Building    From 8/11/1924 

Fortune Theatre - WC2

Categories: Theatre

Designed by Ernest Schaufelberg, this was the first London theatre to be built after the end of WW1, and one of the first buildings in London to to use ferro-concrete construction. Built on the site of the Albion tavern. Due to a right of way the passage to the Crown Court Church of Scotland is buried in the fabric of the theatre, on the south-west side. One of the smaller theatres in London, it was commissioned by Laurence Cowen who also wrote the opening play, Sinners!, which sadly ran for only 2 weeks. 'Beyond The Fringe' initially ran here.

Originally named the Fortune Thriller Theatre, possibly after the Fortune Theatre in EC1. Some sources give August as the opening month but Arthur Lloyd convincingly gives November.

Sources include: Theatre-Tickets.

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 memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Fortune Theatre - WC2

Commemorated ati

Fortune Theatre - WC2

{Above a stylised picture of two performers:} Fortune Theatre. A 'jewel of a ...

Read More

Laurence Cowen

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

Read More

Other Subjects

Carlo Gatti

Carlo Gatti

Cafe owner and ice-dealer. Born Switzerland. Arrived in England in July 1847. Built up a French-style cafe business. In the 1850s he became the first seller of ice-cream to the masses. He had owned...

Person, Commerce, Food & Drink, Theatre, Switzerland

1 memorial
John Inman

John Inman

Actor. Born Frederick John Inman in Preston Lancashire. He made his stage debut at the age of 13. First appeared on television in the 1960s and achieved fame at home and eventually worldwide as the...

Person, Humour, Theatre, TV & Radio

1 memorial
T. E. Collcutt

T. E. Collcutt

Architect. Born Thomas Edward Collcutt, in Jericho, Oxford. President of the Royal Institute of British Architects from 1906 to 1908. He designed the Imperial Institute building in Kensington, the ...

Person, Architecture, Theatre

1 memorial
W. S. Gilbert

W. S. Gilbert

Playwright, lyricist & poet. Born 17 Southampton Street as William Schwenck Gilbert. The Savoy Operas were written by Gilbert, with Sullivan providing the music and Richard D'Oyly Carte providi...

Person, Music / songs, Poetry, Seriously Famous, Theatre

7 memorials
Southbank Centre

Southbank Centre

Arts centre. Oversees the Hayward Gallery, the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Saison Poetry Library, and the Arts Council Collection.

Group, Music / songs, Theatre

2 memorials

Previously viewed

R. Barlow
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
W. Barnet
War dead, WW1
1 memorial