Game of Thrones: The Mad King in Stratford, tickets from £20

The world premiere of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones: The Mad King is now running at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon until Saturday 5 September 2026. Tickets start at £20, plus a £3.50 per-transaction fee, making it a theatre option for Game of Thrones readers and viewers, as well as audiences interested in a new large-scale stage drama.

The Royal Shakespeare Company opened the production on Saturday 8 August. George R. R. Martin attended the premiere, which the company said received a standing ovation.

A Westeros story set before the novels

Adapted by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, the Theatre Play is set in the final years before the events of Martin’s novels. It brings together characters from the Targaryen, Stark, Lannister, Baratheon and Martell houses as unrest grows under King Aerys II Targaryen, the Mad King.

The story begins around a lavish banquet on the eve of a jousting tournament at Harrenhal. As rivalries, family ties and prophecies come into focus, figures within the king’s inner circle advance a treasonous plot while conflict gathers elsewhere in the realm.

Michael Shaeffer plays King Aerys II Targaryen. The cast also includes Michael Abubakar as Eddard Stark, Elizabeth Ayodele as Princess Elia Martell, Maxim Ays as Ser Jaime Lannister, Noah Ritter as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, Harmony Rose-Bremner as Lyanna Stark and Callum Woodhouse as Lord Robert Baratheon.

Puppetry and movement are credited to Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, alongside a creative team that includes set designer Chloe Lamford, costume designer Georgia McGuinness, lighting designer Jon Clark, composer Will Stuart and sound designer Tom Gibbons.

Dates, venue and ticket details

The RSC says discounts are available, subject to eligibility and availability. No general start time is listed in the supplied information, so visitors should check the performance schedule when booking.

Accessible performances during the run

Several performances have specific access provisions. Audio-described shows with a pre-show touch tour are scheduled for Saturday 15 August at 1pm and Friday 4 September at 7.15pm. A chilled performance is listed for Thursday 20 August at 1pm, while a captioned performance is scheduled for Thursday 27 August at 7.15pm.

A combined chilled and captioned performance is scheduled for Saturday 29 August at 1pm. The company also lists a post-show talk on Tuesday 1 September.

For tickets and eligibility for discounts, the next step is to contact the Royal Shakespeare Company box office on 01789 331111 or use rsc.org.uk.

Source: Royal Shakespeare Company Press Releases