Game of Thrones: The Mad King review – an action-packed saga of dry ice and fire
Why This Matters
Key context: <p><strong>Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon<br></strong>This prequel to the TV series has one joust after another, spectacular stagecraft and plenty of modern resonance</p><p>During the RSC’s 65 years, numerous Lears have lost their minds and frequent Caesars been slaughtered by their courts. Now, though, a tyrant new to its stages faces both fates. He is King Aerys II Targaryen, ancestor of one warring bloodline in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/dec/30/game-of-thrones-best-tv-2010s">Game of Thrones</a>, the dramatisation of George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels that helped TV streamers’ rise to global domination during eight HBO seasons from 2011 to 2019.</p><p>Some may balk at an institution named for England’s greatest dramatist staging an American drama franchise. There is, though, a compelling economic imperative: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/dec/04/rsc-to-cut-workforce-faces-perilous-situation">rising costs due to current wars</a> (a frequent problem for Martin’s ancient oligarchs too) and Covid-era debts now exacerbated by paying back government loans means that the RSC could use another big commercial transfer – as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/nov/08/roald-dahl-west-end-matilda-musical-how-we-made">its musical Matilda</a> may not be immortal.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/aug/09/game-of-thrones-the-mad-king-review-royal-shakespeare-theatre-stratford-upon-avon">Continue reading...</a> This development from The Guardian highlights ongoing changes in the sector.
Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-AvonThis prequel to the TV series has one joust after another, spectacular stagecraft and plenty of modern resonanceDuring the RSC’s 65 years, numerous Lears have lost their minds and frequent Caesars been slaughtered by their courts. Now, though, a tyrant new to its stages faces both fates. He is King Aerys II Targaryen, ancestor of one warring bloodline in Game of Thrones, the dramatisation of George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels that helped TV streamers’ rise to global domination during eight HBO seasons from 2011 to 2019.Some may balk at an institution named for England’s greatest dramatist staging an American drama franchise. There is, though, a compelling economic imperative: rising costs due to current wars (a frequent problem for Martin’s ancient oligarchs too) and Covid-era debts now exacerbated by paying back government loans means that the RSC could use another big commercial transfer – as its musical Matilda may not be immortal. Continue reading...
Curation & Context
This page summarizes a public news report from The Guardian. Global News Hub provides the "Why This Matters" takeaway using editorial insights and AI curation to give readers rapid, high-value context before they click through to read the full article.