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Fortune Theatre, Russel Street, London, WC2

Above - The Fortune Theatre during the run of 'Woman In Black' in October 2006

The Fortune Theatre opened on the 8th November 1924 with a play called 'Sinners' by Laurence Cowen who also had the Theatre built. It was designed by Ernest Schaufelberg and built by Bovis Ltd. on the site of a public house called the Albion Tavern and was the first Theatre to be built in London after the First World War. It is Grade II Listed and the seating capacity on opening was 440. The Fortune is currently home to the phenomenally successful 'Woman in Black,' which opened at the Theatre in 1989, after first being produced at the Playhouse. In 2006 it has been running at the Fortune Theatre for over 17 years and 7000 performances.

Left - The Fortune Theatre during the run of 'Woman In Black' in October 2006 - Photo M.L.

Close to the Theatre's opening The Era printed a review of the building on October the 30th 1924 which said: 'The theatre will certainly be one of the most beautiful in London. The facade alone with its strange medieval art, is already one of the features of metropolitan architecture, and the interior decorations follow the same fresh and original note. The colour scheme of blue greys, creams, browns, red and old gold is supplemented by an almost lavish use of marble, onyx, copper and wrought iron, and the curtain is a gorgeously rich and satisfying piece of colour. Every seat has a full view of the stage, and they are all of mahogany, upholstered tastefully in dark blue leather.

Right - Programme for 'Fools Rush In' in 1946 which was the first production to be put on at the Fortune Theatre after the Second World War, during which time it had been used by E.N.S.A.

The famous Schwabe-Hazait lighting system has been installed, not only for its stage purposes, but throughout the theatre, and one of its features is that the lighting in the front of the house is by reflection; not a single lamp being visible to the eye. The entrance hall is an exceedingly handsome affair of marble and copper, and the first thing to meet the eye is the challenging inscription, 'There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.'

Above text from The ERA October 30th 1924.

The Fortune Theatre
From 'The Romance of London Theatres' by Ronald Mayes 1931

The Fortune Theatre faces the 18th century Ionic colonnade forming the portico to Drury Lane. Built by Laurance Cowen, author and playwright, it was, the first theatre to be erected in England for a period of ten years (1914-24), and in being christened the Fortune it revives the name and memories of the famous house in which Shakespeare acted.

Right - The Fortune Theatre from within the Drury Lane portico beside the stage door. Photo M.L. 06

The first Fortune theatre was built in 1600 and stood in Golden Lane, Cripplegate. This old house of so many associatons was burnt to the ground in December, 1621. The famous "Cockpit," afterwards rechristened the "Phoenix," and built about 1610, occupied the site on which the new Fortune Theatre stands. It was also on the same site that the famous "Albion" tavern stood-a haunt of the actors of the Georgian and Victorian eras.

The present building adjoins and embraces the Scottish National Church in Crown Court, for the entrance to the church in Russell Street has the theatre built over and under it. The house forms a unique and charming architectural addition to London's buildings. The frontage of the theatre is in the style of the Italian Renaissance. It has lofty walls and turrets of pale green and granite grey masonry. The quaint metal windows and doors are of original design and beautiful craftsmanship.

Right - The Fortune Theatre in the 1930s from a Programme for the Lewisham Hippodrome1931.

Left - Slip inside 'Fools Rush In' Programme of 1946 advertising shows currently playing in London's West End.

The auditorium provides accommodation for between six and seven hundred persons; there are three floors to the theatre. The stage is as large as those of theatres of double the holding capacity. The electric lighting is most complete and extensive, the famous Schwabe-Hazait system being used throughout. The lighting in the auditorium is entirely concealed and gives the illusion of daylight. All seats have a full view of the stage; side seats are eliminated. The acoustics of the theatre are perfect, the stage shaping like a trumpet mouth into the auditorium. Particularly handsome is the marble and copper entrance to the house. Just inside the doors there is a wall plaque on which one reads the inscription: "There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to Fortune."

Right - Slip inside 'Fools Rush In' Programme of 1946 advertising shows currently playing in London's West End.

This theatre, which took nearly two years to construct - more than twice the time contemplated by the contractors - was first opened under the management of Miss Ida Molesworth and her husband, Captain Templer Powell, with a play by Mr. Cowen, entitled "Sinners." The cast of this play included Mr. William Lorrimer and Mr. H. A. Saintsbury.

A new enterprise called "The People's Theatre" has been recently started at this house, for which Mr. J. T. Grein and Miss Nancy Price are responsible. They have produced "The Man from Blankleys," a farcical comedy by Mr. Anstey. The play was well cast and produced and very much enjoyed by the audience.

The theatre has been brought into prominence recently on account of the amazing spiritualistic services being held there on Sundays. The discovery of the leading trance medium of the world has created a sensation.

Above text from 'The Romance of London Theatres' by Ronald Mayes - From a Programme for the Lewisham Hippodrome1931.

London's West End Theatres

Adelphi Aldwych Apollo Apollo Victoria Arts Cambridge Comedy Criterion Dominion Drury Lane Duchess Duke Of Yorks Fortune Garrick Gielgud Haymarket Her Majesty's London Coliseum London Palladium Lyceum Lyric New Ambassadors New London Noel Coward / Albery Novello Old Vic Palace Peacock Phoenix Piccadilly Playhouse Prince Edward Prince of Wales Queen's Royal Opera House Savoy Shaftesbury St. Martin's Trafalgar Studios / Whitehall Vaudeville Victoria Palace Wyndham's