{"id":957,"date":"2026-05-29T12:08:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T12:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=957"},"modified":"2026-05-29T12:08:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T12:08:03","slug":"game-of-thrones-play-the-mad-king-unveils-full-cast-for-royal-shakespeare-company-world-premiere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=957","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Game of Thrones\u2019 Play \u2018The Mad King\u2019 Unveils Full Cast for Royal Shakespeare Company World Premiere"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tThe Royal Shakespeare Company has unveiled a 36-strong cast for the play \u201cGame of Thrones: The Mad King,\u201d with Michael Shaeffer in the title role of King Aerys II Targaryen.<\/p>\n

Read more \u2018Detective Chinatown\u2019 Helmer Chen Sicheng\u2019s Palliative Comedy \u2018Being Towards Death\u2019 U.K.-Bound With Trinity CineAsia<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tThe world premiere of the new play, adapted by Duncan Macmillan from George R. R. Martin\u2019s novels, opens at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on Aug. 8 and runs through Sept. 5. Set in the years before the events of Martin\u2019s novels, the production follows the great houses of Westeros as ambition, family bonds and succession collide during the reign of the Mad King. <\/p>\n

\n\tNoah Ritter plays Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, with Harmony Rose-Bremner as Lyanna Stark, Michael Abubakar as Eddard Stark and Callum Woodhouse as Lord Robert Baratheon. Luke Brady takes the role of Brandon Stark alongside Alexander Newland as Lord Rickard Stark and Miles Barrow as Benjen Stark. Mariah Gale appears as Queen Rhaella Targaryen and Lady Shella Whent, with Marcello Walton doubling as Ser Jonothor Darry and Lord Tywin Lannister.<\/p>\n

\n\tFurther casting sees Maxim Ays as Ser Jaime Lannister, Daisy Franks as Cersei Lannister, Edem-Ita Duke as Oberyn Martell, Elizabeth Ayodele as Princess Elia Martell and Hughie O\u2019Donnell as Lord Varys. Kel Matsena plays Ser Arthur Dayne, Daniel Hawksford takes Ser Barristan Selmy, and Richard Hansell appears as Grand Maester Pycelle. Marty Breen is cast as Catelyn Stark, Tanisha Spring as Ashara Dayne and Islam Bouakkaz as Howland Reed.<\/p>\n

\n\tAdrian Christopher plays Prince Lewyn Martell, Shaun Yusuf McKee takes Ser Gerold Hightower, Huw Parmenter appears as Ser Oswell Whent, Sebastian Charles as Owen Merryweather, Fred Davis as Qarlton Chelsted and Tom Larkin as Lord Whent and Wisdom Rossart. Rounding out the company in ensemble and swing roles are Ronan Cullen, Simi Egbejumi-David, Lewis Howard, April Nerissa Hudson, Chelsea Marie, Kate Rowsell, Tom Stacy, Matt Tait and Tzarina-Nassor.<\/p>\n

Read more SXSW London Guide: The 9 Best Panels and Premieres to Catch, From Michelle Obama to the Russo Brothers to a New Virginia Woolf Film<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tDirector Dominic Cooke said: \u201cI\u2019m very lucky to be working alongside such a talented group of artists on this show. The creative team and cast are exceptional and we\u2019re super excited to bring Duncan Macmillan\u2019s brilliant script and George R. R. Martin\u2019s vivid imaginative world to life on stage. I\u2019m delighted to return to the RSC, backed by their dedicated team, and I can\u2019t wait to share our epic show with audiences in Stratford this summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMartin, who serves as executive producer and creator, said: \u201cI love this cast \u2014 they bring all the strengths, flaws and intricacies within these characters that drive this important chapter of Westerosi history. They have a fire in them, and I can\u2019t wait to see them bring that fire to the stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe creative team includes set designer Chloe Lamford, costume designer Georgia McGuinness, lighting designer Jon Clark, composer Will Stuart, sound designer Tom Gibbons, puppetry and movement directors Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell of Lume, fight director Bethan Clark and intimacy director Ingrid Mackinnon. Casting is by Amy Ball CDG.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cGame of Thrones: The Mad King\u201d is co-produced with Simon Painter, Tim Lawson, Mark Manuel, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures on behalf of HBO, and Sir Leonard Blavatnik and Danny Cohen for Access Entertainment. <\/p>\n

Read more \u2018Mallorca Things to Do,\u2019 \u2018Naked,\u2019 \u2018To Catch an Old Lady\u2019 Win at Conecta Magaluf-Mallorca<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Michael Shaeffer leads cast of ‘Game of Thrones: The Mad King’ as King Aerys II Targaryen in the Royal Shakespeare Company play.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":956,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[885],"tags":[983,984],"class_list":["post-957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-theater","tag-game-of-thrones","tag-royal-shakespeare-company"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Game of Thrones\u2019 Play \u2018The Mad King\u2019 Unveils Full Cast for Royal Shakespeare Company World Premiere - Relocation Observer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=957\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Game of Thrones\u2019 Play \u2018The Mad King\u2019 Unveils Full Cast for Royal Shakespeare Company World Premiere - 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