Ann Maria Bradshaw (1801–1862), was an English actress and vocalist. Born Ann Maria Tree in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

in August 1801, her father lived in Lancaster Buildings, St. Martin's Lane, was in the

East India House East India House was the London headquarters of the East India Company, from which much of Company rule in India, British India was governed until the British government took control of the company's possessions in India in 1858. It was locate ...

. Her sister was the actress

Ellen Tree Ellen Kean (12 December 1805 – 20 August 1880) was an English actress. She was known as Ellen Tree until her marriage in 1842, after which she was known both privately and professionally as Mrs Charles Kean and always appeared in productions ...

. After a training in the chorus at

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 Dru ...

, and a short experience in Bath, she appeared in 1818 at

Covent Garden Theatre The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...

as Rosina in '

The Barber of Seville ''The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution'' ( ) is an ''opera buffa'' (comic opera) in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's French comedy ' ...

.' Subsequently, she played, principally as a substitute for Miss Foote or Miss Stephens, Patty in ' The Maid of the Mill,' Susannah in '

The Marriage of Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' (, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienn ...

,' and other similar characters. Her first recorded appearance in an original role seems to have been as Princess Stella in the '

Gnome King The Nome King is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum, introduced in the 1907 book ''Ozma of Oz''. The Nome King recurs in many of the ''Oz'' novels, being the most frequent antagonist in Baum's book series. Precursor K ...

,' a spectacular piece produced on 6 October 1819 at Covent Garden. On 11 December of the same year she appeared as Luciana in an opera founded by Reynolds on '

The Comedy of Errors ''The Comedy of Errors'' is one of William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play ...

.' This led to the series of Shakespearean performances on which her fame rests. In various renderings, musical and otherwise, of Shakespearean comedy, she played with success Ariel, Viola, Imogen, Julia (in the '

Two Gentlemen of Verona ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona'' is a Shakespearean comedy, comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1589 and 1593. It is considered by some to be Shakespeare's first play, and is often seen as showing his first ten ...

'), Ophelia, and Rosalind. With the exception of a solitary appearance at Drury Lane in April 1823, when she was lent by her own management, she appears to have remained at Covent Garden till her retirement. This took place on 15 June 1825 in two of her original characters, Mary Coppin in '' Charles the Second'' by

John Howard Payne John Howard Payne (June 9, 1791 – April 10, 1852) was an American actor, poet, playwright, and writer who had nearly two decades of a theatrical career and success in London. He is today most remembered as the creator of " Home! Sweet Home ...

, and Clari in the opera of that name, by the same author. Shortly afterwards she married, under passably romantic circumstances, and after, it is said, an attempt at suicide, James Bradshaw, a man of property, they had a daughter, Harriet Maria. She died on 18 February 1862. Of medium stature and pleasing figure, and with no special claim to beauty, she owed her popularity to the pathos in her voice. Though inferior to her singing, her acting won commendation. She was much praised for the modesty of her performance in male attire. Her sister, Ellen Tree, became the wife of Mr. Charles Kean.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bradshaw, Ann Maria English stage actresses 19th-century British women opera singers English Shakespearean actresses 1801 births 1862 deaths Actresses from London Singers from London 19th-century English actresses