Smartphones can be really distracting to actors on the stage, especially while they are trying to perform William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. So, Benedict Cumberbatch asked his fans to make sure they are not taking photos or recording while on stage as the Danish prince.
In a video posted on YouTube this past weekend, Cumberbatch greeted fans outside the Barbican Theatre in London and had to give yet another speech. He told them that he can see the little red lights on phones and cameras while performing and they are very distracting.
“It’s mortifying and there’s nothing less supportive or enjoyable as an actor on stage experiencing that,” the Sherlock actor said, notes EW. “And 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.”
Cumberbatch’s comments come as actors have been trying to tell audiences that taking photos and texting during live performances can be distracting. In New York, Patti LuPone famously took a phone away from a man for texting non-stop during Shows for Days.
The Cumberbatch-starring production of Hamlet will be shown in cinemas around the world, as his Oct. 15 performance will be filmed. He will continue performing Hamlet at the Barbican through Oct. 31.
image courtesy of Famous/ACE/INFphoto.com
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