Westeros

The release comes thirty years after the original publication of A Game of Thrones, the first novel in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Adapted by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, The Mad King is set during the final years before the events of the novels and tells the story of the collapse of the Targaryen dynasty and the outbreak of Robert’s Rebellion.

“Wars aren’t won by those with most cause, but whose story’s best told.”

The play is currently running at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, with its official opening night set for Saturday, August 8. Performances continue through Saturday, September 5.

The full company comprises Michael Abubakar as Eddard Stark; Elizabeth Ayodele as Princess Elia Martell; Maxim Ays as Ser Jaime Lannister; Miles Barrow as Benjen Stark; Islam Bouakkaz as Howland Reed; Luke Brady as Brandon Stark; Marty Breen as Catelyn Stark; Sebastian Charles as Owen Merryweather, ensemble and puppeteer; Adrian Christopher as Prince Lewyn Martell, ensemble and puppeteer; Ronan Cullen as on-stage swing and puppeteer; Fred Davis as Qarlton Chelsted, maester, ensemble and puppeteer; Edem-Ita Duke as Oberyn Martell; Simi Egbejumi-David as ensemble and puppeteer; Daisy Franks as Cersei Lannister and Golda Whent; Mariah Gale as Queen Rhaella Targaryen and Lady Shella Whent; Richard Hansell as Grand Maester Pycelle; Daniel Hawksford as Ser Barristan Selmy; Lewis Howard as ensemble and puppeteer; April Nerissa Hudson as ensemble and puppeteer; Tom Larkin as Lord Whent, Wisdom Rossart, ensemble and puppeteer; Chelsea Marie as ensemble and puppeteer; Kel Matsena as Ser Arthur Dayne; Shaun Yusuf McKee as Ser Gerold Hightower, ensemble and puppeteer; Alexander Newland as Lord Rickard Stark; Hughie O’Donnell as Lord Varys; Huw Parmenter as Ser Oswell Whent; Noah Ritter as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen; Harmony Rose-Bremner as Lyanna Stark; Kate Rowsell as on-stage swing and puppeteer; Michael Shaeffer as King Aerys II Targaryen; Tanisha Spring as Ashara Dayne; Tom Stacy as on-stage swing and puppeteer; Matt Tait as ensemble and puppeteer; Tzarina-Nassor as ensemble and puppeteer; Marcello Walton as Ser Jonothor Darry and Lord Tywin Lannister; and Callum Woodhouse as Lord Robert Baratheon.

Joining Dominic Cooke and Duncan Macmillan on the creative team are puppetry and movement directors Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell of Lume; set designer Chloe Lamford; costume designer Georgia McGuinness; lighting designer Jon Clark; composer Will Stuart; sound designer Tom Gibbons; casting director Amy Ball CDG; fight director Bethan Clark; intimacy director Ingrid Mackinnon; voice and text coach Jeannette Nelson; dialect coach Hazel Holder; associate director Emily Raymond; associate puppetry and movement director Scarlet Wilderink; period dance consultant Francesca Roche; creative consultant Ti Mikkel; director’s consultant Lenore Gallegos; associate puppetry designer Oli Simonon; associate set designer Machiko Weston; associate costume designer Alex Berry; associate lighting designer Lucía Sánchez Roldan; associate sound designer Alex Twiselton; and assistant director Bellaray Bertrand-Webb.

The production is co-produced with Simon Painter, Tim Lawson, Mark Manuel, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures on behalf of HBO, and Sir Leonard Blavatnik and Danny Cohen for Access Entertainment.