How do you take lawyers (barristers?) seriously with those wigs on their heads?

Watching Broadchurch and am struuuuuggling with these extremely serious charters with silly wigs on their heads.

Other confusing differences between US and UK courtroom etiquette:

*why does the witness have to stand?

*why does the witness turn and recite answers to the jury?

*why is the defendant kept in a glass box?