*p1696 09 00 dl The Female Wits; or, The Triumvirate of Poets at Rehearsal. [The author is not known, but the title page states that it was written by W. M.] Edition of 1704: Prologue-; Epilogue-; Mr Aw'dwell-Mills; Praiseall-Cibber; Fastin-Powell; Amorous-Pinkethman; Lord Whiffle-Thomas; Lord Whimsical-Verbruggen; Marsillia-Mrs Verbruggen; Patience-Mrs Essex; Mrs Wellfed-Mrs Powell; Calista-Mrs Temple; Isabella-Mrs Cross; Lady Loveall-Mrs Knight; Betty Useful-Mrs Kent; Players-Johnson, Pinkethman, Mrs Lucas, Miss Cross; Singers-Mrs Cross, Pate; Dancers-Mrs Cross, Mrs Lucas.*c1696 09 00 dl <i>Rich's Company</i>. The date of the first performance is not known, for the play was apparently not printed until 1704. Nevertheless, some details indicate a performance early in the early in the season of 1696-97. In the first place, the presence of $Verbruggen= in the cast indicates that it must have been acted before 1 Jan. 1696@7, when Verbruggen was permitted to act at <i>Lincoln's Inn Fields</i>. The play also parodies the works of $Mrs Manley=, whose <i>The Royal Mischief</i> had been staged (probably) in April 1696, and it is likely that the company would emphasize the pertinence of the parody by presenting it soon after the appearance of the original. Although <i>The Female Wits</i> may not have been acted until later in the autumn, it seems likely that it was acted first in the late summer or early autumn. Preface, Edition of 1704: [The] Success of this Play has been such...having been Acted six Days running without intermission....Among the rest, $Mr Powel= and his Wife excell'd in the Characters they represented, as did $Mrs Verbruggen=, who play'd the Chief Character....The Lady whose Play is rehears'd, personated one Mrs M-ly [$Manley=].