Ready for Game of Thrones: The Mad King? Where to watch and what to know
The world of Game of Thrones is jumping to the stage with a prequel-era story — and the title is the kind of tease fans can’t resist.
Seats at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre are being pulled in close for Game of Thrones: The Mad King, with the stage rebuilt into a cross that cuts right through the audience. The Royal Shakespeare Company is presenting the show in association with HBO in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, where performances run from July 20 to September 5, 2026 . It officially opened on August 8, 2026.
The story it tells
Set roughly a decade before the events of HBO’s Game of Thrones, the play zeroes in on the clash between Robert Baratheon and Aerys II Targaryen — the Mad King. Rhaegar Targaryen’s apparent abduction of Lyanna Stark, who was promised to Robert, lights the spark, while Aerys’ increasingly vicious rule drives even those near him toward open revolt. It’s the lead‑up to the rebellion that toppled the Targaryens and remade the political map of Westeros.
George R.R. Martin has publicly backed the project, calling the Royal Shakespeare Company the “obvious choice” and pointing to Shakespeare as a key influence on his writing — a neat fit for a story steeped in family power struggles, betrayals and doomed romance.
Who’s making it
- Adaptation — Duncan Macmillan
- Director — Dominic Cooke
- Set design — Chloe Lamford
- Costumes — Georgia McGuinness
- Music — Will Stuart
- Puppetry and movement — Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell
The Royal Shakespeare Company says the cross-shaped playing space is designed to throw audiences into the middle of the action — a different kind of immersion than the big-screen battles and dragons we’ve seen on TV.
How to see it
This isn’t a TV special or a streaming drop. The Mad King is exclusive to the stage in Stratford-upon-Avon, performed at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Priority booking for RSC members opened April 14, with general on-sale beginning April 22. Purchases are capped at four tickets per person.
There’s no U.S. run or filmed version announced; for now, the only way to experience it is live in England before the engagement ends on September 5, 2026.