Game of Thrones‘ next spin-off project will provide something totally different for fans of the world of Westeros, as it’s heading onto the stage for the first time courtesy of the Royal Shakespeare Company. It’s been confirmed that Game of Thrones: The Mad King has George RR Martin’s stamp of approval and will be premiering in the UK later this year.
The play is adapted by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, and will open at Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon this summer. Fans can sign up now, with more info expected in April.
Priority booking is due to open on 14 April with tickets on sale to the wider public at a to-be-confirmed date soon after.
It all takes place in the final years before the events of the TV series and the A Song of Fire and Ice novels. The synopsis reads: “A long winter thaws in Harrenhal, and spring is promised. At a lavish banquet on the eve of a jousting tournament, lovers meet and revellers speculate about who will contend.
“But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the bloodthirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot. Far away, the drums of battle sound.”
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It adds: “Family bonds, ancient prophecies, and the sacred line of succession will be tested in a dangerous campaign for power. Who will survive? Who will rise?”
Martin said in a statement: “When I first wrote Game of Thrones, I never imagined that it would be anything other than a book. It was a place for my imagination to exist without limits.”
He continued: “To my great surprise, it was adapted for a series and viewers have been able to enter the world of my imagination through the medium of television.”
Martin also shared his surprise that his work was being adapted for the stage, admitting: “[It’s] something I did not expect but welcome with great enthusiasm and excitement. Theatre offers something unique. A place for mine and the audience’s imagination to meet and hopefully create something magical.”
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He continued: “For me, the RSC was the obvious choice when thinking about putting a Game of Thrones story on the stage. Shakespeare is the greatest name in English literature, and his plays have been a constant source of inspiration to me and my writing. Not only that, he faced similar challenges in how to put a battle on stage, so we are in good company.”
“It will be thrilling to watch the events of this new play unfold in a live environment. Duncan’s masterful script honours the world completely, and I am so excited for both fans of the series, and perhaps people who have never picked up one of my books, to experience this new story in a theatre.”
Ticket pricing details are yet to be announced, as are exact performance dates.
Elsewhere, TV spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is currently airing its first season, with a second due in 2027.
Game of Thrones seasons 1-8 are available on DVD and Blu-ray. House of the Dragon airs on HBO and Max in the US, and on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK.
Read more Game of Thrones news on our dedicated homepage
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Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online; specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who’ll listen.