The Fortune Theatre
THE FORTUNE THEATRE, RUSSELL STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1250985
- Date first listed:
- 23-May-1994
- List Entry Name:
- The Fortune Theatre
- Statutory Address:
- THE FORTUNE THEATRE, RUSSELL STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2006-05-02
- Reference:
- IOE01/15476/10
- Rights:
- © Mr Anthony Rau. Source: Historic England Archive
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Official list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1250985
- Date first listed:
- 23-May-1994
- List Entry Name:
- The Fortune Theatre
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE FORTUNE THEATRE, RUSSELL STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE FORTUNE THEATRE, RUSSELL STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- City of Westminster (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 30501 81046
Details
TQ 3081 SW RUSSELL, STREET (north-west side) 1900-/59/10035 The Fortune Theatre
GV II
Theatre. 1922-4 by Ernest Schaufelberg for Laurence Cowen, impressario. Reinforced concrete on concrete frame, bush hammered and with panels of different aggregates, as is still exposed at ground-floor level. Brick facings to uppermost floor, brick stacks, complex pantiled roof over attic offices behind parapet, flat roof with lantern over stage. Auditorium for 400 people in stalls, circle, four boxes and balcony with foyers on each floor and reached via tiny vestibule; proscenium-arched stage with dressing rooms and offices extending over four floors on the street elevations. Asymmetrical elevation to Russell Street around central arched opening over entrance, topped with statue of 'Terpsichore' by M H Crichton. Regular glazing pattern of metal lozenge-pattern windows, those to attic floor between brick piers. Staircase tower to left over entrance to Church of Scotland (q.v., Crown Court), and canopy over ground floor. Double entrance doors with elaborate bronze glazing and marbled panels. Side elevation with metal windows in canted bays set between square metal lozenge-pattern openings and tall staircase towers; five pairs of double exit doors to ground floor between bush hammered panels.
The foyer is lined in grey and red marble, and has an elaborate ticket booth of beaten copper. Double doors with bronze panes, bronze plaques and uplighter on the stairs; copper handrail to stalls stairs. Stalls sunk below ground level, the upper levels reached through complex series of pass doors. Auditorium walls are simply panelled, with saw-tooth mouldings to balcony and box fronts, and as vertical ribs ending in complex set-backs between boxes and balconies. Handsome bronze rails to box and balcony fronts. Ceiling a series of interconnecting circles in moulded surround, and set back with square metal panels over upper balcony. Fitted bench seats at side of rear stalls an unusual feature. Included as the first theatre erected after the First World War in Britain, using new materials and in a new, Germanic style not generally adopted until the 1930s. Only Wembley stadium pre-dates it as a public building designed using concrete as an exposed and textured decorative facade; the concrete is set off by marble and fine metalwork in the interior.
Listing NGR: TQ3050281050
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 433546
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 10-Jun-2026 at 10:06:41.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.