Benedict Cumberbatch's "Hamlet" will be starting its official run on Aug. 25.
However, the play has earned such a massive interest that fans were willing to pay hundreds of dollars from scalpers just to see the "Sherlock" star turn into Shakespeare's tragic Danish prince on stage. Apparently, this is also causing some problems for the production.
According to the Daily Beast, fans of the actor lined up all night just to see him become arguably the most popular Shakespearean character. Those who weren't able to get tickets when it was sold online last year took chances at waiting outside the Barbican Theater for a chance to purchase one of the 30 $15.50-worth tickets released every day.
The sold out shows may be beneficial to the business side of the play but it seems that its critical reception has been affected as well.
Zap2It reported that some publications have "unashamedly ridden the wave," scrambling to publish reviews of the preview performances instead of waiting for the official opening night this Wednesday.
While the Daily Mail gave Benedict Cumberbatch's "Hamlet" five stars, The Times awarded it a harsh two-star review for a major change in the play. The low rating came from the fact that director Lindsey Turner put the tragic prince's famed "to be or not to be" speech right at the play's opening instead of act three.
According to theater-goers, the soliloquy had been moved to its original place in the third act last week.
The Times of London writer, Kat Maltby, in effect, came under fire for her supposed "unfair" judgment of a play's preview performance.
Reporters publishing premature reviews isn't the only problem that the play is facing. Overenthusiastic fans caused the Oscar-nominated actor himself to come out of the Barbican and call out viewers who filmed the play, calling the experience "mortifying" and discouraging people from bringing their cameras inside the theater.
"There's nothing less supportive or enjoyable as an actor being onstage experiencing that," he said in the fan-taken video. "And I can't give you what I want to give you, which is a live performance that you will remember hopefully in your minds and brains, whether it's good, bad or indifferent, rather than on your phones."
On the other hand, the LA Times reported that the ongoing performances were met with "a standing ovation and screams of acclamation" for Benedict Cumberbatch's outstanding performance in "Hamlet."
