the only way to understand shakespeare is to stand on ones feet and act it out, it is theatre not literature.
Actually, it's both, and there are plenty of people who act Shakespeare but don't have a clue what he's saying and others who do nothing but read him but can discuss him fluently.
Agreed. When I was in high school, we would have to read the plays for homework and then "discuss" them in class. BOOORRR-ING. In college, each student would take a different role, and we would do out-loud dramatic readings. Far superior and made the plays much more understandable.... and a lot of fun, to boot.
"What, you egg! Young fry of treachery!" Dialogue like that just doesn't work in silent reading. But read aloud with feeling, Shakespeare's dialogue comes alive.