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Shakespeare. Ibsen. O’Neill. Tarantino?
Throughout its long history, the West End has played host to some of the greatest playwrights. Now Quentin Tarantino, director of such classics as “Pulp Fiction” and “Inglourious Basterds,” is bringing his fast-paced dialogue, obsession with pop culture and subversive flair to the London stage.
He will write and direct “The Popinjay Cavalier,” “a wild comedy of deception and disguise inspired by the grand epics of stage and screen.” Or so the show notes go. Sacha Baron Cohen, famous for ‘Borat’ and ‘Bruno’, appeared in the production, and it is scheduled to be previewed on February 23rd and officially released on March 18th.
“I’m looking forward to a great night in the West End,” Tarantino said in a statement. Baron Cohen was more passionate and profane. “Quentin called, and before he could say his first ‘Mom…’ I said yes. When the best director in the world calls, no questions asked. I’m so excited that we’re about to lose our West End virginity together. I promised him I wouldn’t be petty.”
Sony Pictures Entertainment, which produced Tarantino’s latest film, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” is producing the film with West End sensation Sonia Friedman, who produced the Tony Award-winning revivals of “Merrily We Roll Along” and “Stereophonic.”
If Tarantino succeeds in theaters, he will join a small number of filmmakers who work well across mediums, including Elia Kazan and Mike Nichols. But the men mostly directed other people’s scripts, not their own. Tarantino has been on stage before. He appeared in the ill-fated revival “Wait Until Dark.”
Tarantino has been busy lately. He wrote the script for ‘The Other Misadventures of Cliff Booth’ but is handing over directing duties for the ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ sequel to David Fincher. With his West End debut just around the corner, it also means Tarantino is delaying his next film, which he promised would be his last picture. So, for the benefit of the movie, it moved to Broadway!