Anne Shadwell was an English stage actor of the seventeenth century. She was one of the first English actresses to appear on stage following the

Restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...

She was one of six actors recruited in 1660 by

William Davenant Sir William Davenant (baptised 3 March 1606 – 7 April 1668), also spelled D'Avenant, was an English poet and playwright. Along with Thomas Killigrew, Davenant was one of the rare figures in English Renaissance theatre whose career spanned bot ...

for the new

Duke's Company The Duke's Company was a theatre company chartered by King Charles II at the start of the Restoration era, 1660. Sir William Davenant was manager of the company under the patronage of Prince James, Duke of York. During hats period, theatres b ...

, acting under her maiden name Anne Gibbs. Sometime between 1663 and 1667 she married the playwright

Thomas Shadwell Thomas Shadwell ( – 19 November 1692) was an English poet and playwright who was appointed Poet Laureate in 1689. Life Shadwell was born at either Bromehill Farm, Weeting-with-Broomhill or Santon House, Lynford, Norfolk, and educated at Bury ...

with whom she had four children. While some sources have her acting late into the century, it may be she effectively retired with the formation of the

United Company The United Company was a London theatre company formed in 1682 with the merger of the King's Company and the Duke's Company. Both the Duke's and King's Companies suffered poor attendance during the turmoil of the Popish Plot period, 1678&ndas ...

in 1682. Her appearances had decreased since 1672. Following her husband's death in 1692 she was left the bulk of his estate. She had an investment in the

Drury Lane Theatre The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Drur ...

in 1709, when she joined a petition to Queen Anne by the manager Christopher Rich, but nothing is known about her after this point.Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.275-277

Selected roles

* Lucia in ''

The Cutter of Coleman Street ''The Cutter of Coleman Street'' is a comedy play by the English writer Abraham Cowley. It premiered at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre on 16 December 1661, performed by the Duke's Company. Cowley had originally written it in 1658 during the Eng ...

'' by

Abraham Cowley Abraham Cowley (; 161828 July 1667) was an English poet and essayist born in the City of London late in 1618. He was one of the leading English poets of the 17th century, with 14 printings of his ''Works'' published between 1668 and 1721. Early ...

(1661) * Decio in '' The Slighted Maid'' by

Robert Stapylton Sir Robert Stapylton or Stapleton (died 1669) was an English courtier, dramatic poet and translator. Life Stapylton was the third son of Richard Stapleton of Carlton by Snaith, Yorkshire, by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Henry Pierrepont of Ho ...

(1662) * Heraclia in ''

The Rivals ''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 List of Maverick ...

'' by

(1664) * Cleora in '' Mustapha'' by Roger Boyle (1665) * Emelia in '' The Sullen Lovers'' by

(1668) * Lady Cockwood in ''

She Would If She Could ''She Would If She Could'' is a 1668 comedy play by the English writer George Etherege. It was originally staged at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre by the Duke's Company. The original cast included William Smith as Courtall, John Young as Fr ...

'' by

George Etherege Sir George Etherege (c. 1636, Maidenhead, Berkshire – c. 10 May 1692, Paris) was an English dramatist. He wrote the plays '' The Comical Revenge or, Love in a Tub'' in 1664, '' She Would If She Could'' in 1668, and '' The Man of Mode o ...

(1668) * Claina ''

The Women's Conquest ''The Women's Conquest'' is a 1670 tragedy by the English writer Edward Howard. It was first staged by the Duke's Company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre with a cast that included Henry Harris as Tysamnes, William Smith as Foscaris, John ...

'' by Edward Howard (1670) * Irene in ''

Charles VIII of France Charles VIII, called the Affable (french: l'Affable; 30 June 1470 – 7 April 1498), was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. He succeeded his father Louis XI at the age of 13.Paul Murray Kendall, ''Louis XI: The Universal Spider'' (Ne ...

'' by

John Crowne John Crowne (6 April 1641 – 1712) was a British dramatist. His father "Colonel" William Crowne, accompanied the earl of Arundel on a diplomatic mission to Vienna in 1637, and wrote an account of his journey. He emigrated to Nova Scotia where h ...

(1671) * Joanna in ''

Juliana Juliana (variants Julianna, Giuliana, Iuliana, Yuliana, etc) is a feminine given name which is the feminine version of the Roman name Julianus. Juliana or Giuliana was the name of a number of early saints, notably Saint Julian the Hospitaller, wh ...

'' by

(1671) * Celinda in ''

The Six Days' Adventure ''The Six Days' Adventure; Or, The New Utopia'' is a 1671 comedy play by the English writer Edward Howard. First performed by the Duke's Company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London, the original cast included Cave Underhill as Sir ...

'' by Edward Howard (1671) * Caelia in ''

The Fatal Jealousy ''The Fatal Jealousy'' (also written as ''The Fatal Jealousie'') is a 1672 tragedy by the English writer Henry Nevil Payne. It was staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre with a cast that included William Smith as Don Antonio, ...

'' by

Henry Nevil Payne Henry Nevil Payne (died 1710?) was a dramatist and agitator for the Roman Catholic cause in Scotland and England. He wrote '' The Fatal Jealousy'' (1672), ''The Morning Ramble'' (1672), and ''The Siege of Constantinople'' (1675). After he finished ...

(1672) * Lucia in ''

Epsom Wells ''Epsom Wells'' is a 1672 restoration comedy by the English writer Thomas Shadwell. It was the first in a line of plays set in spa towns. The incidental music was composed by Nicholas Staggins. In the 1690s Henry Purcell scored a new staging of t ...

'' by

(1672) * Rose in ''

The Morning Ramble ''The Morning Ramble'' also known as ''The Mourning Ramble; Or, The Town-humours'' is a 1672 comedy play by the English writer Henry Nevil Payne. It was staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre with a cast that included Thomas ...

'' by

(1672) * Clara in ''

The Cheats of Scapin ''The Cheats of Scapin'' is a 1676 comedy play by the English writer Thomas Otway. It was an adaptation of the French play '' Scapin the Schemer'' by Molière. It premiered at the Dorset Garden Theatre performed by the Duke's Company as an afte ...

'' by

Thomas Otway Thomas Otway (3 March 165214 April 1685) was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for '' Venice Preserv'd'', or ''A Plot Discover'd'' (1682). Life Otway was born at Trotton near Midhurst, the parish of which his fathe ...

(1676) * Arbella in ''

Madam Fickle ''Madam Fickle; Or, The Witty False One'' is a 1676 comedy play by the English writer Thomas D'Urfey. It was first staged at the Dorset Garden Theatre by the Duke's Company. The original cast included Thomas Betterton as Lord Bellamore, Willia ...

'' by

Thomas D'Urfey Thomas d'Urfey (a.k.a. Tom Durfey; 165326 February 1723) was an English writer and wit. He wrote plays, songs, jokes, and poems. He was an important innovator and contributor in the evolution of the ballad opera. Life D'Urfey was born in Devonsh ...

(1676) * Lady Gimcrack in '' The Virtuoso'' by

(1676) * Beatrice in ''

The Wrangling Lovers ''The Wrangling Lovers; Or, The Invisible Mistress'' is a 1676 comedy play by the English writer Edward Ravenscroft. It premiered at the Dorset Garden Theatre, performed by the Duke's Company with a cast that included Anthony Leigh as Count de ...

'' by

Edward Ravenscroft Edward Ravenscroft (c. 1654–1707) was an English dramatist who belonged to an ancient Flintshire family. He was entered at the Middle Temple, but devoted his attention mainly to literature. Ravenscroft was the first critic to posit that Sh ...

(1676) * Mrs Essence in ''

Tom Essence ''Tom Essence; Or, The Modish Wife'' is a 1676 comedy play by Thomas Rawlins, sometimes also attributed to Edward Ravenscroft. It was first performed at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London by the Duke's Company. Along with Thomas Otway's '' The ...

'' by

Thomas Rawlins Thomas Rawlins (1620?–1670) was an English medallist and playwright. Life Born about 1620, Rawlins appears to have received instruction as a goldsmith and gem engraver, and to have worked under Nicholas Briot at the Royal Mint. Rawlins's fi ...

(1676) * Duchess of Eboli in '' Don Carlos, Prince of Spain'' by

(1676) * Clarina in ''

The Counterfeit Bridegroom ''The Counterfeit Bridegroom; Or, The Defeated Widow'' is a 1677 comedy play. The work's authorship is usually credited to Aphra Behn has been alternatively been attributed to Thomas Betterton. It was inspired by Thomas Middleton's Jacobean pla ...

'' by

Aphra Behn Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...

(1677) * Victoria in '' Friendship in Fashion'' by

(1678) * Maundy in '' Sir Patient Fancy'' by

(1678) * Flora in ''

The Counterfeits ''The Counterfeits'' is a 1678 comedy play by the English writer John Leanerd. It was staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre with a cast that included Anthony Leigh as Don Gomez, Thomas Gillow as Don Luis, Thomas Betterton a ...

'' by

John Leanerd John Leanerd ( fl. 1679) was a British playwright, notorious as a plagiarist. Works Leanerd published: * '' The Country Innocence; or, the Chambermaid turn'd Quaker'', London, a comedy acted at the London Theatre Royal in Lent, 1677, by the youn ...

(1678) * Lucinda in ''

The Loving Enemies ''The Loving Enemies'' is a 1680 comedy play by the English writer Lewis Maidwell. It was first staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. The original cast included Thomas Betterton as Lorenzo, William Smith as Marcel ...

'' by

Lewis Maidwell Lewis Maidwell (1650–1716) was an English writer and educator. Born in Northamptonshire he attended Westminster School and graduated from Cambridge University in 1672. He ran a school on King Street in London, and was also a tutor to the sons ...

(1680)

References

Bibliography

* Highfill, Philip H, Burnim, Kalman A. & Langhans, Edward A. ''A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers & Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660–1800, Volume 13''. SIU Press, 1991. * Howe, Elizabeth. ''The First English Actresses: Women and Drama, 1660–1700''. Cambridge University Press, 1992. 17th-century English people English stage actresses 17th-century English actresses Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Actresses from London {{England-stage-actor-stub