When I first heard about Shakespeare in the Squares, my instant reaction was, ‘That is a marvellous idea; why hasn’t anyone done it before?’ To take William Shakespeare, whose timeless plays always have something important to say about the human condition, into idyllic gardens and other iconic spaces, offers a great opportunity to engage new and non-traditional audiences of all ages. It also provides talented young practitioners with a showcase to display their skills at an early stage in their careers, and the Company’s aim to do this is to be hugely welcomed. I am delighted to support this imaginative and ambitious initiative and hope that it will quickly spread far-and-wide.