Press Releases

AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP BUYS THE FORTUNE THEATRE

Issued : 17 December 2001

The second largest theatre owning group in the West End, and separately, in the regions, the Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd (ATG) today (Monday 17 December) bought the freehold of the Fortune Theatre in Russell Street WC2, and will take over the management of the theatre.

The Fortune Theatre, built in 1924 from an Ernest Schaufelberg design with a capacity of 440, was the first completely new theatre to be constructed in the West End after the First World War. During the Second World War it was used by ENSA, the Forces’ entertainment service, and it then hosted Michael Flanders and Donald Swann’s hugely popular show At The Drop Of A Hat. In the 1960s Jonathan Miller, Peter Cook, Alan Bennett and Dudley Moore presented the seminal satirical show Beyond the Fringe at the theatre.

For the past 12 years, the Fortune Theatre has been host to one of the most successful and longest-running spine-chillers ever staged in the West End – The Woman In Black, adapted by Stephen Mallatrat from the book by Susan Hill. Over two million people have seen the play which is produced by PW Productions Ltd, owned by renowned West End producer Peter Wilson. In a separate deal, ATG and Peter Wilson recently formed a new production company, Peter Wilson Theatre Company, to focus on the development of ATG productions in the West End and for national and international tours.

Rosemary Squire, ATG’s Executive Director said “We are delighted to be taking this historic theatre and its staff into a new and exciting future, building on the success already achieved with The Woman In Black.”

Paul Gane, Artistic Director at the Fortune Theatre said “After almost 20 years at the Fortune this is a significant step forward for this jewel of a theatre. I am delighted that ATG will be its new owner.”

This is the first West End theatre to join ATG since the company took over seven theatres in April 2000. The Fortune Theatre joins the Albery, Comedy, Donmar Warehouse, Duke of York’s, New Ambassadors, Phoenix, Piccadilly, Whitehall and Wyndham’s. In addition the company manages the New Victoria Theatre and a 6 screen multiplex cinema in Woking; Richmond Theatre in London; the Theatre Royal in Brighton; the Churchill Theatre in Bromley; the Victoria Hall and Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent; and Milton Keynes Theatre.

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