With actor-director Michael Rylance set to leave the Globe Theatre, there is a definite opportunity for the company to head off in a new direction, a change which many high-minded critics might find welcome. But Rylance’s positive effect on the Globe cannot be easily replaced. “Undeniably, Rylance has made it a popular space where audiences are prepared to put up with the inclement weather, bossy ushers and physical discomfort for the sake of a star performer… [Rylance’s replacement] will determine whether the Globe continues to be an old-fashioned, actor-driven company or whether it opts for intellectually challenging, director-led reinterpretations of Shakespeare.”