Who Are The Main Characters In 'Slings & Arrows'?

Geoffrey Tennant’s the heart of the show—a burnt-out actor dragged back to the New Burbage Festival, where he has to deal with his past, his ex, and a ghost who won’t stop critiquing his directing. Ellen’s the steady force trying to keep the theater from imploding, while Oliver’s ghost steals every scene with his theatrical zingers. The supporting cast—from the bumbling admin team to the egotistical guest stars—makes every episode feel like a backstage party gone wonderfully wrong.

The brilliance of 'Slings & Arrows' lies in its messy, magnetic ensemble cast—each character feels like they stepped out of a backstage drama and into your living room. At the center is Geoffrey Tennant, played by Paul Gross, a former actor-turned-reluctant artistic director who’s equal parts genius and disaster. His chaotic energy is balanced by Ellen Fanshaw (Martha Burns), his ex-lover and leading lady, whose quiet strength grounds the madness. Then there’s Oliver Welles (Stephen Ouimette), Geoffrey’s deceased mentor who hilariously haunts him as a snarky ghost, and Richard Smith-Jones (Mark McKinney), the corporate suit whose cluelessness about theater provides endless cringe comedy. The show’s secret sauce? Even minor characters like the neurotic stage manager Anna (Susan Coyne) or the pretentious guest director Darren Nichols (Don McKellar) get arcs that make you cheer or groan. It’s a masterclass in how to weave personal demons, artistic passion, and workplace farce into one addictive package.

What I love most is how the characters mirror Shakespeare’s archetypes without feeling like cheap copies. Geoffrey’s Hamlet-esque turmoil, Ellen’s Ophelia-like resilience, even the Fool-like antics of the company’s tech crew—they all echo the Bard’s themes while feeling utterly modern. The chemistry between the cast is so palpable, you’d swear they’ve worked together for decades. By Season 3, when new faces like the diva-turned-vulnerable Sarah (Rachel McAdams) arrive, they slot into the chaos like they’ve always belonged. It’s that rare show where you remember the characters’ quirks (Oliver’s ghost eating imaginary grapes!) as vividly as their emotional breakdowns.