Gender fluidity and climate change may not be typical topics associated with a writer from over 400 years ago, but according to Gregory Doran, the artistic director emeritus of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Shakespeare’s contemporary outlook ensures his lasting relevance. Despite some US schools banning certain parts of Shakespeare’s plays due to sexual content, Doran believes that Shakespeare’s works are robust and will always remain. He dismisses trigger warnings as hypersensitive, and alongside Dame Judi Dench, he has written the introduction to a new edition of Shakespeare’s complete plays to commemorate their 400-year anniversary. Doran emphasizes the importance of the First Folio, which preserved many of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. He argues that encountering Shakespeare’s texts as a director often makes it challenging to find other playwrights who measure up. Doran highlights instances within Shakespeare’s plays where he addresses contemporary issues, such as gender fluidity and climate change, which he finds remarkable. He expresses disdain for trigger warnings, deeming them unnecessary, and thinks that a list of audience conduct rules would be excessive. Doran acknowledges that his progressiveness in casting choices may have generated backlash but believes that provocation can be a positive thing. He suggests that we shouldn’t attempt to confine Shakespeare and his work within limiting categorizations.