Benedict Cumberbatch on stage as Hamlet sees fans scrambling for theatre tickets selling at up to £1,500

Theatre tickets sell at £1,500 for Cumberbatch's Hamlet. Credit: ITV News

It's a role which has often defined the careers of the world's best actors.

And when Benedict Cumberbatch stepped onto the stage tonight as Hamlet - it was the most eagerly awaited theatre production for years.

Fans have pushed up the price for some tickets to an outrageous fortune of £1,500.

ITV News reporter Martha Fairlie explains how Sherlock measured up as Shakespeare's famous prince: