Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is stated in Luttrell, A Brief Relation, II, 435, 28 April 1692: On Monday will be acted a new opera, call the Fairy Queen: exceeds former playes: the clothes, scenes, and musick cost 3000#. [According to Some Select Songs As they are Sung in the Fairy Queen (1692) tne singers were Mrs Ayliff, Mrs Dyer, Freeman, Mrs Butler, and Pate. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XII (1903), ii; E. W. White, Early Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59 ), 45; and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre, Chapter IV.] Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 42-43: The Fairy Queen, made into an Opera, from a Comedy of Mr Shakespeare s: This in Ornaments was Superior to the other Two [King Arthur and The Prophetess]; especially in Cloaths, for all the Singers and Dancers, Scenes, Machines and Decorations, all most profusely set off; and excellently perform'd, chiedly the Instrumental and Vocal part Compos'd by the said Mr Purcel, and Dances by Mr Priest. The Court and Town were wonderfully satisfy'd with it; but the Expences in setting it out being so great, the Company got very little by it. Gentleman's Journal, May 1692: The Opera of which I have spoke to you in my former hath at last appear'd, and continues to be represented daily: it is call'd, The Fairy Queen. The Drama is originally Shakespears, the Music and Decorations are extraordinary. I have heard the Dances commended, and without doubt the whole is very entertaining. [As the May issue of the Gentleman's Journal was licensed on 14 May, the statement that The Fairy Queen continued to be acted daily may indicate consecutive performances from 2 May to at le ast 14 May 1692.

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the Gentleman's Journal, February 1692@3 (issued in March) makes clear that it followed Congreve's play: We have had since a Comedy, call'd, The Wary Widow, or Sir Noisy Parrot, by Henry Higden Esq; I send by here the Prologue to it by Sir Charles Sedley, and you are too great an Admirer of Shakespeare, not to assent to the Praises given to the Fruits of his rare Genius (p. 61). The play was announced in the London Gazette, No. 2875, 29 May-June 1693. The music for one song, All hands up aloft, was by Berenclow, and the song appears in D'Urfey, Wit and Mirth, 1699. Dedication, edition of 1693: But now it is forced to beg for your Protection from the malice and severe usage it received from some of my Ill natured Friends, who with a Justice peculiar to themselves, passed sentence upon it unseen or heard and at the representation made it their business to persecute it with a barbarous variety of Noise and Tumult. Gildon, The Life of Mr Thomas Betterton (p. 20): The actors were completely drunk before the end of the third act, and being therefore unable to proceed with this "Pleasant Comedy," they very properly dismissed the audience

Event Comment: Aeneas and Dido compos'd by the late Mr Henry Purcell. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: several Musical Entertainments composed by Henry Purcell. [Monday 10--Saturday 15: PASSION WEEK]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Beaumont and Fletcher, and since Revis'd. Afterpiece: [By Henry Carey.] A New Farce

Event Comment: [By Henry Fielding.] Never Acted before

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. First Piece. [By Henry Carey.] Not play'd these Fourteen Years. Second Piece: Not play'd these Six Years

Event Comment: [By Henry Fielding.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: [By Henry Fielding.] For a comment on the performance, see Egmont, Diary, I, 97

Event Comment: Never Acted before. Written by the Author of Tom Thumb [Henry Fielding]. With New Scenes and other Decorations

Event Comment: Third piece: an entire New Act [introduced into Tom Thumb, By T. Cooke]. Daily Journal, 30 Nov.: Whereas it hath been advertised, that an entire New Act, called, The Battle of the Poets, is introduced into the Tragedy of Tom Thumb; This is to assure the Town, that I have never seen this additional Act, nor in any ways concerned therein. Henry Fielding

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. Afterpiece: Never perform'd before. [By Henry Fielding.

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By Henry Fielding.]5s., 3s., 2s., 1s

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [Both plays by Henry Fielding. For a discussion of recent plays, see The Comedian, No. 3, June 1731.

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: A New Farce. [By Henry Fielding.] Alter'd from the French of Moliere

Event Comment: A New English Opera after the Italian Manner. [Text by Henry Carey. Set to Musick by John Christopher Smith.] Pit and Boxes put together at 5s. First Gallery 3s. Upper Gallery 2s. 6 p.m. Receipts: For Mr Arne

Event Comment: Afterpiece: [By Henry Carey. Not printed.

Event Comment: A New Ballad Opera. [By Henry Potter.

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Raftor. At the desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: A Farce of one Act. [By Henry Fielding. Apparently not published.

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several eminent Merchants and Persons of Distinction. Afterpiece: a new Pastoral Epithalamium. [Edition of 1733 lists no cast, states that it was written by a Gentleman, and prints the Prologue, which was written by Havard. A song, The Wedding Day, written by Henry Carcy, was sung in it by Master Osborne.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In it The Pleasures of the Town. With great Additions. Afterpiece: a new Farce of two Acts. [By Henry Fielding.]

Event Comment: A New Comedy. Written by the Author of The Miser [Henry Fielding]. Tickets for the Author's Night at DL will be taken here every Night of the Performance. Boxes 4s. Pit is. Gallery 1s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit John Roberts, in lieu of one last Season at DL. Afterpiece: Written by Henry Fielding, Esq. 6:30 P.M. N.B. The Play and Entertainment will be conducted with the utmost Decorum: And whereas several Irregularities have been committed, as to Hours of beginning, &c. this is to assure all Gentlemen and Ladies that please to favour us with their Presence, that the Play will certainly begin at the time propos'd; and particular Care is taken that the whole Performance will endeavour at universal Satisfaction. Tickets for Sir Walter Raleigh taken at this Play

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Mr Otway. Afterpiece: A new Farce of one Act [by Henry Fielding]

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By Henry Fielding.] Admission: 5s., 3s., 2s., 1s. Preface: What could incense a Number of People to attack it with such an inveterate Prejudice, is not easy to determine; for Prejudice must be allowed, be the Play good or bad, when it is condem'd unheard. Prompter, 18 Feb.: Here I had an Opportunity of making an Observation very much in Favour of the Town; viz, That the Accusation of Bad Taste is very falsly and unjustly brought against them, since if the Town had really the bad Taste, they are represented to have, the Play would have run the remaining Part of the Season, in an uninterrupted Course of Applause. I had likewise an Opportunity of observing much more Impartiality than I expected, in the Behaviour of the Audience, for till almost the third Act was over, they sat very quiet, in hopes it would mend