Martin Freeman pays tribute to Sherlock co-star Benedict Cumberbatch’s Hamlet

We’ve heard from the critics and we’ve heard from the fans, but one voice we hadn’t heard from in the big “is Benedict Cumberbatch’s Hamlet any good?” hoo-hah is that of his co-star Martin Freeman.

Some of those attending Tuesday’s performance said while queuing for day tickets that they were seeing it for the fourth or fifth time.

The Sherlock star’s parents, Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham, joined a host of celebrities, including his wife Sophie Hunter, in the audience.

Speaking after his performance at the Barbican theatre in London, Ms Ventham said they were “extraordinarily proud”.

“Cumberbatch himself emerges a sardonic, wrathful Hamlet, thrillingly charismatic, if short on the humility shown by more vulnerable Hamlets such as Simon Russell Beale or even David Tennant”, she wrote in today’s review.

Cumberbatch, who made his debut in the play earlier this month, asked fans at the stage door to put technology to “good use” and spread his message through social media, warning that future offenders would be evicted from the show.

Quentin Letts of the Daily Mail said that this was “a fine Hamlet in a patchy, occasionally puerile, production”.

While the first half belongs to the Sherlock star, the second half gives Sian Brooke (Ophelia) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Laertes) their chance to shine.

The modern dress production, directed by Lyndsey Turner, has been described as the fastest-selling play in British history but has received criticism from the start for attention-grabbing stunts.

The show, taking place at the iconic Barbican Theatre, was a sell out within minutes, breaking just about every record along the way, however, this version of the famous Shakespeare play was not met with great reviews. Lesser performers would have merely tutted, or boorishly tried to edge in, but Cumberbatch confounded all expectations by wandering off to get some cottage cheese, before returning to the now vacant spot a minute later to extract a carton of Yakult.

Awarding four stars, Dominic Cavendish wrote in the Telegraph that Cumberbatch was “a blazing, five-star Hamlet trapped in a three-star show”. However, a lot of critics have been very keen in pointing out flaws in production. Cumberbatch is an accomplished stage actor and won an Olivier Award for his performance in “Frankenstein” at the National Theatre in 2011.