Event Comment: Betterton's Company.
John Coke (see below), writing on 16 March 1696@7, referred to a "new farce" appearing at this theatre on this day, but no "new farce" is known at this period; on the other hand, an edition of
Mountfort's farce published in 1697 indicates a revival in this season and is a likely possibility for this date. John Coke to
Thomas Coke, 16 March 1696@7: Saturday a new farce was acted at the new house, which did not take.
The Mourning Bride was acted till Saturday, and was full to the last (
HMC, 12th Report, Part II,
Cowper MSS., II, 368).
Robert Shirley to Thomas Coke, 13 March 1696@7: I am, dear Sir, indebted to you in sending me so ingenious an account of
Mr Congreve's tragedy, which I hear on all sides far exceeded what the world expected from him in that part of dramatic poetry (
ibid)
Performances
Mainpiece Title: The Life And Death Of Doctor Faustus