Shakespeare’s plays have been adapted over the centuries to suit various audiences and societal changes. Peter Aspden says that over the last 100 years, American productions of Shakespeare have become ever more comfortable with a focus on the dark and supernatual side of the Bard. “All of which leads to the question: is Shakespeare’s homeland the best place to see Shakespeare? Can the English stage tradition, with its emphasis on verbal dexterity and intellectual rigour, actually cope with the dark side of its leading playwright?”