Albert's Boy at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

A darkly comic and moving play, shining light on one of history’s most enduring, scientific figures and the unwilling father of a monster that the modern world is still struggling to cage.

It’s 1953. Albert Einstein is not feeling too good. His house is empty, his cat is missing and he can’t remember where he left his violin. He is slowly driving himself insane as he struggles to solve the unanswerable question: did I do the right thing?

Einstein’s torment is momentarily broken when Peter, an old family friend newly released from a Chinese POW camp, pays Albert a visit. A warm reunion soon becomes an explosive collision of opposing beliefs on the subjects of: evil; the winning of wars; and the morality of the world’s first weapon of mass destruction – the atomic bomb.

Written in 2005, Albert’s Boy was the second play written by ‘promising new playwright’ James Graham. Graham has gone on to be one of the nation’s most celebrated playwrights and screenwriters (This House; Ink; Dear England; The Crown; Quiz; Sherwood) and in 2026 won the Olivier Award for Best New Play (Punch).

A Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Daniel Schumann and Lee Dean production. With Griff Rhys Jones as Albert Einstein and Joe Absolom as Peter Bucky.

Preview Shows

Fri 26 Feb 7.30pm

Sat 27 Feb 2pm and 7.30pm

The preview performances are public performances that precede the official opening of Albert’s Boy. We use previews as an opportunity to run the show with an audience while implementing opportunities for improvement. During the preview period our actors, creative team and crew are still shaping the show, working through notes based on audience reactions.

Access Performances: Audio Described | Wed 10 March, 7:30pm

BSL Interpreted | Wed 10 March, 7:30pm

Captioned | Wed 11 March, 2pm & 7:30pm, Thursday 18 March, 2pm & 7:30pm