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Variety is reporting that the The Royal Shakespeare Company has canceled the first week of preview performances for its upcoming stage production of Game of Thrones: The Mad King.
The production was originally scheduled to begin previews on Monday, July 20, but all four performances during its opening preview week were canceled. No reason for the cancellations has been announced.
A rep for the company told Vairety, “We can confirm that the RSC and our co-producers took the difficult decision to cancel preview performances of George R. R. Martin’s ‘Game of Thrones: The Mad King’ this week, and that we are going ahead with the performance on Saturday 25 July…We can also confirm that the production will officially open on Saturday August 8.”
The statement continues, “‘Game of Thrones: The Mad King’ is an epic and hugely ambitious production,” the rep added. “The decision to delay the first preview was taken to allow the actors, creative and technical teams the additional time necessary to progress and refine the work in real time.”
Check out photos of the cast in rehearsal here!
About GAME OF THRONES: THE MAD KING
Based on the novels of George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones: The Mad King is adapted by Duncan MacMillan and directed by Dominic Cooke. The new play explores the years leading up to the events of A Song of Ice and Fire, chronicling the final days of King Aerys II Targaryen’s reign and the events that reshape Westeros.
Michael Shaeffer stars as King Aerys II Targaryen, leading a cast that includes Michael Abubakar as Eddard Stark, Noah Ritter as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, Callum Woodhouse as Lord Robert Baratheon, Harmony Rose-Bremner as Lyanna Stark, Hughie O’Donnell as Lord Varys, Mariah Gale as Queen Rhaella Targaryen, Maxim Ays as Ser Jaime Lannister, Elizabeth Ayodele as Princess Elia Martell, Luke Brady as Brandon Stark, Marty Breen as Catelyn Stark, Daniel Hawksford as Ser Barristan Selmy, Kel Matsena as Ser Arthur Dayne, Edem-Ita Duke as Oberyn Martell, and Alexander Newland as Lord Rickard Stark, among others.
The creative team includes puppetry and movement directors Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, set designer Chloe Lamford, Costume Designer Georgia McGuinness, lighting designer Jon Clark, composer Will Stuart, sound designer Tom Gibbons, casting director Amy Ball CDG, fight director Bethan Clark, intimacy director Ingrid Mackinnon, voice and text director Jeannette Nelson, and dialect coach Hazel Holder.
