading man and a set of dates. The Popinjay Cavalier, written and directed by Tarantino, will play the Phoenix Theatre in the West End in 2027, with Sacha Baron Cohen in the title role. Previews begin on 23 February 2027, opening night is 18 March 2027, and the production runs until 13 June 2027.

Sacha Baron Cohen takes the title role

Baron Cohen is the headline name, and his casting was confirmed alongside the venue and dates. Further star casting will be announced later, according to the producers.

Tarantino summed up his plans in a single line: “I’m keen with anticipation to give the West End a great night out.”

Tom Rothman, chairman and chief executive of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group, and producer Sonia Friedman said in a joint statement that it was “a joy and an honour to be developing this play with Quentin”. They described Baron Cohen as “a fearless, brilliantly inventive actor with the wit, mischief and daring this role demands.”

A swashbuckling comedy set in the 1830s

Set in 1830s Europe, The Popinjay Cavalier is a comedy of deception and disguise inspired by the swashbucklers of stage and screen. It draws on the classic Hollywood swashbuckler tradition, including the writing of George Bruce, Ernst Vajda and Jesse Lasky Jr.

That tradition suggests plenty of swordplay, and the creative team backs it up. The production has a fight director, Philip d’Orleans, and an action coordinator, Sam Lyon-Behan, and the producers’ statement talks about Tarantino working with “actors, fencers, acrobats, musicians” in the rehearsal room.

The creative team

• Writer and director: Quentin Tarantino
• Scenic and costume design: Tom Pye
• Lighting design: Natasha Chivers
• Sound design: Ian Dickinson
• Composer: Tim Phillips
• Fight director: Philip d’Orleans
• Action coordinator: Sam Lyon-Behan
• Casting director: Jim Carnahan

The production is presented by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sonia Friedman Productions.

Key dates

• Previews from: 23 February 2027
• Opening night: 18 March 2027
• Runs until: 13 June 2027

How we got here

The project was confirmed for the West End in April 2026, when Sonia Friedman Productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that Tarantino’s play would come to London. At that stage there was no venue, casting or opening date. You can read our earlier report on The Popinjay Cavalier’s confirmation for the West End.

The new announcement fills in the missing pieces. The Phoenix Theatre will host the world premiere, and Baron Cohen’s return to live performance gives the run a second major name to sit alongside Tarantino’s.

Why this one matters

It is rare for a film director of Tarantino’s standing to write and stage an original play, and rarer still for it to premiere in London rather than New York. Combined with a run of under four months, that makes The Popinjay Cavalier one of the most closely watched West End openings of 2027.

We will report further casting as soon as it is announced. In the meantime, follow The Popinjay Cavalier at the Phoenix Theatre (coming soon) for the latest details.

Header image: official artwork.