Ep 3. Rarer Monsters

In the second season of Slings & Arrows, episode 3 titled "Rarer Monsters," there is tension building at the New Burbage Festival. Geoffrey Tennant, played by Paul Gross, is still struggling to find a suitable lead actor to fill the shoes of Darren Nichols, played by Don McKellar, who left the production after receiving criticism from the New York Times. Meanwhile, actors who were cut from the production anxiously await their fate.

In "Rarer Monsters," Geoffrey decides to take a risk and cast Oliver Welles, played by Stephen Ouimette, in the lead role. Oliver is an older actor who is well-known for playing Shakespearean roles. However, he is also known for being very difficult to work with. The choice to cast him doesn't sit well with the rest of the crew, as they believe he will be impossible to manage and might be more of a liability than an asset.

With the play's premiere approaching, tensions start to rise between Oliver and the rest of the cast. Oliver's ego and abrasive nature begin to cause problems in rehearsals, and Geoffrey struggles to keep him in check. Meanwhile, Ellen Fanshaw, played by Martha Burns, who was cut from the production earlier, decides to take matters into her own hands and confronts Geoffrey about her dismissal. She demands that he give her a chance to prove herself, which leads to a tense stand-off.

As the premiere draws closer, tensions continue to mount. Geoffrey's stress level reaches an all-time high, and he starts to have panic attacks. Meanwhile, Richard Smith-Jones, played by Mark McKinney, the festival's financial sponsor, has concerns about the budget and threatens to cut funding if the production doesn't go smoothly.

Matters only get worse when Oliver's behavior reaches a breaking point during a dress rehearsal. He becomes belligerent and hits one of the other actors, forcing Geoffrey to make a difficult decision about how to handle the situation.

Overall, "Rarer Monsters" is a tense and dramatic episode that showcases the challenges of putting on a play. It explores the egos and politics that often come into play during productions, as well as the stress that can arise when things don't go as planned. With excellent performances from the cast and strong writing, this episode is a standout in the second season of Slings & Arrows.