2 months ago
The Mad King, nan antecedently announced Game of Thrones stage prequel heading to Stratford-Upon-Avon’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre, will statesman performances location connected July 20, pinch an charismatic opening connected August 8.
The engagement runs done September 5. Royal Shakespeare Company announced nan dates on its website.
Deadline previously reported that nan accumulation was group to statesman this summer. Casting has yet to beryllium announced.
“We are thrilled to stock nan afloat imaginative squad and denote capacity dates for Game of Thrones: The Mad King,” opportunity RSC RCo-Artistic Directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey successful a associated statement. “This accumulation brings together immoderate of theatre’s astir visionary talents to reimagine George R. R. Martin’s world for nan stage. In a bold caller configuration of nan Royal Shakespeare Theatre, audiences will find themselves astatine nan very bosom of nan action—immersed successful nan intrigue and theatrical spectacle that promises to make this accumulation genuinely epic. It’s an eager and exhilarating collaboration, and we can’t hold to invited audiences into this bonzer experience.”
Among nan recently announced imaginative squad members are puppetry and activity designers Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell (of Lume), group designer Chloe Lamford, costume designer Georgia McGuinness, lighting designer Jon Clark, composer Will Stuart and sound designer Tom Gibbons.
Duncan Macmillan (Every Brilliant Thing) has written nan play, and Dominic Cooke is directing.
Here’s nan synopsis: “A agelong wintertime thaws successful Harrenhal, and outpouring is promised. At a lavish banquet connected nan eve of a jousting tournament, lovers meet and revelers estimate astir who will contend. But successful nan shadows, amid increasing unease astatine nan bloodthirsty actions of nan realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his soul circle anxiously beforehand a treasonous plot. Far away, nan drums of conflict sound. Family bonds, ancient prophecies, and nan ineffable statement of succession will beryllium tested successful a vulnerable run for power. Who will survive? Who will rise?”
The play is inspired by nan “Robert’s Rebellion” lore of Martin’s sprawling book series, successful which nan joined Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, boy of nan Mad King Aerys, falls successful emotion with, and runs disconnected with, Lyanna Stark. This leads to a rebellion led by Robert Baratheon, who is engaged to Lyanna. Successfully deposing nan Mad King, The Rebellion leads to nan downfall of House Targaryen.
Game of Thrones characters Ned Stark and Jaime Lannister are expected to look in The Mad King.
In February, head Cooke told Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye, “I don’t deliberation it’s a concealed that there’s a batch of fighting going on, but we’re benignant of trying to find a theatrical measurement of doing things,” adding that nan Rhaegar-Lyanna romance is “a spot of a Romeo and Juliet-type story.”
