Mrs Powell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Powell
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as Boadicea by Samuel De Wilde
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| Born | c. 1761 |
| Died | 31 December 1831 London
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| Nationality | British |
| Other names | Mrs Farmer, Mrs Renaud |
| Known for | Acting |
| Spouse(s) | Mr Powell |
Jane Powell was a famous British actress who lived from about 1761 to 1831. She was also known by other names, like Mrs. Renaud and Mrs. Farmer. She became very well-known for her exciting performances on stage.
Becoming a Star
Jane Powell started her acting career in 1787. Her first big role was Alicia in a play called Jane Shore. At first, her name wasn't even mentioned! But soon, she became well-known at the Haymarket Theatre in the 1780s.
People sometimes called her "Mrs. Farmer" or "Mrs. Palmer" in newspapers. This shows how quickly she became a recognized face in the theatre world.
Playing Hamlet
In 1796, Jane Powell did something very special. She is believed to be the first woman in London to play the main character, Hamlet, in William Shakespeare's famous play Hamlet. This was a very unusual role for a woman at that time.
Later that year, she also played Edmunda in a play called Vortigern and Rowena. Another famous actress, Sarah Siddons, had turned down the role. It turned out that Vortigern and Rowena was not a real Shakespeare play, but a fake!
Special Performances
On May 2, 1795, Mrs. Powell had a special show at the Drury Lane Theatre. These shows were called "benefits," and the money earned would go to the actor. For this show, she played a character named Young Norval.
A famous artist named Samuel De Wilde painted her in this role. He also painted her as Mary Queen of Scots and Boadicea, but the Garrick Club says she never actually played those roles in London.
Later Life and Career
Jane Powell was a regular actress at the Drury Lane Theatre until 1811. After that, she started performing at the Covent Garden Theatre.
In 1812, her husband passed away. The next year, she married John James Renaud and became Mrs. Renaud. Their marriage ended in 1814, but she continued to use the name Mrs. Renaud.
In 1818, she moved to Edinburgh, Scotland. There, she continued to get important roles in many plays. Jane Powell died in London at the end of 1831. Even at the time of her death, her manager in Edinburgh was still paying her a small amount each week.
Famous Roles
Here are some of the plays and characters Jane Powell was known for:
- Marcella in Marcella by William Hayley (1789)
- Cornelia in The Conspiracy by Robert Jephson (1796)
- Hamlet in Hamlet by William Shakespeare (1796)
- Edmunda in Vortigern and Rowena by William Henry Ireland (1796)
- Victoria in Almeyda, Queen of Granada by Sophia Lee (1796)
- Evelina in The Castle Spectre by Matthew Lewis (1797)
- Mrs. Ormond in The East Indian by Matthew Lewis (1799)
- Matilda in The Castle of Montval by Thomas Sedgwick Whalley (1799)
- Arabella in Faulkener by William Godwin (1807)
- Matilda in The Curfew by John Tobin (1807)
- Mrs Mordaunt in Grieving's a Folly by Richard Leigh (1809)
