Popcorn at The Criterion

Popcorn by Ben Elton at The Criterion Theatre, Earlsdon, Coventry from 27 June to 4 July 2026.

Preview

A play adaptation of the best-selling 1996 novel of the same name by well-known comedian and author Ben Elton.

Set against the glimmering backdrop of Hollywood, Popcorn follows acclaimed film director Bruce Delamitri on the night of his Oscar triumph. His celebrations are cut short when two violent intruders — fans who claim his movies inspired their crimes — invade his home. 

A sharp, darkly comic thriller, Popcorn interrogates the relationship between art, celebrity, and responsibility in a culture addicted to spectacle and violence.

When Popcorn was first written, it was asking, do violent movies create a violent society? Can minds be corrupted by images and ideas presented in films? In the era of social media this has perhaps more potency: do platforms which are often unregulated, cause any damage and desensitise minds?

To book tickets please go to: https://criteriontheatre.co.uk/