The world of George R.R. Martin‘s Game of Thrones is expanding to the perfect venue: London’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
After years of rumors and preliminary reports, the official details were announced on Wednesday for the fantasy author’s long-awaited play, which is titled Game of Thrones: The Mad King. The story chronicles the fateful Tourney at Harrenhal that led to Robert’s Rebellion.
The project is based on Martin’s novels and is adapted by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke. The Mad King will have its world premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon this summer.
Here’s the official story description: “Enter the world before. A long winter thaws in Harrenhal, and spring is promised. At a lavish banquet on the eve of a jousting tournament, lovers meet and revelers speculate about who will contend. But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the blood-thirsty 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. 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? Wars aren’t won by those with most cause, but whose story’s best told.”
In Martin’s books, the tourney was the catalyst for the downfall of House Targaryen. Familiar GoT characters who attended the Tourney included Ned Stark, Robert Baratheon and Jaime Lannister.
The legendary venue is considered quite an honor for the project and Martin released a statement about the news.
“When I first wrote Game of Thrones, I never imagined that it would be anything other than a book,” wrote Martin, who serves as the project’s creator and executive producer. “It was a place for my imagination to exist without limits. 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. For my work to now be adapted for the stage is 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.”
Continued Martin: “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.”
Priority tickets will go on sale April 14 and fans wishing to attend are encouraged to sign up to become a Royal Shakespeare Company member for updates.
Adaptor Macmillan and director Cooke also released a statement: “The play is a prequel, taking place over a decade before the events of Game of Thrones. A long winter has started to thaw and, for the first time in years, all the great houses come together for a tournament — destined to be the greatest of the age. It feels like a new dawn, full of hope and opportunity. But tournaments always have a darker purpose. George’s storytelling is Shakespearean in its scale and its themes – dynastic struggle, ambition, rebellion, madness, prophecy, ill-fated love. From the beginning, Shakespeare’s histories and tragedies have been our primary reference for the ambition of this production, so the RSC feels like a natural home.”
RSC Co-Artistic directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey added: “When we first read Duncan’s script, it was immediately apparent how this epic cycle of warring families sits in a continuum with Shakespeare’s history cycles. So it feels like an exciting and apposite marriage between the RSC and Game of Thrones universe. Stories of power, ambition and the complexities of succession are evergreen – and this adaptation explores the true nature of authority through the lens of young people grappling with inherited identities. The story will have all the epic qualities audiences would expect from Game of Thrones, but ultimately, it has a very human heart.”
The play is co-produced with Simon Painter, Tim Lawson, Mark Manuel, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures obo HBO and Sir Leonard Blavatnik and Danny Cohen for Access Entertainment.
