Benedict Cumberbatch is currently treading the boards at London’s National Theatre to portray one of Shakespeare’s most iconic creations in a new production of Hamlet, and is imploring theatregoers to put away their cell phones and not film the play.

In a video shot while the Sherlock star greeted fans at the stage door following last night’s performance, he explained he had noticed “cameras and red lights”; from onstage as he looked out at the the audience.”;

“It may not be any of you here but it’s blindingly obvious,”; he continued, saying it was “mortifying”; and pointing out that this is incredibly distracting for an actor.

“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… there’s nothing that’s less enjoyable or supportive as an actor on stage experiencing that.”;

To combat this from happening in the future, Cumberbatch is urging his fans to take to social media and implore anyone else coming to see him during his 12-week run as the tortured Danish prince to keep their phones in their pockets and purses during the performance.

“What I really want to do is try and enlist you,”; he said. “I don’t use social media and I’d really appreciate it if you did tweet, blog, and hashtag this.”; Watch:

Sherlock star Cumberbatch told a crowd of supporters about “cameras and red lights”; he spotted in the audience.

“It may not be any of you here but it’s blindingly obvious,”; he continued, adding it was “mortifying”;.

The actor is starring in a 12-week run of the play.

Although on-the-day tickets have been made available, the 100,000 advance tickets were snapped up in minutes when they were released in August last year.

Some tickets are currently being offered for up to £650 on secondary-ticketing sites.

In the video clip, which was shot post-performance, Cumberbatch 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, “there’s nothing that’s less enjoyable or supportive as an actor on stage experiencing that.”;

The actor, 39, told the assembled fans that they could feel free to take pictures of him outside of the auditorium.

“What I really want to do is try and enlist you. I don’t use social media and I’d really appreciate it if you did tweet, blog, and hashtag this.”;