Benedict Cumberbatch stuns Hamlet audience with f-word plea to government at Barbican

Benedict Cumberbatch shocked theatregoers by launching an impassioned – and foul-mouthed – attack at politicians’ response to the refugee crisis.

The Sherlock star has used his starring role in Shakespeare’s Hamlet to appeal for audience members at London’s Barbican Centre to donate money to help alleviate the refugee crisis.

After his performance as Hamlet on Tuesday, he criticised the government’s response to the crisis unfolding in the Middle East and across Europe as an “utter disgrace”, the Daily Mail reported.

And as he urged people to leave donations in buckets provided at the theatre, he reportedly stunned the audience by shouting: “F*** the politicians.”

One theatregoer told the Mail: “It was all very impassioned.He began by reading out a poem called Home by [Somali poet] Warsan Shire.

"He then spoke about a friend who had come back from the Greek island of Lesbos a few months ago, where there were 5,000 people arriving a day, and how the [British] government was allowing just 20,000 refugees into the country over the next five years."

The theatregoer added: "Then, out of nowhere came this 'F*** the politicians' remark.

"It’s not quite what you’d expect when you go for an evening with the Bard, but it got a few cheers."

Schoolchildren were reportedly among the audience at the Barbican on Tuesday, days before Cumberbatch’s starring role in the production was due to come to an end.

Other audiences have praised the actor for his impassioned pleas at the end of his performances.

Cumberbatch has repeatedly spoken out on the refugee crisis and recently introduced a Crowded House song, Help is Coming, which is being re-released in a bid to raise money to tackle the situation.