Quentin Tarantino has announced his first West End theatre production, a play called The Popinjay Cavalier, which will debut in 2027.
The celebrated movie director has spoken before about his plans to write a play, and the first details have emerged of what audiences can expect. An official press release called it “a new swashbuckling stage comedy written and directed by Quentin Tarantino”, set in 1830s Europe.
The release also described the story as “a rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise inspired by the grand swashbuckling epics of stage and screen,” as well being “a sweeping celebration of theatre and its heightened romance, told with Tarantino’s signature style and unmistakable wit.”
The Oscar winner has worked in theatre before, acting in 1998 Broadway production Wait Until Dark, although reviews of his performance were largely negative.
In recent years, Tarantino has looked to creative outlets away from film. He has published two books, a 2021 novelisation of his film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and Cinema Speculation, discussing the films of the New Hollywood era of the ‘60s to ‘80s.
Further details of The Popinjay Cavalier, such as cast or opening night, are yet to be revealed. An official website has launched with a link to sign up for more information and presales.
Quentin Tarantino has recently been embroiled in a controversy surrounding his comments about actor Paul Dano, whom he called the “worst” actor in the Screen Actor’s Guild. He also said he didn’t “care for” actors Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard. Many Hollywood names came to the defence of Dano, while Lillard admitted the criticism “hurts”, and Tarantino’s former co-star George Clooney called the remarks “cruel”.
Elsewhere, the director hit back at Rosanna Arquette, who criticised the filmmaker’s use of racial slurs in his movies. The pair worked together on 1994 hit Pulp Fiction, and in his reponse Tarantino accused the actor of a “lack of class”..