Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 25 Jan. 1772.] [Brown identified by Kemble note on playbill. Macklin no longer appears on the playlist. This day is published at 1s. 6d. The Duellist, a Comedy, as it was represented at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. To which is prefixed a concise Narrative of the very Extraordinary Circumstances attending its Reception. T. Evans Bookseller.] Receipts: #188 1s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Lyric Ode (never performed) "On the Witches, Fairies, and Aerial Beings in Shakespeare. The Music entirely New." [The Westminster Magazine for March commented: "This poem is said to be written by a young gentleman of Oxford, and has many strokes of genius and inagination in it. The music, we hear, is composed by Mr Linley Jr, who has (since his return from Italy) been a student under that most excellent musician Dr Boyce. This composition must be allowed to be an extraordinary effort of genius in so young a man. The Fugue of the overture is masterly. The song of 'There in old Arden's inmost shade,' is well suited to the scene described by the poet....But what we think most deserving of praise is the power our young composer has shown in the chorusses....From the general and sincere applause with which the Ode was received, we may venture to pronounce, that if Mr Linley Jr pursues his studies, he will one day stand foremost in the list of modern composers."

Event Comment: Benefit for Lee Lewes. 1st piece [1st time; PREL I, by Frederick Pilon. Author of Epilogue unknown. This Prelude had reference to the illuminations held on 11 Feb. 1779 in honor of the acquittal, on a charge of misconduct in the naval operations off Brest, of Admiral Augustus Keppel. In 1780 it was acted at this theatre, with alterations, as A Gazette Extraordinary]. Tickets delivered for The Distress'd Mother will be received. Public Advertiser, 30 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lee Lewes at his house in Bow-street, Covent Garden. Ibid, 4 May 1779: This Day is published Illumination (1s.)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Watts. Mainpiece: Written by Mrs Centlivre; Not acted these 40 years [not acted since 27 Apr. 1731, at Goodman's Fields]. Prologue written by a Gentleman [unidentified; printed in Town and Country Magazine, Apr. 1784, p. 214. The playbill for this performance is as printed in Morning Chronicle, 8 Mar. Gazetteer, 8 Mar., assigns Captain Constant to Reynolds, Laura to Miss Beaufield, Maria to Mrs Green, Belinda to Miss Johnson]. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:30. Tickets to be had of Connolly, at the King's Head Tavern, Fenchurch-street; of Watts, No. 2, Upper James-street, Golden-square

Event Comment: Benefit for Badini. Gazetteer, 18 June: The novelty of the evening was what was called the singing of a Tulip and a Rose; that is, of two performers concealed in pedestals, upon which were placed pots of flowers

Event Comment: Afterpiece: With a Representation of the Indian Manner of Preparation for Battle, and their extraordinary Method of Laying in Ambush. A Representation of an Engagment between an English and French Man of War. And a Shipwreck. To conclude with the original Allegoric Scene from Provocation. A View of the British Fleet at Anchor. Receipts: #221 12s. 6d. (221.3.6; 0.9.0)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Lover's Vows, advertised on playbill of 21 Dec.] The Public are respectfully acquainted that the new Pantomime, the Machinery, Scenery, and Decorations of which have been in preparation the whole Summer, and which was intended to have been produced at Christmas, is on account of the extraordinary demand for Places for all the new Pieces now in representation, obliged to be postponed for a short time [see 29 Jan. 1799]. Receipts: #187 10s. 6d. (180.7.6; 7.3.0)

Event Comment: This play was presumably acted by the Duke's Company. In the preface to Heraclius, Emperour of the East, published in 1664, the author, Lodowick Carlell, complains that he had submitted his translation of Corneille, only to have it returned the very day that this version appeared on the stage. See also the letter by Katherine Philips, under Pompey the Great, Jan. 1663@4. Pepys, Diary: We made no long stay at dinner; for Heraclius being acted, which my wife and I have a mighty mind to see, we do resolve, though not exactly agreeing with the letter of my vowe, yet altogether with the sense, to see another this month, by coming hither instead of that at court, there having ueen none conveniently since I made my vowe for us to see there, nor like to be this Lent, and besides we did walk home on purpose to make this going as cheap as that would have been, to have seen one at Court, and my conscience knows that it is only the saving of money and the time also that I intend by my oaths....The play hath one very good passage well managed in it, about two persons pretending, and yet denying themselves, to be son to the tyrant Phocas, and yet heire of Mauricius to the crowne. The garments like Romans very well. The little girle is come to act very prettily, and spoke the epilogue most admirably. But at the beginning, at the drawing up of the curtaine, there was the finest scene of the Emperor and his people about him, standing in their fixed and different postures in their Roman habitts, above all that ever I yet saw at any of the theatres

Event Comment: Lady Mary Bertie to Katherine Noel, 2 Jan. 1670@1: There is letely come out a new play writ by Mr Dreyden who made the Indian Emperor. It is caled the Conquest of Grenada. My brother Norreys tooke a box and carryed my Lady Rochester and his mistresse and all us to, and on Tuestay wee are to goe see the second part of it which is then the first tim acted (Rutland MSS, HMC, 12th Report, Part V [London, 1889], 22). From this letter it is difficult to tell whether by "Tuestay" is meant Tuesday 3 Jan. 1670@1 or Tuesday 10 Jan. 1670@1. Hence, Part II has been entered on both days

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Flying Post, 29-31 March 1698, suggests that the first performance probably occurred in late February or very early in March. One song, Though over all mankind, the music by Leveridge and sung by Mrs Lindsey, was published in A Second Book of Songs with a Through Bass, 1699

Event Comment: John Vanbrugh to the Earl of Manchester, 25 Dec. 1699: Miss Evans the dancer at the New Playhouse is dead too; a feaver Slew her in eight and forty hours. She's much lamented by the Towne as well as the House, who can't well bare her loss; Matters running very low with 'em this Winter; if Congreve's Play [The Way of the World] don't help 'em they are undone. 'Tis a Comedy and will be play'd about Six weeks hence, nobody has seen it yet. Liveridge is in Ireland, he Owes so much money he dare not come over, so for want of him we han't had one Opera play'd this Winter; tho' Purcell has set one New One and Fingar another. We have got the Woman from the Chesire Cheese upon the Stage, who has the best Voyce for't by much that has been there at any time. We have the Emperors Crooaed Eunuch here, Francisco. They give him a hundred and twenty Guineas for five times. He has sung Once and was well likt. Dogget was here last Week, they gave him thirty pound to act Six times, which he did and fill'd the house every time (The Complete Works of Sir John Vanbrugh [Bloomsbury: Nonesuch Press, 1928], IV, 4)

Event Comment: Being the last Time of Acting till after May Fair. To begin at Five so that all may be done by Nine

Event Comment: Written by the Famous Ben. Johnson. [In Daily Courant, 23 Nov., The Emperor of the Moon had been advertised for this day.

Event Comment: For the Entertainment of Four Indian Kings lately arriv'd from America. Tee Yee Neen Ho Go Row, Emperor of the Six Nations. Sa Ga Yean Qua Rash Tow, King of the Marquas. K Tow oh Koam, King of the River Nation. On Nee Yeath Tow no Riow, King of Granahjoh-Hore [in Daily Courant, 26 April]. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: Rich's Register lists The Emperor Of The Moon as the mainpiece. Receipts: #22 6s. 6d

Event Comment: For the Entertainment of Oakecharinga Tiggwamtubby Tocholoohy Ynca, Son to the Emperor of the Nawcheys; and Tuskeestannagee Whosly Powov Micco, Son to the King of the Istowlawleys, two American Princes, Lately arriv'd from the Continent lying on the Coast of the Mississippi River. Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 26 Dec.: The House was very full; there were present two American Princes...[who] seemed wonderfully delighted with the Performance and the fine Company

Event Comment: Benefit Charke and Mrs Charke. For the Entertainment of Adomo, Oronoco Tomo Caboshirre of the Great Country of Dawhomay, under the Mighty Trudo Audato Povesaw Danjer Enjow Suveveto, Emperor of Pawpaw in Africa, who lately conquer'd the great Kingdoms of Ardah and Whidah

Event Comment: By Desire. Being the last time of acting till the Holidays. On Monday next not acted these ten years, will be reviv'd a farce call'd The Emperor of the Moon

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 Years. Afterpiece: Not acted these 20 years. Music, Dances and Other Decorations for afterpiece entirely new. [In a letter to John Gilbert-Cooper, the actor Charles Adams states that "the Prompter gave me a little Part in the Emperor of the Moon...I appear'd in it thrice." He was "paid Twenty Shilling Pr Week." See Theatre Notebook, XI (1957), p. 136. The only male parts left were Baliardo's servant Peter and the figures in the tableau of the final scene.] Receipts: #160 (Cross); #158 11s. (Powel)

Event Comment: A new Droll at Warner's Great Theatrical Booth, on the Bowling Green. Each day during the time of Southwark Fair at twelve o'clock

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild. 1st piece: Not acted these 12 years. [acted 23 Feb. 1784]. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1]. Morning Herald, 20 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 34, Long-acre. Receipts: #274 12s. (149.10; 9.7; tickets: 115.15)