Purists who might worry that the cuts to Shakespeare in this production are a gesture of dumbing down can reassure themselves that the original plays continue to exist between the covers of millions of volumes worldwide and will doubtless by staged again by Stratford itself before too long. What’s so exciting to see here is the sense of engagement and adventurousness by Abbey in reshaping these plays for contemporary sensibilities, and the confidence that the festival has shown in him and in Cushman and Mengesha, each directing at Stratford for only the second time.