Plaque

Laurence Cowen

Inscription

The Fortune
This theatre owes its inception and erection to Laurence Cowen, author and playwright, January 1923 - March 1924.
Builders: Bovis Limited

The dates on the plaque indicate the anticipated period of construction, but in the event the theatre did not open until November 1924.

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

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Laurence Cowen

Subjects commemorated i

Fortune Theatre - WC2

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

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Bovis Ltd

Contractors active 1926.

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Laurence Cowen

Scriptwriter, playwright, film and theatre director, and author. Born Laurenc...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Laurence Cowen

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Fortuna figure

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Fortune Theatre - WC2

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Hester Leggatt

Hester Leggatt

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