Game of Thrones Play 'The Mad King' Still Opening in August After Preview Cancellations

The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of "Game of Thrones: The Mad King" is still scheduled to open on August 8, according to a report from Variety. The stage play canceled its first week of preview performances but remains on track for its official premiere.

What performances were canceled?

The production canceled all four preview performances scheduled for the week beginning Monday, July 20. A representative for the RSC told Variety the decision was made to allow the actors, creative and technical teams additional time to progress and refine the work.

"‘Game of Thrones: The Mad King’ is an epic and hugely ambitious production," the representative said. The cancellations disappointed some fans who had traveled from afar, including from overseas, to see the early shows.

When and where is the play?

The official opening night is set for Saturday, August 8.

Adapted by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, the four-hour production includes a 20-minute interval. It is set just before the events in George R. R. Martin's novels, following the great houses of Westeros as ambition, family bonds and succession collide during the reign of the Mad King.

Who is in the cast?

Michael Shaeffer will play King Aerys II Targaryen. The cast also includes Noah Ritter as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, Michael Abubakar as Eddard Stark, and Callum Woodhouse as Lord Robert Baratheon.

Maxim Ays joins as Ser Jaime Lannister, with Daisy Franks playing Cersei Lannister. The show will feature puppets, grand sets, and a new theater configuration designed to put audiences "at the heart of the action," according to RSC co-artistic directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey.