RSC Cancels Game Of Thrones Previews, Ticket Holders Furious
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- Royal Shakespeare Company canceled the first week of preview performances for Game of Thrones: The Mad King at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, then canceled the Saturday July 25 evening performance via an Instagram post the morning of showtime — after telling Variety on Friday the show was still on track.
- RSC cited "unforeseen delays" linked to the production's "ambitious and epic nature" as the reason and is offering full automatic refunds including all fees paid.
- Game of Thrones: The Mad King was scheduled for previews from July 20 with an August 8 opening and September 5 closing, but every performance through the run is sold out, leaving affected ticket holders no option to rebook.
- Ticket holders voiced fury on a dedicated Reddit subreddit ("Absolutely Fuming at the RSC"), with one user noting tickets did not disclose they were for "Preview Performances" and another saying they'd been promised on the phone the Saturday show would go ahead before the cancellation email arrived at the hotel.
- The play is Duncan Macmillan's stage prequel directed by Dominic Cooke, set in Harrenhal during a banquet on the eve of a jousting tournament and inspired by the "Robert's Rebellion" arc from George R.R. Martin's book series.
Why it matters: The cancellations during preview week raise doubts about the RSC's readiness ahead of its August 8 opening for a high-profile Game of Thrones stage collaboration, while ticket holders who booked hotels and travel to Stratford-upon-Avon are stuck with refunds and no rebooking path because the entire run is sold out.
