Building    From 1600  To 1649

Fortune Theatre - EC1

Categories: Theatre

Knowledge of London says: "One of the earliest theatres, the Fortune Theatre . . . was first opened in 1600 by Philip Henslowe and Edward Allen. It burnt down in 1621 and was rebuilt soon afterwards only to be destroyed again by fire in 1649 only this time deliberately by a fanatical Puritan soldier."

This was clearly a theatrical area, since, nearby on the corner of Fortune Street and Golden Lane was a Nursery - a training school for young actors. Samuel Pepys’ diary entry for 2nd August 1664 reads :
"I chanced to sit by Tom Killigrew {a dramatist and theatre manager}, who tells me that he is setting up a Nursery; that is, is going to build a house in Moorefields, wherein he will have common plays acted. But four operas it shall have in the year, to act six weeks at a time; where we shall have the best scenes and machines, the best musique, and every thing as magnificent as is in Christendome; and to that end hath sent for voices and painters and other persons from Italy".

The Fortune Theatre in WC2 was named after this one.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Fortune Theatre - EC1

Commemorated ati

Fortune Theatre

Good master Edward Alleyn's Fortune Theatre stood on a site near here in 1600.

Read More

Fortune Theatre - WC2

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

Read More

Other Subjects

Tunnel Trench - play

Tunnel Trench - play

A war play by Hubert Griffith, set in WW1. Shown as a ITV Play of the Week in 1963. This play opened The Duchess Theartre in 1929.

Fiction, Fictional, Theatre

1 memorial
Robert Harbin

Robert Harbin

Magician-inventor, origami pioneer. Born as Ned Williams in South Africa. Came to London aged 20. Credited with introducing origami to this country. Throughout the 1960s he had his own TV show 'Pap...

Person, Theatre, South Africa

1 memorial
Jessie Matthews, OBE

Jessie Matthews, OBE

Actor, singer and dancer. Born into a large family in Berwick Street.  Made her name in theatre and in the 30's was Britain's favourite musical film star.  Post-war her career flagged but in 1963 s...

Person, Cinema, Dance, Music / songs, Theatre, TV & Radio

2 memorials
Redgrave family

Redgrave family

The acting dynasty, fully documented at Wikipedia. The photo shows, left to right: Lynn Redgrave, Jemma Redgrave, Corin Redgrave, Corin's wife Kika Markham, Luke Redgrave, Annabel Clark (Lynn's da...

Group, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Theatre

1 memorial
Rupert D‘Oyly Carte

Rupert D‘Oyly Carte

Son of Helen and Richard D‘Oyly Carte. Chairman of the company 1901 - 1948 - through both World Wars. Father of Bridget. Wodehouse supposedly based Psmith, one of his characters, on Rupert, or p...

Person, Commerce, Music / songs, Theatre

1 memorial