Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, and the play is one of a large group commonly assigned to September-December 1690. As the Prologue implies an autumn production, it has been placed at late September, although the premiere may have been October. It was advertised in the London Gazette, 18-22 Dec. 1690, and entered in the Term Catalogues, Feb. 1690@1. The music was composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell, Works, Purcell Society, XXI (Dramatic Music, III, 1917), xii-xiv. Dedication: So visibly promoting my Interest on those days chiefly (the Third and the Sixth) when I had the tenderest relation to the welfare of my Play [i.e. Southerne had two benefits]. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, 1691, Appendix): This Play was acted with extraordinary Applause, the Part of Sir Anthony Love being most Masterly play'd by Mr Montfort: and certainly, who ever reads it, will find it fraught with true Wit and Humour. Gentleman's Journal, January 1691@2: [The Wives' Excuse, newly performed] was written by Mr Southern, who made that call'd Sir Anthony Love, which you and all the Town have lik'd so well

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Although this performance is not certainly the premiere, it is the earliest known acting of the play. This performance is on the L. C. lists at Harvard. See VanLennep, "Plays on the English Stage", p. 14. John Boyle, Fifth Earl of Orrery: Master Anthony too the sequel of Guzman was after Lord Orrery's Death brought upon the Stage, but being disrelish'd by the Audience appear'd only one Night. It is probable The Author had not supervis'd and corrected It sufficiently before he died (The Dramatic Works of Roger Boyle, ed. W. S. Clark II, II, 950). If these private notes, written some fifty years after the premiere, are correct, this performance may have been the premiere and the only day of acting it

Event Comment: A new Tragedy. [By Anthony Brown.] A Compleat List (1747), pp. 182-83: With no Success, which the Friends of the Author imputed in a great Measure to Mr Quin's refusing to act a Part in it; whereupon, to shew their Resentment, he did not appear on the Stage for some Nights without being hissed or houted at

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; INT 1 by Francis Godolphin Waldron): Altered from THE FATAL EXTRAVAGANCE of [Joseph] Mitchell and Aaron Hill. "I went on Monday evening with Mrs Darner to the Little Haymarket, to see The Children in the Wood, having heard so much of my favourite, young Bannister, in that new piece; which, by the way, is well arranged, and near being fine. He more than answered my expectation, and all I had heard of him. It was one of the most admirable performances I ever saw: his transports of despair and joy are incomparable, and his various countenances would be adequate to the pencil of Salvator Rosa. He made me shed as many tears as I suppose the original old ballad did when I was six years old. Bannister's merit was the more striking, as, before The Children in the Wood, he had been playing the sailor in No Song No Supper, with equal nature" (Walpole [4 Dec. 1793], XV, 266-67)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Permssion of the Manager of the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. The Overture and Music by Dr Arnold. Powell: Children in the Wood rehearsed at 10 (Bannister, Dignum, Mrs Powell, Mrs Bland absent); No Song No Supper at 11 (for Starace, Kelly, Leak, Dignum, Sedgwick); Distressed Mother at 12. Receipts: #385 7s. (310/1/6; 64/10/6; 10/15/0)

Event Comment: Powell: Kemble being indisposed from a violent Bruise in his Arm (during the several times of his playing the Part of Macbeth) so as to render him incapable of attending the Theatre this evening, an Apology was made by Wroughton, and the Prologue was omitted. [The playbill retains Miss Menage in afterpiece, but she] being at the Italian Opera this Evening, Master Chatterley play'd her part in the Children in the Wood. Henry VIII rehearsed at 10 (for Banks and Dignum; Packer ill); The Jew at 12 (for Miss Farren and Miss Tidswell). Receipts: #322 5s. 6d. (248/0/0; 67/15/0; 6/14/6; tickets not come in: 0/6/0)

Event Comment: ["Dorion Sen. absent from this Evening's Performance" (Powell).] Powell: Bon Ton rehearsed at 11 (Tittup's Scenes); My Grandmother at 11:30 (Vapour's Scenes; Barrymore not being in Town, the rehearsal was dismiss'd); Liar at 12; Children in the Wood at 1 (last Scene). Receipts: #179 4s. (111/5; 64/1; 3/18)

Event Comment: [As 3rd piece the playbill announces MY GRANDMOTHER, but on the Harvard (Beaufoy Collection) playbill it is deleted, and THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD substituted in a contemporary hand.]

Event Comment: [Miss Humphries, who was from the Private Theatre, Tottenham Court Road, is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill. In afterpiece the playbill retains Barrymore as Sir Rowland, and Bannister Jun. as Walter, but "The Public are respectfully informed that Bannister being suddenly afflicted with a Hoarseness, and Barrymore having met with an unfortunate Accident, are both rendered incapable of the honour of appearing before them this Evening. To prevent a disappointment of The Children in the Wood Dowton will perform...Walter, and C. Kemble Sir Rowland, presuming humbly upon the usual kind indulgence experienced upon such emergencies" (printed slip attached to Kemble playbill).] Receipts: #259 18s. (160.0.6; 98.12.6; 1.5.0)

Event Comment: [For the naming of the characters in mainpiece, as they were called originally, see 23 Feb. 1792. As afterpiece the playbill announces Blue-Beard, but "The Public are most respectfully informed that on account of the very sudden indisposition of Mrs Crouch, Blue-Beard cannot be performed. This evening will be presented The Children in the Wood" (printed slip attached to Kemble playbill).] Receipts: #165 15s. (120.7.6; 43.16.6; 1.11.0)

Event Comment: John Aubrey to Anthony a Wood, 26 Oct. 1671: I am writing a comedy for Thomas Shadwell, which I have almost finished since I came here, et quorum pars magna sui.... And I shall fit him with another, The Countrey Rebell, both humours untoucht, but of this, mum! for 'tis very satyricall against some of my mischievous enemies which I in my tumbling up and down have collected (Aubrey's Brief Lives, ed. Andrew Clark [Oxford, 1898], I, 52n). See also the season of 1670-71

Event Comment: At Mr Penkethman's and Mr Miller's Booth, at the Horns-Inn at Pye Corner, entering into Smithfield. A Celebrated Droll, Shewing the Pomp and Grandeur she lived in King Edward the IVth's Time, and the Misery she fell into upon Richard Duke of Gloucester's being made Protector. How she was oblig'd to do Penance in a white Sheet, carrying a lighted Torch bare Foot thro' the City, and then turn'd out to Starve; as also how she wandering met with her Husband, and the Tragick End of them Both. With the comical and diverting Humours of Sir Anthony Noodle, a foolish Courtier, and his Man Weezel

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 12 years. [See 26 April 1763.] This Comedy is reviv'd for the Queen to See Mr G. in Sir Anthony Bramble which he perfkrmed inimitably--he wrote and spoke a New Address to the Ladies in the Character of Sr. Anto. which was receiv'd with very great Applause. The Play is long and heavy (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid salary list #624 6s. 6d.; Westminster Charity Subscription #5 5s.; Griffith 3 weeks 15s.; Mrs Greville for cloaths in Irish Widow, #5 9s. Receipts: #273 1s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: "The great powers of Mrs Jordan cannot be better displayed than in the wonderful contrast of her Country Girl and Viola. In one all archness and vivacity; in the other serious, gentle, tender and sentimental" (Public Advertiser, 16 Nov.). [In afterpiece the playbill retains Parsons as Sir Anthony Halfwit, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted and a MS annotation substitutes Wilson's. "Parsons was taken suddenly ill & J. Wilson read his part" (MS annotation on British Museum playbill, in Harris, 11).] Receipts: #108 12s. (79/11/0; 28/13/6; 0/7/6)

Event Comment: [In afterpiece the playbill retains Wood, but "As soon as the play was finished, Palmer stepped forward, and...informed the Audience that Wood was taken suddenly and dangerously ill, but in order to prevent the Company from being disappointed of the farce, R. Palmer had undertaken to perform the character of Bouquet at a few hours notice. After the usual Musick the farce commenced, and it is but justice to R. Palmer to declare that he acquitted himself much to his own credit and entirely to the satisfaction of the audience" (Morning Chronicle, 14 July).

Event Comment: [In 2nd piece the playbill retains Mrs Cargill as Macheath, but "Mrs Cargill and her husband [but see 8 Sept.] took it into their heads to set off suddenly for Bath last week; the consequence was the audience were on Tuesday evening disappointed of their Macheath, and, after an apology, agreed to receive Wood in the character, who played it extremely well, and was much applauded" (Morning Chronicle, 13 Sept.). Who acted Wood's part of Jenny Diver is not stated.

Event Comment: Anthony Devolto, an operator of puppet shows, was forced to petition the King against paying a fee for running a theatre, and the King granted his petition. See CSPD, 1672; in Speaight, The History of the English Puppet Theatre, p. 76