Description:
It's a shame that there aren't more shows this good on TV, and now it's gone. Well, Slings and Arrows always was conceived by its creators to be a set of three seasons, and so after two tremendous offerings it comes to its third and final set of episodes about the backstage drama, onstage embarrassments, and personal trials and tribulations of the staff and actors of the fictional New Burbage Theatre Festival. Following the show's conceit of using plotlines that parallel the Shakespeare play being performed--Hamlet in season one and Macbeth in season two—this season sees artistic director Geoffrey Tenant (Paul Gross) mountin
It's a shame that there aren't more shows this good on TV, and now it's gone. Well, Slings and Arrows always was conceived by its creators to be a set of three seasons, and so after two tremendous offerings it comes to its third and final set of episodes about the backstage drama, onstage embarrassments, and personal trials and tribulations of the staff and actors of the fictional New Burbage Theatre Festival. Following the show's conceit of using plotlines that parallel the Shakespeare play being performed--Hamlet in season one and Macbeth in season two—this season sees artistic director Geoffrey Tenant (Paul Gross) mounting an ambitious production of King Lear with a lead actor (William Hutt as the aptly named Charles Kingman) who begins to literally live the role. Meanwhile the festival's general manager, Richard (Mark McKinney), deals with the unexpected burdens brought by the critical and financial success of their last production, continuing the show's structure of dual plotlines that focus on the artistic and financial aspects of theatre, detailing how inextricably the two are linked. Richard joins forces with flamboyant director Darren Nichols (Don McKellar) tries to top it with East Hastings, a contemporary musical about a heroin-addicted hooker with a heart of gold. As the musical becomes a big hit, Lear turns into a train wreck, and Geoffrey and Richard are both forced to make big decisions that have huge consequences for the Festival staff and actors. Such is the nature of outrageous fortune. It's bittersweet to see a show this well done come to an end. On the one hand, three seasons seems like such a short run for such a good program. On the other hand, it's good to see it go out on a high note, and the addition of extra features on this set, including extended interviews, deleted scenes, production notes, and more, should help serious fans through their withdrawal. --Daniel Vancini
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Manufacturer: Acorn Media
Release date: 3 July 2007
Number of discs: 2
EAN: 0054961941193 UPC: 054961941193
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