Donald Albery

He was born into a theatrical family, with his father being the director Sir Bronson James Albery.[2] His first job was to manage Sadler's Wells Ballet during the air raids of World War II.[2] When he launched his own Donmar company in 1953 he championed plays by Graham Greene, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, Jean Anouilh, and an adaptation by J. B. Priestley of an Iris Murdoch novel.[3]

Though he was always commercially minded, his spirit of adventure endured with the first London production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot and sponsorship of Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop. In 1961, Albery, in collaboration with William Donaldson, produced Beyond the Fringe in London and, in 1962, in New York.[2]

From 1964 to 1968, Albery served as director and administrator of the London Festival Ballet.[1]

Albery was knighted in 1977 for his services to the theatre.[2]

In 1982, Albery added his archive to the British theatre holdings of the Harry Ransom Center. Records include correspondence, legal and financial documents, scripts, sound recordings, prompt books, manuscript and printed music scores and parts, and printed and publicity materials such as clippings, programmes, playbills, posters, proofs and tickets concerning the theatrical productions and business affairs of Wyndham's Theatres Ltd., The Piccadilly Theatre Ltd., Sadler's Wells Theatre, the Royal Ballet, and the touring productions of the Festival Ballet.[4]

Albery was married three times.[3]

1. In 1934 he married Rubina Macgilchrist (injured in an air raid, and died 1956); they were divorced in 1946, having had a son, Ian Bronson Albery.
2. In 1946 he married Cicely Margaret Heather Boys, daughter of the army officer Reginald Harvey Henderson Boys; they were divorced in 1974, and had three children including Nicholas Bronson Albery and Tim Albery.[5]
3. In 1974 he married Nobuko Uenishi Morris.