The Popinjay Cavalier at a glance

Show
The Popinjay Cavalier
Venue
Phoenix Theatre, West End
Address
110 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0JP
Nearest station
Tottenham Court Road
Genre
Comedy (new play, world premiere)
Running time
To be announced
Age guidance
To be announced
Dates
Previews from 23 February 2027; opening night 18 March; booking to 13 June 2027
Price range
From £69.50 (typically £69.50–£318)
Writer
Quentin Tarantino
Director
Quentin Tarantino
Starring
Sacha Baron Cohen

Our Take: The Popinjay Cavalier at the Phoenix Theatre

4.0
★★★★★

LTH Anticipation Rating

Written by the London Theatre Hub editorial team. Last updated: 26 October 2026. This is an editorial anticipation rating — the production had not opened in London when we wrote this, and we will review it after it opens.

Why everyone is talking about it

Very few West End announcements arrive with as much curiosity attached as this one. Quentin Tarantino, writer and director of Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, has written his first stage play and will direct it himself. It is not a thriller or a crime story: The Popinjay Cavalier is a comedy of deception and disguise set in 1830s Europe, drawing on old Hollywood swashbucklers. Sacha Baron Cohen plays the title role — a popinjay being a vain, showy person, and a cavalier a gentleman horseman.

Beyond that, little has been revealed: no further casting, running time or age guidance had been announced when we wrote this. What is clear is the level of backing. Sonia Friedman Productions, behind Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Stranger Things: The First Shadow, is producing with Sony Pictures. Our rating is an anticipation rating, reflecting both the scale of the event and the real uncertainty of a film-maker's first play. Prices are high and demand is likely to rise after opening night, so book early if you want to be there.

What Makes It Special

  • Tarantino's first play. His stage-writing and stage-directing debut, after a career in film.
  • Sacha Baron Cohen in the title role. His first West End role, in a new comedy.
  • A swashbuckling comedy. Deception and disguise in 1830s Europe, inspired by the adventure epics of stage and screen.
  • A major producing partnership. Sonia Friedman Productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
  • A world premiere. The first audiences anywhere will see it at the Phoenix.

You'll love The Popinjay Cavalier if you...

  • Are a Tarantino fan curious to see what he does on stage
  • Enjoy Sacha Baron Cohen's comedy
  • Like farce, disguise and mistaken identity
  • Want to be at a much-talked-about premiere
  • Enjoy period adventure stories

It might not be for you if you...

  • Want reviews before you book
  • Are on a tight budget — prices start high
  • Want a Tarantino-style violent thriller — this is billed as a comedy
  • Need to know the running time and age guidance before booking
  • Prefer established, proven shows

Best for

  • Tarantino fans
  • Comedy lovers
  • Big theatre events
  • Special occasions
  • Film fans
  • First-night buzz

Less suited to budget-conscious theatregoers or anyone who prefers to wait for reviews.

Critical Reception

The Popinjay Cavalier is a world premiere and begins previews on 23 February 2027, with opening night on 18 March. It has not yet been seen or reviewed. We will add verified critic ratings once they are published.

  • Previews From 23 Feb 2027
  • Opening night 18 Mar 2027
  • Reviews To follow

Source: official production announcements, October 2026.

Everything You Need to Know

What is The Popinjay Cavalier about?

The play is set in 1830s Europe and has been described by its producers as a rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise, inspired by the swashbuckling epics of stage and screen and celebrating theatre and its heightened romance.

The title

A popinjay is a vain, foppish or conceited person; a cavalier is a horseman or a courtly gentleman. Sacha Baron Cohen plays the title role.

What we don't know yet

Plot details beyond the setting and genre have not been released. Tarantino has said only that he wants to give the West End a great night out. We will update this page as more is announced.