Irene Vanbrugh

Who was Irene Vanbrugh?

Dame Irene Vanbrugh DBE was an English actress. The daughter of a clergyman, Vanbrugh followed her elder sister Violet into the theatrical profession, and sustained a career for more than 50 years.

In her early days as a leading lady, she was particularly associated with the plays of Arthur Wing Pinero, and she later had parts written for her by J. M. Barrie, Bernard Shaw, Somerset Maugham, A. A. Milne and Noël Coward. More famous in comedy than in serious roles, Vanbrugh nevertheless played a number of the latter both in modern works and in the classics. Her stage debut was playing Shakespeare, but she seldom acted in his works later in her career; exceptions were her Queen Gertrude in Hamlet in 1931, and her Meg Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor opposite her sister Violet as Alice Ford in 1937.

Vanbrugh appeared frequently in fund-raising shows for various charities. She was concerned over many years in the support of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, of which her brother was principal. After her death the new theatre attached to the academy was named The Vanbrugh Theatre in honour of her and her sister.