In a world that allows interaction with ‘live’ performance in the cinema but also increasingly on computers, tablets and telephones how can Shakespeare scholars respond critically in a way that makes sense of this plethora of material? Performance scholars, like Rob Conkie and W.B. Worthen, have tackled new forms of writing to address the complex landscape we now face which are self-conscious, self-referential, although some would say self-indulgent. In the world of blogs, twitter, Facebook, Academic.edu, Google scholar, etc. we all have many avenues to articulate our experience. However, I argue here that these avenues should not replace traditional scholarship that depends on expert skills in writing and communication that engage with other experts in our own and other fields in a dialogue that moves scholarship forward. When anyone can have access to the productions we analyse and blog reviews , Twitter responses and Facebook Likes are being encouraged from the widest possible online audience does ‘being there’ as experts matter? I want to indicate why it does. This may appear elitist or exclusive, and it is, unapologetically.