Fortune Theatre, London
The Fortune Theatre is on Russell Street in Covent Garden, opposite Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and Operation Mincemeat plays here. With 433 seats over three levels, it's one of the smallest theatres in the West End.
The short answer on seats: the middle of the Stalls, rows C to G. The stage here is quite high, so the very front rows have you looking up at it rather than into it, and the front of the Stalls isn't the prize it usually is.
The legroom is tight, and tightest in the Dress Circle and the Upper Circle, where anyone much over 5ft 5 should try for an aisle seat.
Each level has its own page: the Stalls, the Dress Circle, the Upper Circle and the Boxes, with all of them together on the seating plan. After those come how to get here, access and the bars, restaurants, bars and hotels nearby and the theatre's history, including what happened to The Woman in Black.
Quick facts
- Address: 29 Russell Street, London WC2B 5HH
- Nearest tube: Covent Garden, 5 to 6 minutes
- Capacity: 433 seats, plus 12 standing places
- Levels: Stalls, Dress Circle and Upper Circle, plus two Boxes
- Doors: 90 minutes before the show, the auditorium 30. Arrive 15 to 20 minutes before, no later
- Box Office: Monday to Saturday, 10am to 8:15pm. Closed Sunday
- Run by: ATG
What's On at the Fortune Theatre
Operation Mincemeat is booking here until 29 May 2027, a date that has moved on before as the run was extended. It's the true story of a Second World War deception plan, told as a musical comedy, and five performers play every part. It has won the Olivier for Best New Musical and a Tony on Broadway.
It plays Monday to Saturday at 7:30pm, plus 3pm matinees on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and there's no show on a Sunday. Allow 2 hours 35 minutes, including a 20-minute interval. The recommended age is 5 and over.
Ticket prices
There are three prices, and the way they're split works in your favour if you book early.
The Dress Circle is all at around £100, and so is most of the Stalls and a good part of the Upper Circle. Around £160 buys one of the premium seats, and there aren't many of them. Some Upper Circle seats are a bit cheaper, at around £60.
That middle band is the thing to notice. A £100 ticket can be a good Dress Circle seat or a seat up in the Upper Circle, and which one you get depends mostly on how far ahead you book. Book early and you take the best of that band. Leave it late and you pay the same money for the worst of it.
Weekends cost more, but not evenly: around £10 more on the cheapest seats and around £15 more on the premium ones. The standard band, which is most of the theatre, costs the same whatever day you come.
All-in pricing, the price you see is what you pay.
Book Fortune Theatre tickets
All-in pricing, the price you see is what you pay.
Fortune Theatre FAQs
How many seats does the Fortune Theatre have?
433 seats, plus 12 standing places at the back of the Upper Circle, so a full night means 445 people. By level, the Upper Circle has 124 seats, the Dress Circle 109 and the Stalls 200.
Is The Woman in Black still on at the Fortune Theatre?
No. It closed on 4 March 2023 after 33 years and more than 13,000 performances here, and it isn't currently playing in the West End. Operation Mincemeat moved in three weeks later and has been here ever since.
Is there a dress code?
There isn't one, so wear whatever you feel comfortable in. People come in everything from suits to jeans. The thing worth thinking about is layers: there's air conditioning, but the theatre does get hot, and in a building this small there's less control over it.
Can I bring a bag?
Bring a small one. There may be bag checks at the door, and suitcases, rucksacks and large bags aren't allowed in. There's a cloakroom in the Stalls bar, but it's very limited, as you'd expect in a theatre this small, and it can't take a suitcase.
Can I buy tickets at the Box Office?
Yes, if there's anything left. You'll find it on the right as you come in, open from 10am to 8:15pm, Monday to Saturday, and shut on Sundays. In the hour before a show it sells only for that show.
Can I book by phone?
Yes. Call us on 020 7193 9050 and we'll tell you what's actually free on your date, which part of the £100 band is still good, and whether a seat is worth the step up to premium.
Do you do group bookings?
Yes. Call us on 020 7193 9050 with your date and the size of the group, and we'll find you seats together.