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Game of Thrones Prequel "The Mad King" Set for RSC Live Production

George RR Martin's fantasy universe comes to the stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Game of Thrones: The Mad King.

Published Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:37:06 -0600

by Tom Chang

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Article Summary

Game of Thrones: The Mad King prequel brings George R.R. Martin's world to the Royal Shakespeare Company stage.
Duncan Macmillan writes and Dominic Cooke directs the production, with Martin as executive producer.
The play explores events a decade before Game of Thrones, focusing on politics and intrigue at Harrenhal.
Major houses Targaryen, Stark, Lannister, Baratheon, and Martell feature as a dark plot unfolds at a tournament.

Since so much of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire and its TV adaptation of his Game of Thrones universe share characteristics of a Shakespearean tragedy, it makes natural sense that the next platform would be the literal stage, as the Royal Shakespeare Company will premiere Game of Thrones: The Mad King courtesy of Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke. The author will serve as executive producer and creator. Production is set to debut at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in the summer.

Game of Thrones, HBO — Game of Thrones (Image: HBO)

Game of Thrones: The Mad King to Hit the Stage for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre

It makes natural sense to strike as the coals are hot, since following the success of the David Benioff and DB Weiss-created series, you have the Ryan Condal-created prequel series, House of the Dragon, that will premiere its third season, and currently, the Ira Parker-Martin-created A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. With the houses of Targaryen, Stark, Lannister, Baratheon, and Martell to be featured in The Mad King, the production released a synopsis of the show.

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 bloodthirsty 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.

"The play is a prequel, taking place over a decade before the events of 'Game of Thrones.' A long winter has started to thaw and, for the first time in years, all the great houses come together for a tournament – destined to be the greatest of the age. It feels like a new dawn, full of hope and opportunity. But tournaments always have a darker purpose," Macmillan and Cooke said.

Martin added, "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. Theater offers something unique. A place for mine and the audience's imagination to meet and hopefully create something magical." For more information on the show, including more on why Martin feels the RSC stage was appropriate for his fantasy world, you can check out the report in Variety.

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