London Stage Event: May 1681 at Drury Lane Theatre

May 1681

Event Information

Theatre: Drury Lane Theatre

Theatrical Season: 1680-1681

Volume: 1

Comments: The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. Wilson (Six Restoration Play-Dates, pp. 222-23) argues from a number of references (principally in the Epilogue) to events of early 1681 which point to a premiere near May 1681: to the dissolution of Parliament, 28 March 1681; to the comet which appeared in November 1680 and disappeared in January 1680@1; to the Hatfield Maid; to William Lilly, the astrologer, who is referred to as though alive, thus suggesting a premiere before his death, 9 June 1681. It is possible that the premiere may have been earlier than this. In 1681 was published Poeta de Tristibus; or, The Poet's Complaint, whose author had obviously read the Prologue and Epilogue to The Unhappy Favourite. He represents himself as a disappointed dramatist whose tragedy has been rejected by both houses because "their Summer-store@Will all this Winter last." With the work entered in the Term Catalogues in 1682 and a copy purchased by Narcissus Luttrell with his note "4d 1681 12 Nov" (see A Bibliography of John Dryden, ed. Macdonald, pp. 235-36), his quotations from the Epilogue to The Unhappy Favourite and references to the Prologue would offer no difficulties if it were not that the "Author's Epistle" in which the references are made is dated "at Dover the Tenth day of January 1680@1," thus suggesting that he had seen the Prologue and Epilogue before that date. Nevertheless, some of the references in the Epilogue (to Heraclitus Ridens, beginning on 1 Feb. 1680@1, and Democritus Ridens, beginning on 14 March 1680@1) preclude a January premiere for the Prologue and Epilogue. Possibly the dating of the "Author's Epistle" is in error

Performance List

Mainpiece

Event Downloads

JSON XML CSV

Data Phases

Original Data

Source: London Stage Information Bank

*p!?dl The Unhappy Favourite; or, The Earl of Essex. [Edition of 1682:% The Earl of Essex-Clarke; Earl of Southampton-Gryffin; Burleigh-Major Mohun; Sir Walter Rawleigh-Disney; Queen Elizabeth-Mrs Quyn; Countess of Rutland-Mrs Cook; Countess of Nottingham-Mrs Corbett; Prologue-Major Mohun [the first Four Dayes%; Prologue to the King and Queen [at their coming to the House, and Written on Purpose by $Mr Dryden=%-; Epilogue [by $Mr Dryden=%-; Prologue [Intended to be spoken, by the Author%-. *c!?dl The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. $Wilson= (Six Restoration Play-Dates, pp. 222-23) argues from a number of references (principally in the Epilogue) to events of early 1681 which point to a premiere near May 1681: to the dissolution of Parliament, 28 March 1681; to the comet which appeared in November 1680 and disappeared in January 1680@1; to the Hatfield Maid; to $William Lilly=, the astrologer, who is referred to as though alive, thus suggesting a premiere before his death, 9 June 1681. It is possible that the premiere may have been earlier than this. In 1681 was published Poeta de Tristibus; or, The Poet's Complaint, whose author had obviously read the Prologue and Epilogue to The Unhappy Favourite. He represents himself as a disappointed dramatist whose tragedy has been rejected by both houses because "their Summer-store@Will all this Winter last." With the work entered in the Term Catalogues in 1682 and a copy purchased by $Narcissus Luttrell= with his note "4d 1681 12 Nov" (see A Bibliography of John Dryden, ed. $Macdonald=, pp. 235-36), his quotations from the Epilogue to The Unhappy Favourite and references to the Prologue would offer no difficulties if it were not that the "Author's Epistle" in which the references are made is dated "at Dover the Tenth day of January 1680@1," thus suggesting that he had seen the Prologue and Epilogue before that date. Nevertheless, some of the references in the Epilogue (to Heraclitus Ridens, beginning on 1 Feb. 1680@1, and Democritus Ridens, beginning on 14 March 1680@1) preclude a January premiere for the Prologue and Epilogue. Possibly the dating of the "Author's Epistle" is in error.
Cleaned Data

*p1681 05 00 dl The Unhappy Favourite; or, The Earl of Essex. Edition of 1682: The Earl of Essex-Clarke; Earl of Southampton-Gryffin; Burleigh-Major Mohun; Sir Walter Rawleigh-Disney; Queen Elizabeth-Mrs Quyn; Countess of Rutland-Mrs Cook; Countess of Nottingham-Mrs Corbett; Prologue-Major Mohun the first Four Dayes; Prologue to the King and Queen at their coming to the House, and Written on Purpose by $Mr Dryden=-; Epilogue by $Mr Dryden=-; Prologue Intended to be spoken, by the Author-.*c1681 05 00 dl The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. $Wilson= (Six Restoration Play-Dates, pp. 222-23) argues from a number of references (principally in the Epilogue) to events of early 1681 which point to a premiere near May 1681: to the dissolution of Parliament, 28 March 1681; to the comet which appeared in November 1680 and disappeared in January 1680@1; to the Hatfield Maid; to $William Lilly=, the astrologer, who is referred to as though alive, thus suggesting a premiere before his death, 9 June 1681. It is possible that the premiere may have been earlier than this. In 1681 was published Poeta de Tristibus; or, The Poet's Complaint, whose author had obviously read the Prologue and Epilogue to The Unhappy Favourite. He represents himself as a disappointed dramatist whose tragedy has been rejected by both houses because "their Summer-store@Will all this Winter last." With the work entered in the Term Catalogues in 1682 and a copy purchased by $Narcissus Luttrell= with his note "4d 1681 12 Nov" (see A Bibliography of John Dryden, ed. $Macdonald=, pp. 235-36), his quotations from the Epilogue to The Unhappy Favourite and references to the Prologue would offer no difficulties if it were not that the "Author's Epistle" in which the references are made is dated "at Dover the Tenth day of January 1680@1," thus suggesting that he had seen the Prologue and Epilogue before that date. Nevertheless, some of the references in the Epilogue (to Heraclitus Ridens, beginning on 1 Feb. 1680@1, and Democritus Ridens, beginning on 14 March 1680@1) preclude a January premiere for the Prologue and Epilogue. Possibly the dating of the "Author's Epistle" is in error.
Parsed Data

Event: 1433 | 16810500 | dl | The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. $Wilson= (Six Restoration Play-Dates, pp. 222-23) argues from a number of references (principally in the Epilogue) to events of early 1681 which point to a premiere near May 1681: to the dissolution of Parliament, 28 March 1681; to the comet which appeared in November 1680 and disappeared in January 1680@1; to the Hatfield Maid; to $William Lilly=, the astrologer, who is referred to as though alive, thus suggesting a premiere before his death, 9 June 1681. It is possible that the premiere may have been earlier than this. In 1681 was published Poeta de Tristibus; or, The Poet's Complaint, whose author had obviously read the Prologue and Epilogue to The Unhappy Favourite. He represents himself as a disappointed dramatist whose tragedy has been rejected by both houses because "their Summer-store@Will all this Winter last." With the work entered in the Term Catalogues in 1682 and a copy purchased by $Narcissus Luttrell= with his note "4d 1681 12 Nov" (see A Bibliography of John Dryden, ed. $Macdonald=, pp. 235-36), his quotations from the Epilogue to The Unhappy Favourite and references to the Prologue would offer no difficulties if it were not that the "Author's Epistle" in which the references are made is dated "at Dover the Tenth day of January 1680@1," thus suggesting that he had seen the Prologue and Epilogue before that date. Nevertheless, some of the references in the Epilogue (to Heraclitus Ridens, beginning on 1 Feb. 1680@1, and Democritus Ridens, beginning on 14 March 1680@1) preclude a January premiere for the Prologue and Epilogue. Possibly the dating of the "Author's Epistle" is in error

Performance: 1437 | 1433 | p | The Unhappy Favourite; Or, The Earl Of Essex | Edition of 1682: The Earl of Essex-Clarke; Earl of Southampton-Gryffin; Burleigh-Major Mohun; Sir Walter Rawleigh-Disney; Queen Elizabeth-Mrs Quyn; Countess of Rutland-Mrs Cook; Countess of Nottingham-Mrs Corbett; Prologue-Major Mohun the first Four Dayes; Prologue to the King and Queen at their coming to the House, and Written on Purpose by $Mr Dryden=-; Epilogue by $Mr Dryden=-; Prologue Intended to be spoken, by the Author-.
Cast:
2245 | 1437 | The Earl of Essex | Clarke

2246 | 1437 | Earl of Southampton | Gryffin

2247 | 1437 | Burleigh | Major Mohun

2248 | 1437 | Sir Walter Rawleigh | Disney

2249 | 1437 | Queen Elizabeth | Mrs Quyn

2250 | 1437 | Countess of Rutland | Mrs Cook

2251 | 1437 | Countess of Nottingham | Mrs Corbett

2252 | 1437 | Prologue | Major Mohun the first Four Dayes

2253 | 1437 | Mr Dryden=

2254 | 1437 | Mr Dryden=

2255 | 1437 | by the Author | .

Mainpiece

Title: The Unhappy Favourite; Or, The Earl Of Essex

Comments:
Edition of 1682: The Earl of Essex-Clarke; Earl of Southampton-Gryffin; Burleigh-Major Mohun; Sir Walter Rawleigh-Disney; Queen Elizabeth-Mrs Quyn; Countess of Rutland-Mrs Cook; Countess of Nottingham-Mrs Corbett; Prologue-Major Mohun the first Four Dayes; Prologue to the King and Queen at their coming to the House, and Written on Purpose by Mr Dryden-; Epilogue by Mr Dryden-; Prologue Intended to be spoken, by the Author-.

Cast:

Role: The Earl of Essex Actor: Clarke
Role: Earl of Southampton Actor: Gryffin
Role: Burleigh Actor: Major Mohun
Role: Sir Walter Rawleigh Actor: Disney
Role: Queen Elizabeth Actor: Mrs Quyn
Role: Countess of Rutland Actor: Mrs Cook
Role: Countess of Nottingham Actor: Mrs Corbett
Role: Prologue Actor: Major Mohun the first Four Dayes
Role: Mr Dryden Actor:
Role: Mr Dryden Actor:
Role: by the Author Actor: .

May 1681

Performance List

Event Downloads

Original Data

Cleaned Data

Parsed Data

Mainpiece

Related Works

Cite this page