Fortune Theatre announces centenary celebration plans with free event

The Fortune Theatre has announced plans to mark its centenary with a public event on Friday 8 November.

To celebrate 100 years since its opening, the theatre will host a free event, welcoming visitors to explore an archive of memorabilia from its extensive history. The afternoon will include drinks, canapés, and speeches from the theatre’s general manager, Robbie Powell, and ATG Entertainment’s London business director, Andrew Rawlinson.

Built on the site of the former Albion Hotel, the Fortune Theatre was designed by architect Ernest Schaufelberg and opened on 8 November 1924 with Laurence Cowen’s play Sinners.

With a capacity of 442, it was the first theatre to be constructed in London after the First World War. The venue’s name pays tribute to the original Fortune Playhouse in Cripplegate, where Shakespeare is said to have performed, before it was destroyed by fire in 1621.

Throughout its history, the Fortune has been home to numerous notable productions. During the Second World War, it was used by the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) to provide performances for British forces. One of its most significant successes came with The Woman in Black, which ran for 33 years, making it one of the longest-running shows in West End history. The play closed in March 2023, and the theatre now houses the award-winning musical Operation Mincemeat.

The Fortune has seen performances by some of the most recognisable names in British theatre, including Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, and Alan Bennett.

It was also the home of Beyond the Fringe, which brought Peter Cook and Dudley Moore together on stage in 1960 before transferring to Broadway.

Speaking ahead of the centenary, general manager Robbie Powell said: “It is a very special moment to be celebrating the 100^th birthday of this wonderful and historic West End venue. There is so much history contained within this building, and we thought, ‘what better way to celebrate that history than letting people to delve into the archives?’ We have a collection of fascinating programmes, posters and artefacts from the shows that have performed here over the past 100 years and we wanted to give people the opportunity to have a look through.

“I think with great fondness to the millions of people this venue has welcomed through its doors and the memories that have been created over the years. We hope this celebration of our 100^th birthday marks the start of the next 100 years of stories and memories made in this venue as we welcome audiences in.

“It’s an honour to be leading this great venue into the next chapter. I look forward to being part of the team creating unforgettable experiences for our audience.”

The event will be held at the Fortune Theatre from 2pm to 5pm on Friday 8 November, and is open to the public without the need for tickets.