Let me take you back. The year is 2019. We gathered with bated breath to watch how the Game of Thrones finale would conclude. It was a saga, A Song of Ice and Fire. Decades long storytelling from a master storyteller.
We had the t-shirts, the scarves, the blankets, the posters. Some of us even had the tattoos. We wanted to be wowed by the conclusion of this epic show, only for our hopes to be left dashed as a rushed and haphazard season finale left many of us bereft - myself included - and thinking that we'd all wasted a great deal of time.
© Johan PerssonThe follow-up projects haven't been that much of an improvement, with House of the Dragon perhaps not quite meeting the heights that we'd hoped, and the Jon Snow sequel series canned before it even went into production. Then there are the books, with George R. R. Martin still not having released his penultimate novel, The Winds of Winter, despite the predecessor being released way back in 2011.
© Johan PerssonOur one glimmer of hope was the adaptation of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which was a genuinely charming addition to the Game of Thrones universe - but the Game of Thrones story itself has been left wanting, until now.
Game of Thrones: The Mad King
Game of Thrones: The Mad King is a prequel currently having a limited run at the RSC, and the production is so magnificent that for it not to have a West End transfer would be a serious shock.
The show has all the markings for a West End transfer, and I can promise you now it is going to be huge.
© Johan PerssonNot only is it an incredible spectacle, it is also the story that we have been waiting for as it takes the original Game of Thrones series out of its muddy waters and back in the fantasy hall of fame where it belongs. Not only does it answer so many questions about Game of Thrones, it also adds layers to these characters that I never even considered while watching the show, and is a brilliant telling of a tale that is only mentioned in the Game of Thrones world.
Unlike some prequels where I've wondered at what the point of this is as you already know what's going to happen, except for a souless cash grab, this is a prequel that is so worth telling that I even whispered to my husband that this was more interesting than the actual Game of Thrones plot.
The Mad King: a summary
The narrative takes place just before Robert's Rebellion at the legendary Tourney at Harrenhal - a mysterious event long debated by book fans. During the Tourney, Ned's sister Lyanna Stark meets her betrothed, Robert Baratheon before the arrival of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.
© Johan PerssonKeenly aware that his father, Aerys II, has descended into madness, Rhaegar is hoping to gather support and save the realm from falling into war. It is here that Rhaegar and Lyanna meet for the first time, and we know all too well how that turns out.
From there, the show transitions into Robert's Rebellion, detailing the events that we know all too well with the fall of the Mad King at the hands of Jaime Lannister, to Tywin's sacking of King's Landing, and the arrival of both Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow.
Expanding the Game of Thrones world
What the play details - that I never considered before - was the Targaryen obsession with prophecy. It plays into the production heavily, just as it plays an awful lot into the Game of Thrones universe: from Daenerys's perspective that she is the Princess That Was Promised to Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon's conviction she is chosen to fulfill the prophecy of A Song of Ice and Fire.
© Johan PerssonIt's a striking reminder of how fantastic the saga is. The characters are all striving towards a greatness and a destiny bigger than their own, unknowing exactly what that is. It plays a huge part in the Targaryen family dynamics, particularly Aerys II and Prince Rhaegar, as well as Lyanna's motivations for the future of her son, which are presented as more complex here than in the TV show.
It expands this universe in a really impressive way that has to be seen to be believed.
The sparkling production
Then there is the spectacle of the production, which is, in short, magnificent. Set in the RSC's unique theater, the language and setting feels Shakespearean, perfectly capturing the feeling that you are in a medieval fantasy realm.
Opening with the Tourney at Harrenhal, the staging stands out, featuring incredible horse puppetry. The design and feel of Westeros has been reimagined for to be distinctly theatrical rather than cinematic, making it feel all the more authentic.
© Johan PerssonThe costumes are magnificent and otherworldly, not to mention the arrival of dragon and raven puppetry, which is truly a sight to be beheld. I had a shiver of excitement more than once when I saw how they were staging certain notable moments from the show, including the Godswood's weirwood tree, which was particularly impressive.
For fans, spending more time with these characters and in this world, and having these characters expanded, especially the ones that you recognise and the Easter eggs that you look out for, makes the weighty four-hour runtime never feel too long.
That being said, I do think a West End transfer would need to trim some fat, but I can't see where that is coming from right now.
To conclude, this play, which has been a decade in the making, will be the thing that pulls Game of Thrones back into a beloved series in our hearts. It has done for me, anyway.
Now, if only George R. R. Martin would finish the books...
