Games Of Thrones Meets Shakespeare: How To Watch New Play The Mad King In The UK

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2026, fans will have the opportunity to watch three Game of Thrones projects. The first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms ended in February and the third season of House of the Dragon will return in June 2026. Lucky fans who will be visiting the UK or residing in England this summer can also check out a new play, Game of Thrones: The Mad King, which will premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on July 20, 2026. The play's run will end on September 5, 2026. Here's more about the prequel play and how to get tickets to see the limited production.

The Mad King to premiere at Royal Shakespeare Theatre in July 2026

On social media, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre promised that a long winter is thawing in Harrenhal and spring will soon be coming. Besides the dates of July 20 to September 5, the theatre revealed that the show will be enacted on a cross-shaped stage and viewers will get a chance to be in the middle of the action.

The houses of Targaryen, Stark, Lannister, Baratheon, and Martell will once again be part of the story in the new play based on George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books. Directed by Dominic Cooke and penned by Duncan Macmillan, the prequel story will follow the final years of King Aerys II Targaryen, who was also known as the Mad King. His actions led to Robert's Rebellion, which in turn led to the fall of House Targaryen. The cast of The Mad King has yet to be announced.

How to buy tickets for The Mad King

Tickets can be purchased from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre's website. Priority booking begins on April 14 and public booking opens on April 22. The website notes that due to expected high demand, tickets will be limited to 4 per person.

Who is The Mad King?

King Aerys II Targaryen, played by David Rintoul, was the father of Queen Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and her older brothers, Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen (Wilf Scolding) and Prince Viserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd). The once-beloved ruler who was respected by his people went mad in his later years. He was imprisoned during the Defiance of Duskendale rebellion. He was rescued by his sworn Kingsguard knight, Ser Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney) and vowed revenge upon those who ill-treated him.

He set about a chain of events that led to Aerys alienating his Hand of the King Lord Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) over his son Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Aerys' son Rhaegar abducting Lady Lyanna Stark (Aisling Franciosi). It also leads to House Stark, House Baratheon and House Arryn rebelling against Aerys to usurp him. Eventually, it is Ser Jaime who murders Aerys during the Sack of King’s Landing and earns the nickname Kingslayer.