|
ABOUT THE FORTUNE THEATRE
Once described as ¨the most intimate of theatres¨, the Fortune Theatre first opened in November 1924 - although not after taking twice as long to build as originally planned. This small theatre, designed by the architect Ernest Schaufelberg, was the first West End theatre to be constructed after WWI, built on the site of the Albion Tavern, and it seats just over 400 people on three levels.
Located on Russell Street in Covent Garden, ever so slightly dwarfed by its giant neighbour the Drury Lane Theatre, this intimate theatre is next door to the Scottish National Church, with who the theatre shares a hanging freehold and whose corridor runs along one side of the theatres´ auditorium (not to mention that the stalls level is under it, the dress circle alongside of it and the upper circle above it). The theatre opened with a play by Laurence Cowan, ironically titled ´Sinners´ - however the run only lasted 2 weeks. During the 1930´s it staged many amateur productions and during WWII the venue was utilised by ENSA, the concert party corp for the Forces.
Following major renovations in 1960, the Fortune has housed some impressive productions over the years and many a star, such as Dame Judi Dench, Dirk Bogarde and Maureen Lipman, have worked its stage. 1961 saw the critically acclaimed production ´Beyond The Fringe´ beat the boards for some 1,184 performances with the original cast of Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Jonathan Miller.
Many other plays have enjoyed successful runs at the Fortune however the West End thriller ´The Woman in Black´, based on the novel by Susan Hill, transferred to the Fortune in June 1989 and this brilliant play is still the current production at the Fortune Theatre. The theatre celebrated 5,000 performances of this show in July 2001 with a fiesta that, according to all that attended, was an unforgettable event. Clearly this show is a must see.
Covent Garden underground station and Charing Cross rail station are the closest to the theatre.
When purchasing tickets for mainstream theatre productions, it is important to keep the following in mind.
The cheapest way to buy tickets is to buy directly from the theatres´ box office where the show is playing. Or, purchase your tickets from the ´Half Price Ticket Booth´ (AKA ´tkts´) located in Leicester Square, where they sell ´on the day´ tickets for all of the West End shows at a discount rate. The booth is open Monday to Saturday from 10am - 7pm and Sundays from 12pm - 3.30pm. There is a service fee of £2.50 per ticket and a maximum of 4 tickets per person. Avoid touts hanging about the theatres and any other ticket agencies around the West End that appear a little dodgy as tickets may not be legitimate. Always ask if your seat is in a restricted viewing area. You can also purchase a theatre and hotel package which saves money all round.
However, the best thing to do if you have your heart set on seeing a particular show is to book ahead. You will be guaranteed a good seat, a great view and a fab night out.
|
Search London
Russell Street, London, UK WC2B 5HH