Story perspectives

RSC launches Game of Thrones play, sells 870 tickets.

8/11/2026

Summary

Story summary

RSC premiered Game of Thrones: The Mad King in Stratford-upon-Avon, selling 870 seats at £10-£95.
Duncan Macmillan wrote the 225-minute play directed by Dominic Cooke on a cross-shaped stage.
George R.R. Martin attended the opening and kept a rehearsal representative.
A Saturday preview on 25 July was cancelled, prompting refunds.
Reviews ranged from four to five stars, The Times gave three, while directors said 57% of ticket-holders were new to RSC.

History

Historical Context

After Disney’s The Lion King opened at London’s Lyceum Theatre on 19 October 1999 and became a multi-billion-dollar, 10,000-performance hit, the Royal Shakespeare Company adopted the same large-scale adaptation strategy for its 2024 Game of Thrones: The Mad King production. The precedent shows how converting global franchises into theatre can draw new audiences and reshape programming.

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Story summary

RSC premiered Game of Thrones: The Mad King in Stratford-upon-Avon, selling 870 seats at £10-£95.
Duncan Macmillan wrote the 225-minute play directed by Dominic Cooke on a cross-shaped stage.
George R.R. Martin attended the opening and kept a rehearsal representative.
A Saturday preview on 25 July was cancelled, prompting refunds.
Reviews ranged from four to five stars, The Times gave three, while directors said 57% of ticket-holders were new to RSC.

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