EastEnders’ original Martin Fowler actor launches his own theatre 18 years after leaving Albert Square

THE histrion who primitively played Martin Fowler has launched his precise ain theatre successful the West End 18 years aft leaving Albert Square.

James Alexandrou played Martin, the lad of Pauline and Arthur Fowler, from 1996 to 2006, taking implicit from Jon Peynton-Price.

His explosive storylines saw him begetter a babe with Sonia Jackson (Natalie Cassidy), spell disconnected the rails, and termination Jamie Mitchell and Jack Ryder.

He near successful 2007 and was replaced by the existent Martin Fowler, James Bye.

But 18 years later, helium has swapped the East End for the West End arsenic helium opens up his ain theatre Playhouse East - a brand-new venue dedicated to creating groundbreaking enactment successful theatre, music, and film.

News of the caller theatre was confirmed connected his Actor's East Instagram page, with a station saying: "After 10 months of gathering works, we’re thrilled to denote the opening of our brand-new theatre, Playhouse East!

On his idiosyncratic relationship helium said: "My woman and I, on with a postulation of moments and lunatics who are successful connected this thrust with us, are gathering something. We’re making tons of mistakes and learning a lot.

"The information is, there’s ne'er been a flood of radical moving astatine maine to springiness maine work. I’ve mostly had to make my own. And now, I’m gathering my ain small theatre truthful I tin make enactment wrong it.

"An unthinkable byproduct of that is inviting others to rent studios from me—people who are connected their ain astonishing originative journeys, from filmmakers to dependable designers, sunglasses designers to prop makers.

"We’re tired, broke, and satisfied. There’s truthful overmuch to archer and share.

"We are rehoming @actorseast wrong our caller gathering @playhouseeast.

"After the nonaccomplishment of a treasured subordinate of our acting workplace this year, it feels similar there’s rebuilding to bash wrong our assemblage arsenic well.

"I’ve besides started a post-audio accumulation institution and studios for hire, @rumble.post, with 2 of the astir fantabulous and incredibly talented dependable designers: @dan.hibbert and @olivermapp. It includes dependable editing studios and a Dolby Atmos dubbing theatre."

He personally named friends who had helped them on the travel and paid tribute to his wife.

The archetypal amusement the theatre volition enactment connected is Casserole, directed by James and written by him, Kate Kelly Flood, and Dom Morgan.

This is Actors East's archetypal play, and it is described arsenic a blisteringly comic and emotionally earthy one-act play that looks astatine however grief causes radical to fell from 1 different successful a relationship.

The Actors East Instagram station added: "To celebrate, we’re bringing backmost the critically acclaimed, triple Offie-nominated show, Casserole, caller from its celebrated tally astatine the Arcola Theatre earlier this year, for an exclusive one-week tally lone from December 13-20."

Fans welcomed the quality of the caller amusement and the theatre opening with 1 saying: "Brilliant news, what a show."

Another said, "Brilliant stuff. I person nary uncertainty this volition beryllium amazing, and I look guardant to jumping successful and performing there, too."

A 3rd said, "Thank you for each you person each done—a genuinely MIGHTY feat. I look guardant to collaborating precise soon."