The Game of Thrones prequel play, The Mad King, made its official world premiere on Tuesday, July 28, at the RSC’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom.
Performances will continue until September 5, while the official opening night is scheduled for August 5.
Duncan Macmillan wrote the play in close collaboration with the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire saga himself, George R. R. Martin.
The production is directed by Dominic Cooke.
Despite previous cancellations due to security concerns, the play’s world premiere has so far received positive feedback.
Tourney at Harrenhal
The play follows the events of the famous Tourney at Harrenhal, held decades before the main series began. Where the lords and ladies of Westeros gathered in search of glory and power.
The events of the tourney are believed to have been the catalyst for the eventual rebellion against the titular villain, King Aerys II Targaryen.
In the lore, Aerys II was once a popular monarch on the continent. However, his mental state deteriorated over time due to the hereditary madness that plagued the Targaryen family.
The tourney is ultimately believed to have been a ploy to overthrow the Targaryen dynasty. But who was behind it?
Who will appear in the play?
The play introduces audiences to a cast of characters who played significant roles in the various plots and conspiracies surrounding the castle.
Prominent among them is Rhaegar Targaryen, the firstborn son of Aerys II and the Crown Prince of the realm. He was considered the ideal candidate to replace the king. His wife, Elia Martell, and her brother, Oberyn, will also appear in the play.
The Stark siblings will also make an appearance, including Ned, Benjen, Brandon, the heir to Winterfell, and Lyanna, the presumed mother of Jon Snow after eloping with Rhaegar.
Other important characters include Robert Baratheon, Jaime and Cersei Lannister, Catelyn Tully, Arthur and Ashara Dayne, Howland Reed, Prince Lewyn Martell and Rhaella Targaryen.
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Rumours, plots, theories
Among the key mysteries the play will attempt to answer is the prophecy of the Prince That Was Promised. This is an ancient legend about the rise of a hero who will save the world from the Others.
Who was the Knight of the Laughing Tree? Was Rhaegar trying to usurp the throne from Aerys at Harrenhal? How did he end up with Lyanna?
Regardless of the answers to these questions, the most immediate mystery is whether the play’s revelations will be considered canon to the original series.
In an interview with Deadline, Macmillan said he sifted through a vast amount of source material to find the right narrative approach to these pivotal events.
“And then, of course, there were events which George (R. R. Martin) has never previously revealed, things that have been the source of intense speculation, and I had to go directly to George for those,” he added.
With this revelation from the writer, it appears many long-standing fan theories could finally be confirmed or disproven after nearly 16 years of waiting for the release of the series’ sixth novel, The Winds of Winter.
Will the play’s revelations be worth it? We will soon find out.
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Carmela Calling