Game of Thrones’ newest cast revealed

The Royal Shakespeare Company has unveiled the cast for George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones: The Mad King, a new stage play based on A Song of Ice and Fire that is set to open next week.

In the released image, we see the play’s opening-day cast in costume for their characters. Michael Shaeffer’s King Aerys II Targaryen is in the center of the image and is surrounded by the actors portraying Ashara Dayne, Elia Martell, Rhaella Targaryen, Robert Baratheon, Lyanna Stark, Brandon Stark, Rhaegar Targaryen, and Eddard Stark.

If you’re unfamiliar with The Mad King, it’s a stage play set a decade before the events of the A Song of Ice and Fire book series and Game of Thrones TV show, and mostly takes place at a dinner banquet in the waning years of King Aerys II Targaryen’s rule. It’s a fascinating part of the franchise’s history that serves as an inciting incident for what comes next, but we haven’t seen it portrayed like this before.

Image: Photo by Seamus Ryan (c) RSC

By nature of its subject matter, this is also the first time we’ve seen some iconic characters recast since the TV show. It was bound to happen as adaptations into other media, such as stage plays and video games, emerged. That includes some not featured in the image, like Maxim Ays’ Jamie Lannister. Below, you can see the full cast of Game of Thrones: The Mad King, listed in alphabetical order by last name.

• Michael Abubakar: Eddard Stark
• Elizabeth Ayodele: Princess Elia Martell
• Maxim Ays: Ser Jaime Lannister
• Miles Barrow: Benjen Stark
• Islam Bouakkaz: Howland Reed
• Luke Brady: Brandon Stark
• Marty Breen: Catelyn Stark
• Sebastian Charles: Owen Merryweather
• Adrian Christopher: Prince Lewyn Martell
• Ronan Cullen: On-stage Swing and Puppeteer
• Fred Davis: Qarlton Chelsted
• Edem-Ita Duke: Oberyn Martell
• Simi Egbejumi-David: Ensemble and Puppeteer
• Daisy Franks: Cersei Lannister and Golda Whent
• Mariah Gale: Queen Rhaella Targaryen and Lady Shella Whent
• Richard Hansell: Grand Maester Pycelle
• Daniel Hawksford: Ser Barristan Selmy
• Lewis Howard: Ensemble and Puppeteer
• April Nerissa Hudson: Ensemble and Puppeteer
• Tom Larkin: Lord Whent and Wisdom Ressart
• Chelsea Marie: Ensemble and Puppeteer
• Kel Matsena: Ser Arthur Dayne
• Shaun Yusuf McKee: Ser Gerold Hightower
• Alexander Newland: Lord Rickard Stark
• Hughie O’Donnell: Lord Varys
• Huw Parmenter: Ser Oswell Whent
• Noah Ritter: Prince Rhaegar Targaryen
• Harmony Rose-Brenner: Lyanna Stark
• Kate Roswell: On-stage Swing and Puppeteer
• Michael Shaeffer: King Aerys II Targaryen
• Tanisha Spring: Ashara Dayne
• Tom Stacy: On-stage Swing and Puppeteer
• Matt Tait: Ensemble and Puppeteer
• Tzarina-Nassor: Ensemble and Puppeteer
• Marcello Walton: Ser Jonothor Darry and Lord Tywin Lannister
• Callum Woodhouse: Lord Robert Baratheon

George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones: The Mad King will be performed at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from Aug. 8 until Sept. 5.