the thing about shakespeare is that it works, if you give it optimum conditions.

1) skilled actors
2) sane directors
3) it is essentially a live gig sort of thing - there very few cases where it adds up to much even in the once remove of watching it on dvd.

Most of Shakespeare is written in poetry and if you get really good trained actors who know how to perform the speeches they can describe a scene or a situation so perfectly straight into your face - a stream of imagery and impassioned insight. there is nothing quite like it.

Sitting at home reading Shakespeare is okay - but its not really what its about.

My advice is go to Stratford - several times. Get the cheapest seats (benches overhanging the stage) see as many productions as you can. Have a gin and tonic on the terrace of the thaeatre overlooking the Avon. Go on a backstage tour and see how the show is put together. See the beautiful new Swan theatre. Stand in the Dirty Duck pub where generations of actors have slipped in for a quick drink.

Of course you get passages of speech where you have been listening for 5 minutes without really understanding the action - but stick with it. Its one of the few things we do best in the world. The fact that we don't manage to pass this on to ALL our children, is almost as big a shame as fact we need for some neurotic reason to sing folksongs in a way only the elect can understand.