Making the mix even more convoluted is that actress, and former lover of Geoffrey, Ellen (Martha Burns, Screening), is part of the company, and dating a younger man. So not only are there the technical aspects to worry about, but poor Geoffrey is plagued by pesky emotions as well. Their story begins well before Sling & Arrows, when they were co-stars in Hamlet. Ellen slept with Oliver, who is gay, and Geoffrey went off the deep end,
upset over the betrayal. Brought back together by circumstance, they make it work. The chemistry between Burns and Gross make every interaction engaging.
The principal cast are all wonderful, and their ability to actually perform Shakespeare, as well as sitcom comedy, is astounding. They are supported by guest stars like Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes, The Notebook), Sarah Polley (John Adams), and William Hutt, an actual respected Shakespearean actor who died shortly after this performance.
The special features on the seven disc complete collection, which contains all three seasons, include bloopers, deleted scenes, productions notes, photo galleries, cast interviews, trailers, and song lyrics.
There is also a featurette going behind the scenes, and plenty of on-set footage. It's really quite a nice package of extras for such a short-lived series.
Slings & Arrows is also available on Blu-ray, though I have not had the opportunity to check out that collection. I suggest buying Slings & Arrows immediately, available from Acorn Media.
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