Event Comment: By His Majesty's Command. Afterpiece: a New Dramatick Entertainment of Musick and Grotesque Dancing. Edition of 1740: Set to Musick by Mr John-Frederick Lampe. [For further letters concerning John Hill and Rich, see London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 11 and 12 Feb.

Event Comment: Receipts: #97 1s. 6d. (Account Book); #100 (Rylands MS.)

Event Comment: [The French Company advertised that it would not perform this day in honor of the birth of the Princesse de Galles, but would present on 24 Nov. Moliere's Tartuffe and Arlequin Nulla. The General Advertiser also carried the following long note from Lord Trentham on the following day]: To the worthy inhabitants of the City and Liberty of Westminster, Gentlemen: His Majesty having been graciously pleased to appoint me one of the Commissioners for executing the Office Lord High Admiral, by which my seat in Parliament is vacated; and the shortness of time not permitting me to apply personally to you, I take this method of entreating your votes and interest to be re-elected your representative in Parliament, which will ever be acknowledged by Gentlemen, your oblig'd and humble servant, Trentham. N.B. the Election comes on Tomorrow the 24th instant at Covent Garden at nine o'clock in the Morning. N.B.B. Whereas it has been maliciously reported, in order to impose on the worthy inhabitants of the City and Liberty of Westminster, and to prejudice me in their opinion at this time, that I was active in the disturbance at the French Playhouse last Tuesday night; I do declare upon my honour, that I was neither in the Pit nor Gallery where the Disturbance happened during the time of the performance, nor drew my sword, nor made use of any weapon, either to strike or terrify any of the spectators; nor was I even present at the first and chief disturbance at that playhouse; nor have I been at any Representation at that playhouse since the first Night of the Performance, as has been falsely suggested. Trentham" In a few days will be publish'd A Particular Account of the Disturbance in the Haymarket Theatre, on Tuesday and Wednesday the 14th and 15th Instant; in which the behaviour of a noble Lord will be fully vindicated. By one of the French Comedians

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never performed there. Afterpiece: Not acted these 3 years. To conclude with a Representation of the Repulse of the Spaniardsv before the Rock of Gibraltarv [on 13 Sept. 1782; this was included in all subsequent performances.] The Music partly new and partly compiled from thethe best Masters. The Scenes designed and executed by Greenwood. The Overture by Baumgarten. The new Music and Accompaniments to the adapted Airs by Shield. Receipts: #160 10s. 6d. (136.6.0; 23.5.0; 0.19.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Martyr. 3rd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, by John Cartwright Cross. Larpent MS 1124; not published]: Founded on the recent and glorious Achievement, at the above French Fort, of Sir Sydney Smith. [On 17 Mar. 1796 a force under Sir William Sydney Smith had destroyed six French vessels in the Bay of Herqui.] To conclude with the British striking the French Colours on the Fort, burning their Corvettes in the Harbour. The new Music by Shield. Oracle, 29 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Martyr at her house, No. 16, Martlett-court, Bow-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #384 11s. 6d. (192.14.0; 10.1.0; tickets: 181.16.6)

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but as the play was entered in the Stationers' Register, 26 June 1673, it was probably acted in May 1673 or earlier. For a discussion of its possible dates, see Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 403. A song, The day is come, I see it rise, set by Robert Smith, is in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673. Dedication to the edition of 1673:...though it succeeded on the Stage

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. Luttrell, however, dated the copy he purchased 6 July 1680 (VanLennep, Two Restoration Comedies, pp. 57-58) and attributed it to Mrs Aphra Behn. If copies were available in early July, the play was most probably performed in June 1680. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, p. 547) had heard that Mrs Behn was the author, but A Comparison between the Two Stages (p. 11) attributed it to Thomas Betterton. For a discussion of the authorship, see also Ten English Farces, ed. Leo Hughes and A. H. Scouten (Austin, Texas, 1948), pp. 203-4

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but it very probably occurred not later than May 1691, as the play was advertised in the London Gazette, 4-8 June 1691. For discussions of it, see E. W. White, Early Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59), 44-45, and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre, Chapter III. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 42: King Arthur an Opera, wrote by Mr Dryden: it was Excellently Adorn'd with Scenes and Machines: The Musical Part set by Famous Mr Henry Purcel; and Dances made by Mr Jo. Priest: The Play and Musick pleas'd the Court and City, and being well perform'd, twas very Gainful to the Company. Roger North: I remember in Purcell's excellent opera of King Arthur, when Mrs Butler, in the person of Cupid, was to call up Genius, she had the liberty to turne her face to the scean, and ner back to the theater. She was in no concerne for her face, but sang a recitativo of calling towards the place where Genius was to rise, and performed it admirably, even beyond any thing I ever heard upon the English stage....And I could ascribe it to nothing so much as the liberty she had of concealing her face, which she could not endure should be so contorted as is necessary to sound well, before her gallants, or at least her envious sex. There was so much of admirable musick in that opera, that it's no wonder it's lost; for the English have no care of what's good, and therefore deserve it not (Roger North on Music, ed. John Wilson [London, 1959], p. 217-18)

Event Comment: Robert Shirley to Thomas Coke, Chartly, 21 Jan. 1695@6: I must agree with you that Wit and Sense seem this winter to have suffered an eclipse, and the dramatic writers more especially have showed how little they consulted either. I do assure you, I have not of late met with more of both than in your ingenious diverting letter to me, so that I am satisfied Wit is not retired out of town, but has only forsaken the stage. We that live in these northern parts are forced to range over fields and woods to find subjects of diversion, for in the frozen season of the year, there is nothing that is more so in the country than conversation. In my last ramble, either my own innate fancy, or the aversion I had to see such plays wrote in English as would hardly bear the reading, made me imagine I met with one of the Muses that had left the town, and by her discourse seemed to be Patroness of Dramatic Poetry. You know, Sir, to meet with a Nymph in the desert was no rarity in some countries heretofore, but yet I vow and swear between us, I asked her the occasion of her leaving the town, to which she made this sudden answer: @Neglected Wit is silent at a time@When puns, or bombast, stuff each doggrill rhyme.@In comic strain when they'd describe a fool,@The author proves the only ridicule.@In tragic verse while others fain would boast,@Landing some thousand Romans on the coast,@In what they would express themselves are lost,@Make Romans cowards, and make English great,@And make Bonduca valiant, to be beat.@Would Congreve or would Blackmoor now engage,@They might with manly thoughts reform the stage:@ ... As for Mr Southern's play, I have not yet seen it, so that I cannot at present give you my thoughts on it (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Part II, Cowper MSS., II, 359-60)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but the evidence points to this day as a strong Possibility. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus (p. 44) states that it was given thirteen days consecutively, and John Coke (see 16 March 1696@7) states that it was acted "till Saturday" (16 March 1696@7). If the tragedy was acted on Wednesdays but not Fridays, as was often the practice in Lent, and if the farce alluded to for Saturday, 16 March 1696@7, comprised the entire program, this day was probably the premiere. The following sequence of performances is based on these premises. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 44: The Mourning Bride...had such Success, that it continu'd Acting Uninterrupted 13 Days together. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 23: This Play had the greatest Success, not only of all Mr Congreve's, but indeed of all the Plays that ever I can remember on the English Stage, excepting some of the incomparable Otway's. Aston, A Brief Supplement (in Cibber, Apology, II, 302): His [Betterton's] Favourite, Mrs Barry, claims the next in Estimation. They were both never better pleas'd, than in Playing together.--Mrs Barry outshin'd Mrs Bracegirdle in the Character of Zara in the Mourning Bride, altho' Mr Congreve design'd Almeria for that Favour

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. London Post, 28 June-1 July 1700: Yesterday the Play called the Tempest was acted at the Old Play-house; and that called Love for Love at the new, both for the benefit of the poor English Slaves, &c. and I am told, that the sum arising thereby, amounted to about 250 #. It being put on the Playhouse Bills on Friday last, That each Company were to Act that day, and the whole Profits to go to'ards the Redemption of the English now in Slavery at Machanisso in Barbary, we are credibly informed, That, pursuant thereunto, the Treasurers of the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, did on Saturday last pay into the hands of the Churchwardens of St.@Martin's the sum of 20 #. out of the Receipts of the Play acted by that Company, towards the Relief of those our Natives from Slavery, which good example 'tis hoped, may move others to be speedy and generous in their Charity for the same purpose. What the other Company gave I do not yet hear

Event Comment: Benefit Signora Margherita Durastanti. Particular Care will be taken to Place Benches on the Stage for the Accommodation of the Company. [According to Deutsch, Handel, p. 160, her benefit brought her #1,000, in addition to a salary of 1,200 guineas yearly. The Cantata is printed in the Daily Journal, 18 March.

Event Comment: Benefit the English Harlequin. By a New Company of English Comedians, who never yet appear'd upon that Stage. [Second Piece: "a New Farce (of one Act)." Apparently not published. Third Piece: "a New Entertainment in Grotesque Characters."

Event Comment: As 2 March. According to Daily Post, 4 March, the new English Opera of Amelia was rehearsed at hay on 3 March by a Set of Performers that never appeared before upon any Stage

Event Comment: A Grand Concert. 6 p.m. Boxes 4s. Pit 2s. 6d. Gallery 1s. 6d. Afterwards will be given Gratis...Daily Advertiser, 20 Jan.: Last Night the Musical Entertainment call'd The Queen of Spain, was receiv'd by a numerous Audience with great Approbation. The Artificial Scene hereafter will be omitted, it not being connected with the rest, not any way answering what was promised by the Projector who offered it. Music by J. F. Lampe; words by James Ayres

Event Comment: Afterpiece an Operetta never perform'd before. The Words by Mr Ayre [James Ayres], and the Musick by Mr Lampe. Benefit Sullivan

Event Comment: Having for a Series of Years received the greatest Obligations from the Nobility and Gentry of this Nation, I have always retained a deep Impression of their Goodness. As I perceived, that joining good Sense and Significant Words of Musick, was the best Method of recommending this to an English Audience; I have directed my Studies that way, and endeavour'd to shew, that the English Language, which is so expressive of the sublimest Sentiments, is the best adapted of any to the full and solemn Kind of Musick. I have the Mortification now to find, that my Labours to please are become ineffectual, when my Expences are considerably greater. To what Cause I must impute the Loss of the Publick Favour, I am ignorant, but the Loss itself I shall always lament. In the mean time, I am assur'd that a Nation, whose Characteristic is good Nature, would be affected with the Ruin of any Man, which was owing to his Endeavours to entertain them. I am likewise persuaded, that I shall have the forgiveness of those noble Persons, who have honour'd me with their Patronage, and their Subscription this Winter, if I beg them Permission to stop short, before my Losses are too great to support, if I proceed no farther in my Undertaking; and if I intreat them to withdraw three Fourths of their Subscription, one Fourth part only of my Proposal having been perform'd. I am, etc. G. F. Handel. Attendance will be given at Mr Handel's House in Brook's St., Hanover Square, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next, in order to pay back the Subscription money. [Two poems in honor of Handel in the 21 Jan. issue of the Daily Advertiser. A letter in the 25 Jan. issue indicates that the subscribers would not accept the proferred refund; Handel announced he would resume performances in view of this response.

Event Comment: [Full column in Daily Advertiser describing Barry's and Mrs Macklin's acting techniques.] Barry from the Theatre in Dublin, perform'd the part of Othello, at Drury Lane, before a numerous and polite audience; and met with as great Applause as could be express'd.--General Advertiser, 6 Oct. Thomas Gray to Horace Walpole: You have probably been there since I left you, and consequently have seen the Mr Barry you desired some account of; yet as I am not certain of this and should be glad to know whether we agree about him, I will nevertheless tell you what he is, and the impression he made upon me. He is upwards of six feet in height; wdll and prortionably made, treads well and knows what to do with his limbs; in short a noble graceful figure. I can say nothing of his face but that it was all black, with a wide mough and good eyes. His voice is of a clear and pleasing tone, something like Delane's, but not so deep-mouthed, not so like a passing bell. When high strain'd it is apt to crack a little and be hoarse, but in its common pitch, and when it sinks into any softer passion, particularly expressive and touching. In the first scene, especially when he recounts to the Senate the progress of his love and the means he used to win Desdemona, he was quite mistaken, and I took a pique against him; instead of a cool narration he flew into a rant of voice and action, as though he were relating the circumstance of a battle that was fought yesterday. I expected nothing more from him, but was deceiv'd: in the scenes of rage and jealousy he was seldom inferior to Quin in the parts of tenderness and sorrow far above him. These latter seem to be his peculiarly; his action is not very various, but rarely improper, or without dignity, and some of his attitudes are really fine. He is not perfect to be sure, but I think may make a better player than any now on the stage in a little while. However, to see a man in one character, and but once, is not sufficient, so I rather ask your opinion by this, than give you mine.--Horace Walpole's Correspondence with Thomas Gray, II, 6-7