Cumberbatch asks fans not to film Hamlet performances

Benedict Cumberbatch has made an appeal to fans asking them to refrain from filming his performance of Hamlet.

Describing the experience of being filmed while performing live on stage as "mortifying" the Sherlock star said there was "nothing less supportive or enjoyable" than seeing the light from an audience member's camera mid-performance.

Cumberbatch, who is treading the boards as Shakespeare's great protagonist in the Barbican Theatre's adaptation of the play, issued his appeal for cameras to be put away directly to fans waiting outside the theatre.

He said: "I can't give you what I want to give you which is a live performance that you'll remember, hopefully, in your minds and brains whether it's good, bad or indifferent, rather than on your phones."

He added: "What I really want to do is try and enlist you. I don't really use social media, but I'd really appreciate it if you did tweet, blog, hashtag the s*** out of this one for me.

"This isn't me blaming you, this is just me asking you to just ripple it out there, in the brilliant beautiful way that you do with your funny electronic things."

Cumberbatch's current stint as Hamlet has led to the play becoming the fastest-selling play in British history.