Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Afterpiece: Taken from the French of Moliere. Lady Stafford to Lord Wentworth, 4 Jan.: I hear their will be a vast riot to night at the Play, for young Cibber is to act and the Templars are resolved to hiss him off the stage. 6 Jan.: Young Cibber was vastly hiss'd a Thursday, but his old friend Impudence kept him from being either out of countenance or in the least disturb'd at the noise.-Wentworth Papers, p. 541

Event Comment: Benefit Cibber. At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by Ben. Johnson. [Tickets at Cibber's House, at Mrs Holt's in Bow Street, cg. The play changed, by request, from The Relapse.] London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 26 March: Last Week died, in the 88th Year of his Age, Mr Boman, belonging to Drury-Lane Theatre, who had the Honour to perform several times before King Charles II. It is remarkable of him, that he was the oldest Player, the oldest Singer, and the oldest Ringer in England

Event Comment: DDaily Journal, 3 Nov.: We are assured that a Patent for the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, is order'd to pass the Seals in Favour of Mr Wilks, Mr Booth, and Mr Cibber, The Patent for the said Theatre was granted to Mrs Oldfield, deceas'd, upon the Death of the late Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Charke. Mainpiece: Alter'd from Shakespear by Mrs Betterton. Afterpiece: a new Pastoral of two Acts. [Apparently not printed. Nicoll, Early Eighteenth Century Drama, p. 369, states that it was ascribed to T. Cibber.

Event Comment: Daily Journal, 27 Jan.: We hear that the Beggar's Opera is soon to be acted at [DL]; the Part of Lucy ... by Mrs Clive . . . Polly by Mr Cibber's Wife, who is to have all the first Parts, having, during the Run of Zara, shewn her natural Genius, by never any one Night varying in either Tone of Voice or Action from the Way she was taught. [See Prompter, 27 Jan., for an essay on the corruption of the stage by pantomime.]

Event Comment: Benefit Cibber Jr. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Cibber Jr and Watson. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: [By Sir John Vanbrugh and Colley Cibber.] All the Characters new drest. Mist's 13 Jan.: On Wednesday last a most horrid, barbarous, and cruel Murder was committed...upon a posthumous Child of the late Sir John Vanbroog, by one who, for some Time past, has gone by the Name of Keyber. It was a fine Child born, and would certainly have lived long, had it not fallen into such cruel Hands. Davies (Dramatic Miscellanies, III, 260-61): In all the tumults and isturbances of the theatre on the first night of a new play, which was formerly a time of more dangerous service, to the actors, than it has been of late, Mrs Oldfield was entirely mistress of herself; she thought it her duty, amidst the most violent opposition and uproar, to exert the utmost of her abilities to serve the author. In the comedy of uproar, to exert the utmost of her abilities to serve the author. In the comedy of the Provoked Husband, Cibber's enemies tried all their power to get the play condemned. The reconciliation scene wrought so effectually upon the sensible and generous part of the audience, that the conclusion was greatly and generously approved. Amidst a thousand applauses, Mrs Oldfield came forward to speak the epilogue; but when she had pronounced the first line,-Methinks I hear some powder'd critic say-a man, of no distinguished appearance, from the seat next to tne orchestra, saluted her with a hiss. She fixed her eye upon him immediately, made a very short pause, and spoke the words poor creature! loud enough to be heard by the audience, with such a look of mingled scorn, pit, and contempt, that the most uncommon applause justified her conduct in this particular, and the poor reptile sunk down with fear and trembling. See also Cibber, Apology, I, 310-11; Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 105

Event Comment: Written on a plan of Shakespear by Colley Cibber. The characters new Dress'd. With New Scenes and Decorations. No persons admitted behind the scenes

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but Cibber (see below) states that it was acted in January; the Dedication was signed 7 Feb. 1695@6, and the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 3157, 10-13 Feb. 1695@6. Two songs were published separately: Go home, unhappy wench, set by Francks and sung by Mrs Cross and the Boy (in Thesaurus Musicus, The Fifth Book, 1696) and What an ungratefull devil moves you, set by Daniel Purcell (in Deliciae Musicae, The First Book of the Second Volume, 1696). A separately-printed sheet of the second song states that it was sung by "The Boy", Cibber, Apology, I, 212-14: The next Year I produc'd the Comedy of Love's last Shift; yet the Difficulty of getting it to the Stage was not easily surmounted; for, at that time, as little was expected from me, as an Author, as had been from my Pretensions to be an Actor. However, Mr Southern, the Author of Oroonoko, having had the Patience to hear me read it to him, happened to like it so well that he immediately recommended it to the Patentees, and it was accordingly acted in January 1695 [i.e., 1695@6]. In this Play I gave myself the Part of Sir Novelty, which was thought a good Portrait of the Foppery then in fashion. Here, too, Mr Southern, though he had approv'd my approv'd my Play, came into the common Diffidence of me as an Actor: For, when on the first Day of it I was standing, myself, to prompt the Prologue, he took me by the Hand and said, Young Man! I pronounce they Play a good one; I will answer for its Success, if thou dost not spoil it by thy own Action....I succeeded so well in both, that People seem'd at a loss which they should give the Preference to. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 16: Ramble: Ay, marry, that Play was the Philosopher's Stone; I think it did wonders. Sullen: It did so, and very deservedly; there being few Comedies that came up to 't for purity of Plot, Manners and Moral: It's often acted now a daies, and by the help of the Author's own good action, it pleases to this Day

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not knwon, but the Dedication is dated February 1699@1700, the play was entered in the Term Catalogues in February 1699@1700, and advertised in the Flying Post, 16 March 1699@1700. The latest likely date for the first production is January 1700, but the play may have appeared in late December as a rival to lif's production of I Henry IV early in January 1700. Cibber, Apology, I, 275: But the Master of the Revels, who then licens'd all Plays for the Stage, assisted this Reformation [of the morality of the stage] with a more zealous Severity than ever. He would strike out whole Scenes of a vicious or immoral Character, tho' it were visibly shewn to be reform'd or punish'd; a severe Instance of this kind falling upon my self may be an Excuse for my relating it: When Richard the Third (as I alter'd it from Shakespear) came from his Hands to the Stage, he expung'd the whole first Act without sparing a Line of it. This extraordinary Stroke of a Sic volo occasion'd my applying to him for the small Indulgence of a Speech or two, that the other four Acts might limp on with a little less Absurdity! no! he had no leisure to consider what might be separately inoffensive. [Cibber continues with an explanation of the censor's argument for cutting the act.] Preface to Cibber's Ximena, 1719: Richard the Third, which I alter'd from Shakespear, did not raise me Five Pounds on Third Day

Event Comment: [By Colley Cibber. Premiere. For Cibber's account of the play, see Cibber, I, 308-9, and dedication ot 1705 edition.

Event Comment: [Written by Colley Cibber.] Never Acted before. Whincop, p. 197: Mr Cibber's Enemies shew'd themselves very warmly at the Representation of this Piece, and I think without much Discretion; for they began to hiss it before they had heard it, and I remember very well, began their Uproar, on the first Night, as soon as he appeared to speak the Prologue

Event Comment: [By Colley Cibber.] Never Acted before. A New Pastoral (of Three Acts). N.B. Printed Books of the Play will be sold at the Theatre. Fog's, 11 Jan. On Tuesday Night last a ridiculous Piece was acted at...Drury-lane, which was neither Comedy, Tragedy, Opera, Pastoral or Farce; however, no Thief or Robber of any Rank was satyriz'd in it, and it could be said to give Offence to none but Persons of Sense and good Taste; yet it met with the Reception it well deserv'd, and was hiss'd off the Stage. See also Cibber, Apology, I, 243-44, 248-49; Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 106-7; Whincop, p. 197

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. A contract between Cibber and Rich was signed on 29 Oct. 1696 (L. C. 3@73, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, pp. 381-82), with an agreement that it was not to be printed until a month after it was acted. Since the play was advertised in the Post Man, 20-23 March 1696@7, it may have been acted as early as January 1697, certainly not later than February 1697. Possibly Leveridge set the music for a song, Tell me, Belinda, prithee do, which is in A New Book of Songs by Mr Leveridge, advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3293, 3 June 1697. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Lady in Fashion, by a Player, Damn'd. Preface, Edition of 1697: Not to miss the Advantage of Mr Doggett's Excellent Action; I prepar'd a low Character

Event Comment: [By Colley Cibber.] Never Acted before. By Subscription. The Boxes to be open'd to the Pit, and none to be admitted but by the Subscribers' Tickets. [In the preface to The Double Gallant Cibber states that in Marriage a la Mode he joined "the Comical Episodes of the Maiden Queen, and Marriage alamode...the Alteration cost me but six days trouble; and not calling it a new Play, we found the Town very favourable to it."

Event Comment: Written by the Author of the Careless Husband [Colley Cibber]. Never Acted before

Event Comment: [By Colley Cibber.] Never Acted before

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Mr Cibber

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by C. Cibber, Esq; Poet-Laureat

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by C. Cibber, Esq; Poet-Laureat. Egerton 2320: Receipts: #62

Event Comment: Written by Colly Cibber Esq. Benefit Theophilus Cibber. No persons to be admitted into the Boxes, or behind the scenes, but by Box ticket, which will be deliver'd at White's Chocolate House in St. James' St.; Tom's Coffee House in Covent Garden, and of Mr Bradshaw, &c. Places for the stage (which will be form'd into Boxes and carefully enclos'd) may be taken at Mrs Moor's in the Playhouse passage. Tickets for the Boxes and the stage will also be deliver'd at the proper offices of the theatre. Receipts: #150

Event Comment: At the Theatre-Royal in Lincoln's Inn Fields, this Day,will be presented a Comedy. Written by Colley Cibber, Esq., Poet Laureat. At Common Prices, viz. Boxes 4s. Pit 2s. 6d. 1st Gallery 1s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. [prices regularly repeated in the bills]. For the better Decorum of the Stage, no Money will be taken behind the Scenes; and 'tis humbly hop'd no Person will desire Admittance there