The Royal Shakespeare Company has begun preview performances of Game of Thrones: The Mad King, a new play exploring the origins of Robert’s Rebellion. This marks a rare theatrical expansion of George R. R. Martin’s fantasy world, featuring characters never before seen in book or screen adaptations.

Game of Thrones: The Mad King held its first preview performance on 25 July at the RSC’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The play is set decades before the globally renowned fantasy series and focuses on the events surrounding Robert’s Rebellion, starting with a tournament in the ruined fortress of Harrenhal.

This world premiere production is adapted for the stage by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke. It features a cast including Daniel Hawksford, Matt Tait, Maxim Ays, Mariah Gale, Shaun Yusuf McKee, Callum Woodhouse, Edem-Ita Duke, and Tom Stacy.

The play introduces a set of characters previously unseen in both Martin’s novels and the acclaimed television adaptation. A guide to these new figures has been compiled by the production’s editor-in-chief, Alex Wood.

Game of Thrones: The Mad King is scheduled to run at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 5 September 2026, with its official opening night planned for 8 August. Rehearsal photos of the cast have been made available, captured by photographer Johan Persson.

This production represents a significant theatrical exploration of the history behind Martin’s fantasy saga, focusing on political and personal tensions that predate the main events of Game of Thrones. It situates itself within a tradition of stage adaptations expanding popular fictional universes.

The premiere adds to the RSC’s ongoing engagement with contemporary popular narratives, offering audiences a new dimension to the famed story world beyond its television and literary forms.