Pulp Rock experience Tarantino Live is currently playing at London’s Riverside Studios. We spoke to X Factor and West End star Anton Stephans who plays Jules in this powerhouse ensemble cast of stage and screen talent.

You’ve recently opened in Tarantino Live: Fox Force Five & The Tyranny of Evil Men at London’s Riverside Studios. It’s described as "a one-of-a-kind, adrenaline-fuelled, genre-bending theatrical performance" and a "360-degree live-concert experience", so what exactly should audiences expect?

This is a rollercoaster of a musical. From the minute you sit down, you are transported into the world of Quentin Tarantino. This journey is exhilarating so catch your breath. Hold on tight and enjoy the ride!

The production is obviously going to be very different from Tarantino’s films. Will fans of the director recognise any of his traits in the show?

Yes of course, the whole show is bursting with the director QT’s style. Whilst also transporting you into a world especially created for theatre with music, dance and direction from the wonderful Anderson Davis & Sumié Maeda, our directors and choreographers.

You’re playing the role of Jules, made famous by Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction. Firstly, are you a fan of the film? And secondly, how much did Jackson’s performance influence the way you have decided to portray him?

Yes, I love the films. And I am a huge fan of the great Samuel L Jackson. However, in playing Jules, I have tried to remain true to the script and the songs I sing in it. This is not an impersonation or a copycat performance. I sadly don’t have those kinds of skills! It’s not a Xerox copy of somebody else’s work! It is what I believe the character to be. I hope people like it and appreciate my authentic approach to a work I respect and love.

What first attracted you to this role?

In all honesty, I was attracted to the darkness. My character comes from ‘110th Street’ and the song I first sing in the show spells out his past, present and rules of the game he plays clearly. ‘Satisfied Mind’ - the last song of the show and last song I sing - is a mixture of pain and hope. I was convinced the moment I read it that I had to play the role. A far cry from the Cornish fisherman, Leadville, whom I played earlier in the year in Fishermans Friends the Musical!

Some people may know you from appearing on X Factor. How do you think this has helped your career and opened up opportunities for you within the industry?

There’s a lot I could say, good and bad, about my X Factor experience. Put it this way, you’ve got to be made of steel to get through the bull crap! I am steely. My friends call me titanium 😂 X Factor has introduced me to audiences and fans around the globe. Fans that are the most loyal, kind, brilliant humans. It has given me opportunities that I might never have been given otherwise. It has challenged other conventional actors to rethink their opinions also. I remain profoundly changed and grateful to it. Simon Cowell is, after all, very often dead right! “You are very likeable Anton and people will like you” - I feel very proud of what I have been able to achieve before, during and after my X Factor journey ❤️🇬🇧❤️

Tarantino Live plays at Riverside Studios until 30 July, with further information here.