Elizabeth Bowman (c. 1677 – 1707) was an English stage actor of the seventeenth and early eighteenth century.Caines p.149 The daughter of Sir Francis Watson, 1st Baronet she was adopted by the actor manager

Thomas Betterton Thomas Patrick Betterton (August 1635 – 28 April 1710), the leading male actor and theatre manager during Restoration England, son of an under-cook to King Charles I, was born in London. Apprentice and actor Betterton was born in August 16 ...

. In 1692 she married John Bowman and began acting at

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster. Notable landmarks ...

the following year as Mrs Bowman. She was a member 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 ...

until 1695 then joined Betterton's breakaway at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre.

Selected roles

* Sylvia in ''

The Old Batchelor "The Old Bachelor" at Covent Garden in 1756 featuring Mrs Elmy... ''The Old Bachelor'' is the first play written by United Kingdom, British playwright William Congreve, produced in 1693 in literature, 1693. Henry Purcell set it to music. Origina ...

'' by

William Congreve William Congreve (24 January 1670 – 19 January 1729) was an English playwright and poet of the Restoration period. He is known for his clever, satirical dialogue and influence on the comedy of manners style of that period. He was also a min ...

(1693) * Mrs Stockjobb in ''

The Richmond Heiress ''The Richmond Heiress'' is a 1693 comedy play by the English writer Thomas D'Urfey. It was staged by the United Company at the Drury Lane Theatre. The original cast included John Freeman as Charles Romance, George Bright as Sir Quibble Quere, ...

'' 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 ...

(1693) * Cecilia in '' The Married Beau'' 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 ...

(1694) * Mrs Foresight in ''

Love For Love ''Love for Love'' is a Restoration comedy written by British playwright William Congreve. It premiered on 30 April 1695 at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre. Staged by Thomas Betterton's company the original cast included Betterton as Valenti ...

'' by

(1695) * Juliana in ''

She Ventures and He Wins ''She Ventures and He Wins'' (1696) is a comedy in five acts written by a "Young Lady" under the pseudonym of "Ariadne". The author, who is referred to by most documents and historians by her pseudonym, caused an uproar between the theaters of th ...

'' by

Ariadne Ariadne (; grc-gre, Ἀριάδνη; la, Ariadne) was a Cretan princess in Greek mythology. She was mostly associated with mazes and labyrinths because of her involvement in the myths of the Minotaur and Theseus. She is best known for having ...

(1695) * Mrs Plant in '' The Lover's Luck'' by

Thomas Dilke Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

(1695) * Lucinda in '' The She-Gallants'' by George Granville (1695) * Arabella ''

The City Bride ''The City Bride; Or, The Merry Cuckold'' is a 1696 comedy play by the English writer Joseph Harris. It premiered at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, staged by Thomas Betterton's company. The plot was inspired by John Fletcher's ''A Cure for a ...

'' by Joseph Harris (1696) * Selima in '' The Royal Mischief'' by

Delarivier Manley Delarivier "Delia" Manley (1663 or c. 1670 – 24 July 1724) was an English author, playwright, and political pamphleteer. Manley is sometimes referred to, with Aphra Behn and Eliza Haywood, as one of " the fair triumvirate of wit", which is a ...

(1696) * Mrs Angelica in '' The Anatomist'' 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 ...

(1696) * Lucinda in ''

The City Lady ''The City Lady; Or, Folly Reclaim'd'' is a 1696 comedy play by the English writer Thomas Dilke. It was staged by Thomas Betterton's Company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre with a cast that included George Bright as Grumble, Cave Underhill ...

'' by

(1696) * Countess de Brissac in '' The Intrigues at Versailles'' by

(1697) * Lady Fancyfull in ''

The Provoked Wife ''The Provoked Wife'' (1697) is the second original comedy written by John Vanbrugh. It made its first appearance in Lincoln's Inn Fields in May, 1697. The often-repeated claim that Vanbrugh wrote part of his comedy ''The Provoked Wife'' in th ...

'' by

John Vanbrugh Sir John Vanbrugh (; 24 January 1664 (baptised) – 26 March 1726) was an English architect, dramatist and herald, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restora ...

(1697) * Alouisia in ''

The Italian Husband ''The Italian Husband'' is a 1697 tragedy by the English writer Edward Ravenscroft. It was first staged by Thomas Betterton's company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London. The original cast included John Verbruggen as Frederico, Elizabe ...

'' by

(1697) *Venutia in ''

Boadicea, Queen of Britain ''Boadicea, Queen of Britain'' is a 1697 tragedy by the English writer Charles Hopkins. Based on the story of Boudica the British ruler who revolted against Roman Rule, it was first staged by Thomas Betterton's company at the Lincoln's Inn Fi ...

'' by Charles Hopkins (1697) * Ophelia in ''

The Pretenders Pretenders are an English–American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Fa ...

'' by

(1698) * Urania in '' Rinaldo and Armida'' by

John Dennis John Dennis may refer to: *John Dennis (dramatist) (1658–1734), English dramatist * John Dennis (1771–1806), Maryland congressman *John Dennis (1807–1859), his son, Maryland congressman *John Stoughton Dennis (1820–1885), Canadian surveyor ...

(1698) * Appamia in ''

The False Friend ''The False Friend'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Harry Davenport and starring Robert Warwick, Gail Kane and Jack Drumier.Parish p.157 Cast * Robert Warwick as William Ramsdell * Gail Kane as Virginia Farrell * Jack Drumie ...

'' by

Mary Pix Mary Pix (1666 – 17 May 1709) was an English novelist and playwright. As an admirer of Aphra Behn and colleague of Susanna Centlivre, Pix has been called "a link between women writers of the Restoration and Augustan periods". Early years ...

(1699) * Mrs Clerimont in '' The Beau Defeated'' by

(1700) * Mrs Fainall in ''

The Way of the World ''The Way of the World'' is a play written by the English playwright William Congreve. It premiered in early March 1700 in the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields in London. It is widely regarded as one of the best Restoration comedies and is stil ...

'' by

(1700) * Cleone in ''

The Ambitious Stepmother ''The Ambitious Stepmother'' is a 1700 tragedy by the British writer Nicholas Rowe. It was his debut play. Rowe set his play in Biblical times, but it had strong subtexts of the contemporary questions about the British succession that led to th ...

'' by Nicholas Rowe (1700) * Nerissa in '' The Jew of Venice'' by George Granville (1701) * Marina in ''

The Czar of Muscovy ''The Czar of Muscovy'' is a play attributed to author Mary Pix, first performed and published in 1701. The play is based on the reign of False Dmitriy I (reigned 1605-1606), and also depicts his consort Marina Mniszech. It premiered at the Lin ...

'' by

(1701) * Berenice in ''

Antiochus the Great Antiochus III the Great (; grc-gre, Ἀντίoχoς Μέγας ; c. 2413 July 187 BC) was a Greek Hellenistic king and the 6th ruler of the Seleucid Empire, reigning from 222 to 187 BC. He ruled over the region of Syria and large parts of the re ...

'' by

Jane Wiseman Jane Holt (née Wiseman; March 1673 – after 1717) was a British poet and playwright, notable for being the first self-educated labouring-class woman to have a play professionally produced in London. Wiseman was possibly born in Holborn. Sh ...

(1701) * Lady Dolt in ''

The Ladies Visiting Day ''The Ladies Visiting Day'' is a 1701 comedy play by the English writer William Burnaby.Nicoll p.98 The original Lincoln's Inn Fields cast included Thomas Betterton as Courtine, John Verbruggen as Polidore, Thomas Doggett as Sir Testy Dolt, Ge ...

'' by William Burnaby (1701) *Candace in '' Altemira'' by Roger Boyle (1701) * Damon in '' The Fickle Shepherdess'' by Anonymous (1703) * Lucinda in '' The Governour of Cyprus'' by

John Oldmixon John Oldmixon (1673 – 9 July 1742) was an English historian. He was a son of John Oldmixon of Oldmixon, Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. He was brought up by the family of Admiral Robert Blake in Bridgwater and later became involved in trade ...

(1703) * Mrs Hartley in ''

As You Find It ''As You Find It'' is a 1703 comedy play by the English writer Charles Boyle, later Earl of Orrery. His grandfather Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery had also been a playwright. In style it is much closer to traditional Restoration comedy, than th ...

'' by

Charles Boyle Charles Boyle may refer to: * Charles Boyle, 3rd Viscount Dungarvan (1639–1694), British politician * Charles Boyle, 2nd Earl of Burlington (died 1704), British politician * Charles Boyle, 4th Earl of Orrery (1674–1731), author, soldier and s ...

(1703) * Leonora in '' The Mistake'' by

(1705) * Diana in ''

The Temple of Love ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' by Pierre Motteux (1706) * Urganda in ''

The British Enchanters ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' by George Granville (1706) * Emelia in ''

Adventures in Madrid ''Adventures in Madrid'' or ''The Adventures in Madrid'' is a 1706 comedy play by the English writer Mary Pix. It was her final staged work. It premiered at the Queen's Theatre in the Haymarket. The original cast featured John Freeman as Gome ...

'' by

(1706) * Florinda in '' The Rover'' 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 ...

(1707)

References

Bibliography

* Caines, Michael in ''The Plays and Poems of Nicholas Rowe, Volume I: The Early Plays''. Taylor & Francis, 2016. * Lanier, Henry Wysham. ''The First English Actresses: From the Initial Appearance of Women on the Stage in 1660 Till 1700''. The Players, 1930. * Van Lennep, W. ''The London Stage, 1660–1800: Volume One, 1660–1700''. Southern Illinois University Press, 1960. 17th-century English people 18th-century English people English stage actresses 17th-century English actresses 18th-century English actresses 1677 births 1707 deaths Actresses from London {{England-stage-actor-stub