American fantasy drama series; prequel to Game of Thrones
The Royal Shakespeare Company has premiered The Mad King, a Game of Thrones prequel, staged in Stratford-upon-Avon. The 225-minute epic imagines events teased in George R.R. Martin’s books, with a three-dozen-strong cast and immersive staging. Previews were troubled as production refined the work, but tickets sold out ahead of an all-star run, and RSC aims to broaden its audience beyond existing fans.
The Guardian and other outlets have reported on ongoing regulatory and industry moves to tighten safety standards for AI deployment, with governments and platforms increasingly requiring transparency and accountability in how AI systems are trained and used.
Dame Penelope Keith has died after a battle with cancer. Her career spans stage, The Good Life and To the Manor Born, with a lasting impact on British comedy. Tributes praise her comic genius and decades of work in theatre, television and charity.