Remember me
Nearly 15 years since Game of Thrones first landed on our screens and yet the surprise twists keep on coming as George RR Martin announces a brand new prequel to come from the world of Westeros this year.
The Song of Ice and Fire author has partnered up with the RSC to bring us the premiere of Game of Thrones: The Mad King, a new play written by Duncan Macmilllan (Every Brilliant Thing) set just a decade before the first season began.
As fans may remember, the series begins with Robert Baratheon (played by Mark Addy) in possession of the Iron Throne after a brutal war against Aerys II Targaryen – the Mad King and father to Daenerys.
The war saw the involvement of major characters including Ned Stark (Sean Bean), Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) and Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), which means we’re primed to expect many of these familiar faces from the houses Stark, Lannister, Baratheon and Martell in the show.
Sean Bean as Ned Stark in Game of Thrones.
The synopsis reads: "Enter the world before. A long winter thaws in Harrenhal, and spring is promised. At a lavish banquet on the eve of a jousting tournament, lovers meet and revellers speculate about who will contend.
"But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the blood-thirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot. Far away, the drums of battle sound.
"Family bonds, ancient prophecies, and the sacred line of succession will be tested in a dangerous campaign for power. Who will survive? Who will rise? Wars aren’t won by those with most cause, but whose story’s best told."
Martin, who is still working on the book series of A Song of Ice and Fire said: "When I first wrote Game of Thrones, I never imagined that it would be anything other than a book. It was a place for my imagination to exist without limits.
"To my great surprise, it was adapted for a series and viewers have been able to enter the world of my imagination through the medium of television. For my work to now be adapted for the stage is something I did not expect but welcome with great enthusiasm and excitement.
"Theatre offers something unique. A place for mine and the audience’s imagination to meet and hopefully create something magical.
Want to see this content?“For me, the RSC was the obvious choice when thinking about putting a Game of Thrones story on the stage. Shakespeare is the greatest name in English literature, and his plays have been a constant source of inspiration to me and my writing.
"Not only that, he faced similar challenges in how to put a battle on stage, so we are in good company. It will be thrilling to watch the events of this new play unfold in a live environment.
"Duncan’s masterful script honours the world completely, and I am so excited for both fans of the series, and perhaps people who have never picked up one of my books, to experience this new story in a theatre.”
George RR Martin and the producers of Game of Thrones: The Mad King. RSC
Meanwhile the show's adaptor Duncan Macmillan and director Dominic Cooke added: “George’s storytelling is Shakespearean in its scale and its themes – dynastic struggle, ambition, rebellion, madness, prophecy, ill-fated love. From the beginning, Shakespeare’s histories and tragedies have been our primary reference for the ambition of this production, so the RSC feels like a natural home.
“It will be thrilling for us to share this new play with audiences, both those that know and love George’s books and HBO’s series, but also audiences who know nothing and want to come and experience something both beautifully intimate and truly epic.”
The play will run at the RSC’s Stratford-upon-Avon theatre in summer 2026, with further details to be announced soon. Priority booking will go on sale from 14 April 2026 for RSC members with public booking to be announced in April 2026.
Check out our round-up of the best immersive experiences in London. Plus, check out the new Winnie the Pooh Royal Mint coin and our Dracula review with Cynthia Erivo.
Comments (0)