The Roman Goddess Fortuna promised riches and abundance rewarding those with joyful intentions with success and prosperity. A  statue of Fortuna graced the entrance of the Fortune. The location of the Fortune Theatre was in Golding Lane in Cripplegate in the Liberty of Finsbury, North of London, which was outside the jurisdiction of the City, its Lord Mayor and the Corporation of London. The Fortune Theatre was built by the builder Peter Street, who had also built the Globe Theatre for the Burbages. The Fortune was built to compete with the Globe as the most luxurious public playhouse ever built. The building contract still survives and details the following:

• Features to be built "according to the manner and fashion of the said house called the Globe”
• The shape of the Fortune Elizabethan Theatre was to be rectangular
• Specifications also included, perhaps reflecting the actor Edward Alleyn's wishing to improve the actors working conditions.
  • a circular, open yard
  • the rectangular stage was to be covered with a roof
  • the dimensions of the stage were 43 feet wide by 27.5 feet
  • a 'tiring house'
  • gentlemen's rooms
  • twopenny rooms
  • the original Fortune cost £520
  • the second, brick built Fortune Theatre cost £1100

The Fortune Amphitheatre - Elizabethan Theatre
The other known facts about the Fortune, which was used as one of the massive amphitheatre venues for early English Elizabethan Theatre, are as follows:

• London Location of the Fortune - Golding Lane, Cripplegate
• The Fortune was opened in 1600
• The theatrical entrepreneur involved with the Fortune was Philip Henslowe and Edward Alleyn
• The Admiral's men acting troupe played at the Fortune theatre
• Destroyed by fire in 1621
• Rebuilt in brick (first brick-built theatre ever constructed) and re-opened in 1623
• Fortune Theatre was closed by Puritans in 1642
• Fortune was demolished in 1661
• The Fortune was one of the 12 massive amphitheatres, including the Globe Theatre, which were built around the City of London
• the site of the old Fortune Theatre is now marked by Playhouse Yard (Central Street)

Fortune Elizabethan Theatre Location - the Liberties
The City of London Authorities had imposed strict regulations on the Inn-yards which provided venues for theatrical productions in 1574. Moving just outside the city boundaries to the Liberties allowed unregulated activities. The 'Liberties' were areas outside the City of London  notorious for rogues, vagabonds, thieves, brothels, stews, taverns and bear and bull baiting pits. The Liberty of Southwark was extremely popular  where the city quarantined, but also permitted, these dubious pursuits of pleasure. The Elizabethan theatres were therefore viewed as subversive institutions which were linked by a disregard for laws and regulations  together with their close proximity to the forbidden pleasures of the Liberties.

The Fortune
The Fortune was used as a venue for Elizabethan plays, replacing the Inn-yard venues. The  purpose built Elizabethan Amphitheatres in London such as the Fortune were used during the summer months and transferred to the indoor playhouses during the winter.