Powell made her debut as Alicia in "Jane Shore" to mixed reviews in 1787, but her name was uncreditted. She came to notice when she appeared at the Haymarket Theatre in the 1780s under the name of "Mrs Farmer" or "Mrs Palmer" as the papers failed to agree.[1]
She is thought to be the first woman to take the title role of Hamlet in London in 1796 when she appeared at Drury Lane.[2] She then took the role of Edmunda in Vortigern and Rowena after Sarah Siddons refused the role. The newly discovered play that was said to be by Shakespeare proved to be a forgery.[3]
Mrs Powell had a benefit at Drury Lane on 2 May 1795 when she played Young Norval. This role was recorded in Norval's death scene from Act V in a painting by Samuel De Wilde.[4] Samuel De Wilde had made a painting of her as Mary Queen of Scots and another of her as Boadicea. However the Garrick Club who own the paintings say that she never appeared in those roles in London.[5]
Up to 1811 she was a regular at Drury Lane Theatre until she moved her allegiance to the Covent Garden Theatre. In 1812 her husband died and the following year she married John James Renaud and became Mrs Renaud. In 1814 the marriage was over but she kept the new name.[3]
In 1818 she moved to Edinburgh when she enjoyed being cast in leading productions.[3]
Powell died in London at the end of 1831.[6] It was said that she was still being paid two pounds a week by her manager in Edinburgh.[3]
^"CollectionsOnline | Name". garrick.ssl.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
^Howard, Tony (2007). Women as Hamlet : performance and interpretation in theatre, film and literature (1. publ. ed.). Cambridge [u.a.]: Cambridge Univ. Press. p. 39. ISBN978-0521864664.
^ abcdCrouch, K. A. (23 September 2004). "Powell [Renaud], Jane (c. 1761–1831), actress". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/22641. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"CollectionsOnline | G0691". garrick.ssl.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
^"CollectionsOnline | G0689". garrick.ssl.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
^The Annual Biography and Obituary, Volume 17. 1833. p. 451.
Bibliography
Burnim, Kalman A. & Highfill, Philip H. John Bell, Patron of British Theatrical Portraiture: A Catalog of the Theatrical Portraits in His Editions of Bell's Shakespeare and Bell's British Theatre. SIU Press, 1998.
Howard, Tony. Women as Hamlet: Performance and Interpretation in Theatre, Film and Fiction. Cambridge University Press, 2007.
December 28, 2022
powell, earlier, actress, known, this, name, mary, powell, actress, jane, powell, 1761, december, 1831, british, actress, also, known, renaud, farmer, jane, powellas, boadicea, samuel, wildebornc, 1761cranbrook, kentdied31, december, 1831londonnationalitybriti. For the earlier actress known by this name see Mary Powell actress Jane Powell or Mrs Powell c 1761 31 December 1831 was a British actress She was also known as Mrs Renaud and Mrs Farmer Jane Powellas Boadicea by Samuel De WildeBornc 1761Cranbrook KentDied31 December 1831LondonNationalityBritishOther namesMrs Farmer Mrs RenaudKnown forActingSpouseMr Powell Contents 1 Life 2 Selected roles 3 References 4 BibliographyLife EditPowell made her debut as Alicia in Jane Shore to mixed reviews in 1787 but her name was uncreditted She came to notice when she appeared at the Haymarket Theatre in the 1780s under the name of Mrs Farmer or Mrs Palmer as the papers failed to agree 1 She is thought to be the first woman to take the title role of Hamlet in London in 1796 when she appeared at Drury Lane 2 She then took the role of Edmunda in Vortigern and Rowena after Sarah Siddons refused the role The newly discovered play that was said to be by Shakespeare proved to be a forgery 3 Mrs Powell had a benefit at Drury Lane on 2 May 1795 when she played Young Norval This role was recorded in Norval s death scene from Act V in a painting by Samuel De Wilde 4 Samuel De Wilde had made a painting of her as Mary Queen of Scots and another of her as Boadicea However the Garrick Club who own the paintings say that she never appeared in those roles in London 5 A Cruikshank cartoon satirising the Duke of Cumberland s love for Mrs Powell Up to 1811 she was a regular at Drury Lane Theatre until she moved her allegiance to the Covent Garden Theatre In 1812 her husband died and the following year she married John James Renaud and became Mrs Renaud In 1814 the marriage was over but she kept the new name 3 In 1818 she moved to Edinburgh when she enjoyed being cast in leading productions 3 Powell died in London at the end of 1831 6 It was said that she was still being paid two pounds a week by her manager in Edinburgh 3 Selected roles EditMarcella in Marcella by William Hayley 1789 Cornelia in The Conspiracy by Robert Jephson 1796 Hamlet in Hamlet by William Shakespeare 1796 Victoria in Almeyda Queen of Granada by Sophia Lee 1796 Evelina in The Castle Spectre by Matthew Lewis 1797 References Edit CollectionsOnline Name garrick ssl co uk Retrieved 2 July 2018 Howard Tony 2007 Women as Hamlet performance and interpretation in theatre film and literature 1 publ ed Cambridge u a Cambridge Univ Press p 39 ISBN 978 0521864664 a b c d Crouch K A 23 September 2004 Powell Renaud Jane c 1761 1831 actress Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 22641 Subscription or UK public library membership required CollectionsOnline G0691 garrick ssl co uk Retrieved 2 July 2018 CollectionsOnline G0689 garrick ssl co uk Retrieved 2 July 2018 The Annual Biography and Obituary Volume 17 1833 p 451 Bibliography EditBurnim Kalman A amp Highfill Philip H John Bell Patron of British Theatrical Portraiture A Catalog of the Theatrical Portraits in His Editions of Bell s Shakespeare and Bell s British Theatre SIU Press 1998 Howard Tony Women as Hamlet Performance and Interpretation in Theatre Film and Fiction Cambridge University Press 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mrs Powell amp oldid 1112198240, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
