Game of Thrones: The Mad King heads to London after sold-out Stratford run
The Mad King is heading to London in 2027 after a sold-out Stratford run. Here is what the RSC has confirmed.
Game of Thrones: The Mad King is heading to London in 2027 following a sold-out run at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. The Royal Shakespeare Company has confirmed the move, giving fans who missed its world premiere another opportunity to experience Westeros on stage.
The Stratford run finished on 5 September 2026, having attracted a substantial new audience to the company. According to the RSC, 57% of people who booked for the production were new to the organisation, showing how successfully the fantasy world brought fresh audiences through its doors.
Adapted by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, the play draws on George R. R. Martin’s novels, with their creator serving as executive producer. It explores events before the main Game of Thrones story, bringing together familiar families during a dangerous period in their shared history.
The story takes audiences to Harrenhal, where a banquet and jousting tournament bring the great houses together. Beneath the celebrations, concern over the Mad King’s brutal actions fuels a plot within his own inner circle, while rival ambitions threaten the kingdom’s future.
The Stratford production featured Michael Shaeffer as King Aerys II Targaryen, alongside Harmony Rose-Bremner as Lyanna Stark and Callum Woodhouse as Robert Baratheon. Other familiar characters included Ned Stark, Jaime Lannister and Cersei Lannister, connecting the stage story with figures audiences know from the television series.
Game of Thrones: The Mad King will open in London in 2027, with the venue and exact performance dates still to be announced. Fans can register through the official production website for further updates.
