Critics verdict: RSC's Game of Thrones: The Mad King earns rave reviews in Stratford
The Royal Shakespeare Company's stage adaptation of George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones: The Mad King has opened to broadly enthusiastic reviews, collecting at least one five-star notice and several four-star ratings from critics covering the press night.
The production, staged in-the-round on an Elizabethan-inspired stage at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, runs from Tuesday 28 July until Saturday 5 September 2026, with tickets on sale via the RSC website (RSC). The Guardian published its review on 8 August 2026, headlined "Can't stop smiling!" and describing the show as an epic prequel to the television series (The Guardian).
A round-up of critics published on 10 August by WhatsOnStage notes that not every review was glowing. One three-star review criticised Duncan Macmillan's adaptation — described elsewhere as textured and witty — for lacking poetry. But the majority verdict was positive (WhatsOnStage).
Michael Shaeffer plays Aerys Targaryen, the Mad King himself, in a performance critics called scrawny, deeply strange and a compelling presence. Callum Woodhouse plays a grief-wracked Baratheon, while Noah Ritter takes on Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Elizabeth Ayodele plays Princess Elia Martell. Maxim Ays is Jaime Lannister, Michael Abubakar is Ned Stark, Daisy Franks plays Cersei Lannister and Hughie O'Donnell plays Lord Varys.
The staging pulls out all the stops. The set, credited to Lamford, uses a crossroads carpeted in ash to show how conflict shapes the world of the play. Life-sized armoured horses, a manipulated puppet dog and magnified puppet selves appear alongside the human cast. Bethan Clark choreographed the fight sequences.
Macmillan, whose previous work for the RSC includes 1984 and People, Places and Things, adapted Martin's source material for the stage. The production is a world premiere, presented by the RSC in collaboration with Martin's estate (RSC).
Tickets went on sale on 14 April 2026, with priority booking opening the same day (RSC).
For fans of the books and television series, the production digs into backstory the show only sketched — the reign of Aerys II, the last Targaryen king, whose descent into madness set the stage for Robert's Rebellion. The RSC has built its reputation on Shakespeare; staging a major fantasy adaptation on its main house is a signal that the company sees a place for contemporary genre work alongside the classical canon.
With nearly a month left in the run, audiences still have time to judge for themselves. The reviews suggest most critics think it is worth the trip to Stratford.
