Actress. Born in Exeter,  England, she made her first stage appearance at the age of fifteen in Margate theatre, playing Phoebe in “As You Like it”. After moving to London, she first appeared on the West End stage, when she was only sixteen, playing the White Queen and Jack of Hearts in a revival of “Alice in Wonderland”. In Autumn of 1889, she joined the company of actor/manager John L. Toole, where she remained for the next four years, which included a tour of Australasia. On her return to London, continually in demand, she was constantly working, appearing in many successful plays. In 1901, she married Dion Boucicault, the actor, director and playwright who was the son of the celebrated Irish Actor and playwright of the same name and the famous Scottish actress, Agnes Robertson. Unlike many other actresses of the time, Irene took no break from her career following her marriage, but remained constantly active upon the stage, often appearing with her husband. In 1902 she was contracted by Charles Frohman under whose management she would remain for the next thirteen years. This association brought her many memorable parts, most notably that of Lady Mary in the first production of Barrie’s “The Admirable Crichton” at the Duke of York’s Theatre which opened in November 1902 and ran for over 800 performances. She remained in regular employment until after the Second World War – including a tour of South Africa and further tours of Australia and New Zealand. In the mid-1930’s she appeared in a number of films (having first appeared on celluloid during the war), and in the 1941 New Years Honours was created a Dame of the British Empire for her services to the theatre. She published her autobiography “To Tell My Story” in 1948, a year before her death. (bio by: julia&keld)  Family links:  Spouse:  Dion Boucicault (1859 – 1929)* *Calculated relationship