Fortune Theatre

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Fortune Theatre, London

For New Zealand theatre, see Fortune Theatre (New Zealand). For the historic London theatre, see Fortune Playhouse.

Fortune Theatre is the name of a 432 seat West End theatre in Russell Street, near Covent Garden. It is Grade II listed, and situated next to Crown Court Church and opposite the Theatre Royal. It was the first theatre to be built in London after the end of World War I.

The theatre opened, as the Fortune Thriller Theatre on August 8th, 1924, with Sinners by Lawrence Cowen. An author and playwright, Cowen commissioned the theatre in an Italianate style, that stands on the site of the old Albion Tavern, a public house that was frequented by Georgian and Victorian actors. On this site had once stood the historic Cockpit Theatre.

During World War II, the theatre hosted performances by ENSA, entertainers drawn from the armed forces. Since the war, the theatre has been a receiving house, with actors such as Dame Judi Dench, Dirk Bogarde and Maureen Lipman appearing. The Fortune also hosted shows from Flanders and Swann and Beyond the Fringe.

Since 1989 the theatre has hosted the long running play The Woman in Black, which was adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from the book of the same name by Susan Hill. A celebration was held in 2001 to mark the 5000th performance.

With 432 seats in the auditorium, it is believed to be the second smallest West End theatre.

The theatre's famous figurine (perched high above the entrance) was sculpted by the Bromsgrove Guild, a noted company of artisans from Worcestershire.

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The Fortune Theatre, Russell Street.
Russel Street Theatre History

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