History YMMV / SlingsAndArrows

* AwesomeMusic: Each season has a new theme song corresponding to the play they're putting on that season, but it's hard to top Season 1's opener, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMYD2CfJM2o Cheer Up, Hamlet]].

* HilariousInHindsight: Oliver's will asks that his skull be used in productions of ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', much to the other character's disgust. In 2008, [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/7749962.stm the skull of pianist Andre Tchaikowsky was used for exactly that purpose]], fulfilling a request in his will.

* ArtisticLicenseArt: May references a Vincent van Gogh painting, "The Plain of Auvers", calling it "haunting" and "disturbing" because the artist "painted it four days before he shot himself". There is no van Gogh with that title. There is one called "Plain ''near'' Auvers", which was painted the same year as his death, but it was definitely not his last work and can't really be described as creepy. It's likely that May is referring to "Wheatfield with [[CreepyCrows Crows]]" or "Wheatfield Under Thunderclouds", which were painted in Auvers shortly before van Gogh's suicide and are much spookier, but have [[RuleOfCool titles that are less mysterious and ambiguous]].

* InformedAbility: At the end of season 1, Jack is supposed to give an excellent and artistically worthwhile performance as Hamlet, but the extent to which the show succeeds in communicating this may vary depending on the viewer.

* HilariousInHindsight: Oliver's will asks that his skull be used in productions of ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', much to the other character's disgust. In 2008, [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/7749962.stm the skull of pianist Andre Tchaikowsky was used for that purpose]], fulfilling a request in his will.

* HilariousInHindsight: Oliver's will asks that his skull be used in productions of ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}', much to the other character's disgust. In 2008, [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/7749962.stm the skull of pianist Andre Tchaikowsky was used for that purpose]], fulfilling a request in his will.

* {{Narm}}: Kate being so awestruck at Jack being up for a co-starring role with Music/{{Madonna}}. Note that the show began a year ''after'' her last dying gasp at movie stardom in ''Film/SweptAway'' crashed and burned so spectacularly and killed her acting career for good.

* MagnificentBastard:
** Holly Day, who has an audacious and most terrifying of all ''workable'' plan to take over New Burbage.
*** BastardUnderstudy: Richard Smith-Jones, up until [[spoiler:his HeelFaceTurn]].
** In Season 2, Geoffrey makes it abundantly clear that you do ''not'' screw with his plays. [[spoiler: Sadly, he seems to lose it in Season 3]].

* InformedAttribute: The Hollywood actor in the first season rises to the occasion and delivers what we're told is a masterwork of acting. What we see of his acting is a montage of him just intoning Hamlet's various soliloquies with the same morbid tone and far-off expression.

* {{Squick}}: After his death, Oliver's will states that he wants his head removed from his body, boiled, and the skull used in all future productions of ''{{Hamlet}}''. Even the other characters are grossed out.

* GeniusBonus: If you've ever been involved in theater, you will understand a good deal more of the show. If you ''also'' have a thorough knowledge of Shakespeare, it takes on new depths.

** In Season 2, Geoffrey makes it abundantly clear that you do ''not'' screw with his plays. [[spoiler: Sadly, he seems to lose it in Season 3]]

* CompleteMonster: Holly Day.

* MagnificentBastard: In Season 2, Geoffrey makes it abundantly clear that you do ''not'' screw with his plays. [[spoiler: Sadly, he seems to lose it in Season 3]]
* [[MagnificentBastard Magnificent Bitch]]: Holly Day.
** BastardUnderstudy: Richard Smith-Jones, up until [[spoiler:his HeelFaceTurn]].

* GeniusBonus: If you've ever been involved in theater, you will understand a good deal more of the show. If you ''also'' have a thorough knowledge of Shakespeare, it takes on entirely new depths.

* TearJerker: Charles Kingman's ''KingLear'', made even more poignant by the fact it was William Hutt's last performance before he died of leukemia.

* HoYay: Between Geoffrey and Oliver, especially in season 2. Oliver even asks Geoffrey once if he's breaking up with him.
** It ''is'' heavily implied that Oliver was in love with/had a crush on/wanted to be Geoffrey when they were playing Hamlet. He nearly admits it, in season 1 where he says he 'obviously had issues' with Geoffrey, and that he slept with Ellen because 'that was about power'.

** It ''is'' heavily implied that Oliver was in love with/had a crush on/wanted to be Geoffrey when they were playing Hamlet. He nearly admits it, in season 1 where he says he 'obviously had issues', and that he slept with Ellen because 'that was about power'.