Title: The Rivals
Fandom: Slings & Arrows
Characters: Geoffrey Tennant, Darren Nichols
Length: 200
Content notes: no warnings apply
Rating: PG
Summary: Everyone loves a feud, right?



Their paths haven’t crossed since Geoffrey left New Burbage, but he knows Darren lasted a little less than three seasons as Artistic Director before that incident with the lasers. Geoffrey’s glad he didn’t stay to witness the full horror of Darren’s regime. Letting Richard direct Oklahoma! was the least of his artistic sins.

Since then Darren’s been back in Europe where he belongs, inflicting the Nichols brand of experimental fuckery on the theatres and god help us opera houses of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands. Darren’s gender-swapped Taming of the Shrew, set in a matriarchal dystopia; Darren’s massive, overblown (epic, according to Darren) 24 hour cycle of plays based on Greek myths; Darren’s bondage-themed Shakespearean musical extravaganza Love’s Whip, an object lesson in why no one called a dramaturg should ever be allowed within fifteen miles of a theatre.

Geoffrey doesn’t follow Darren’s career, obviously. Journalists tell him about it, hoping for a soundbite, an outburst. But Oliver’s ghost isn’t here any more to goad him, and Geoffrey’s not going to give them what they want. If his refusal to rise to the bait annoys Darren, who Geoffrey’s willing to bet Googles himself on a regular basis, so much the better.