Plaque

Fortune Theatre - WC2

Inscription

{Above a stylised picture of two performers:}
Fortune Theatre. A 'jewel of a theatre' designed in the art deco style, and completed in 1924 on the site of the ancient Albion Tavern, haunt of actors and writers. This Fortune Theatre was named after the original in the Barbican where Shakespeare performed.

{Below picture:}
Theatreland

{Surrounded by:} 
Theatreland - heart of the performing arts in London, a joint venture by the City of Westminster and the Society of West End Theatre.

Site: Fortune Theatre - WC2 (4 memorials)

WC2, Russell Street

The SWET plaque is towards the left of the building. The blue plaque is over at the right, near the corner. The grand entrance with the wooden doors leads to Crown Court Church of Scotland.

The Leggatt plaque is in the foyer facing the entrance doors (and is highly reflective which makes it deucedly difficult to photograph). The Laurence Cowen plaque is also in the foyer, to the left of the entrance, between the two staircases. Below the Leggatt plaque is another, in the same lovely style as the Cowen plaque, but not a memorial, reading "There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune" a quote from Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar'. We wonder if this is a reference to the difficulties and delays encountered during the theatre's construction.

Sources include: What's on Stage, Chortle, Wycombe Abbey, Wikipedia, Global Herald.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Fortune Theatre - WC2

Subjects commemorated i

Albion Tavern

26 Russell Street (previously Great Russel Street).  Pubs History lists licen...

Read More

Fortune Theatre - EC1

Knowledge of London says: "One of the earliest theatres, the Fortune Theatre ...

Read More

Fortune Theatre - WC2

Designed by Ernest Schaufelberg, this was the first London theatre to be buil...

Read More

William Shakespeare

Born and died in Stratford-upon-Avon. His birth date is usually given as the ...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Fortune Theatre - WC2

Also at this site i

Fortuna figure

Fortuna figure

Known as Terpsichord/e, Fortune or Fortuna. Searching for information on thi...

Read More

Hester Leggatt

Hester Leggatt

A musical comedy 'Operation Mincemeat' with a plot based on the WW2 Operation...

Read More

Laurence Cowen

Laurence Cowen

The dates on the plaque indicate the anticipated period of construction, but ...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Druid Street arch WW2 bomb 2

Druid Street arch WW2 bomb 2

SE1, Druid Street

This is an unusual, hand-made memorial. Although it looks quite old, historic Google Street Views show that it was erected between April ...

Civilian war dead | WW2
75 subjects commemorated
London Bridge - opened

London Bridge - opened

EC3, London Bridge

The plaque is on the east side of the bridge, at about the mid point.

1 subject commemorated, 5 creators
Hackney Central Hall and Library - foundation

Hackney Central Hall and Library - foundation

E8, Mare Street, Hackney Picture House

The Hackney Central Library was opened  in 1908. It shut in the 1990s and in 1999 a new library opened in Town Hall Square, on the other ...

2 creators
London Palladium Centenary

London Palladium Centenary

W1, Argyll Street, 8

We were alerted to this plaque by The Express which had a photo (now, 2024, behind a paywall) from the unveiling and : "THE London Pallad...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Princess Alice disaster - plaque

Princess Alice disaster - plaque

IG11, Long Walk, River Road

Waymarking informs that this plaque is on the site of Creekmouth Village, overlooking the spot in the river where the tragedy took place..

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators

Previously viewed

Coutts & Co Bank

Coutts & Co Bank

Founded by Scottish goldsmith, John Campbell, who set up shop at the sign of the Three Crowns on the Strand. In 1755 James Coutts married John Campbell’s granddaughter and the Bank became known as ...

Group, Commerce

1 memorial