SELECT * FROM london_stages WHERE MATCH('(@(authnameclean,perftitleclean,commentcclean,commentpclean) "Her Majestys United Company of Comedians"/1) | (@(roleclean,performerclean) "Her Majestys United Company of Comedians")') GROUP BY eventid ORDER BY weight() desc, eventdate asc OPTION field_weights=(perftitleclean=100, commentpclean=75, commentcclean=75, roleclean=100, performerclean=100, authnameclean=100), ranker=sph04

Result Options

Download:
JSON XML CSV

Search Filters

Event

Date Range
Start
End

Performance

?
Filter by Performance Type










Cast

?

Keyword

?
We found 2144 matches on Event Comments, 162 matches on Performance Comments, 45 matches on Performance Title, 0 matches on Author, and 0 matches on Roles/Actors.
Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C., 5@145, p. 120: Mr Lymberham. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, P. 349. There is no indication as to whether this performance was the premiere, but it probably was part of its initial run, which was limited to three days. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets): In this Play (which I take to be the best Comedy of his) he so much expos'd the keeping part of the Town, that the Play was stopt, when it had but thrice appear'd on the Stage (p. 164). [In the Dedication to the play, Dryden also refers to its being stopped.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Kind Keeper; Or, Mr Limberham

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date for this performance is based upon Lump's remark in Act I: "Upon the one and twentieth of March..." Since the dedication bears a date of 16 Feb. 1678@9, the assumption is that the play was first acted on 21 March 1677@8. References in the Prologue also fit the public events of March 1678. Dedication, Edition of 1679: This Play...met not with that Success from the generality of the Audience, which I hop'd for, and you thought, and still think, it deserved

Performances

Mainpiece Title: A True Widow

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@143, p. 162. An entry for the same play on L. C. list, 5@144, p. 120, with the date 25 April, is possibly an error. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, pp. 348-49. There is no indication that this performance is the premiere, but a licensing date of 31 May 1678 suggests a premiere in April 1678

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Friendship In Fashion

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@143, p. 162; on a similar list (L. C. 5@145, p. 120) the date is given as 25 May, but the second list may have been compiled from the first one and subject to error. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 349. There is no indication that this is the first production, but the Epilogue refers to the shortly expected "long Vacation," a suggestion that the premiere came in May. The play was not licensed until 29 Aug. 1678

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Counterfeits

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but a licensing date of 28 June 1678 suggests June as the latest probable date of the premiere. Two songs, Close in a hollow silent cave and How frail is old age to believe, with music by Louis Grabu, are in (the first first) Choice Songs and Ayres, The Third Book, 1681, and (the second) A New Collection of Songs and Poems, 1683

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Squire Oldsapp; Or, The Night-adventurers

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. There is no indication of the date of the first production, but a licensing date of 15 July 1678 suggests a June or very early July production

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Brutus Of Alba; Or, The Enchanted Lovers

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is uncertain. The date of licensing was 3 Jan. 1678@9, but Wilson (Six Restoration Play-Dates, p. 222) has argued that it may well have been the first new play of the season. The Prologue refers to it as "The first Play bury'd since the Wollen Act," the Act going into effect on 1 Aug. 1678. For Sandford as Creon, see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 131. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 37): Oedipus King of Thebes, Wrote by Mr Nat. Lee and Mr Dryden: The last Writing the first two Acts, and the first the 3 last. This play was Admirably well Acted; especially the Parts of Oedipus and Jocasta: One by Mr Betterton, the other by Mrs Betterton; it took prodigiously being Acted 10 Days together

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Oedipus

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Triumphs Of London

Performance Comment: Performed on Tuesday, October XXIX. 1678. For the Entertainment of the Right Honourable, and truly Noble Pattern of Prudence and Loyalty, Sir James Edwards Knight, Lord Mayor of the City of London. Containing a true Description of the several Pageants, with the Speeches spoken on each Pageant. Together with the Songs sung in this Solemnity. All set forth at the proper Costs and Charges of the Worshipful Company of Grocers. Designed and Composed by Tho. Jordan, Gent.
Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the fact that Medbourne, who is in the cast, was sent to Newgate Prison on 26 Nov. 1678 establishes November as the latest probable date for the first production. The play was not licensed for printing until 19 Jan. 1678@9. A Compleat List of all the English Dramatic Poets (London, 1747): This Play had no Success on the Stage (p. 168)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Destruction Of Troy

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known. As the play was licensed for printing, 10 March 1678@9, March 1679 is the latest likely date for the premiere

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Tragedy Of Sertorius

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known. As the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, June 1679, it probably was acted first sometime in the preceding two or three months. Gildon's revision of Langbaine, English Dramatick Poets: This Play met not with the Applause the Author and his Friends expected (p. 28)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Ambitious Statesman; Or, The Loyal Favourite

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but as the play was licensed for printing on 27 March 1679, the premiere must have been no later than March 1679. It is possible that Midnight's Intrigue--see introductory note to the 1676-77 season-is an earlier version of this play. The Epilogue suggests that the players faced thin audiences during the spring and that Drury Lane had been closed for some time: So hard the Times are, and so thin the Town, @Though but one Playhouse, that must too lie down. It is possible that Mrs Behn's The Young King may have been acted at this time. See September 1679

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Feign'd Curtizans; Or, A Night's Intrigue

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is uncertain, but the fact that the play was entered in the Stationers' Register on 14 April 1679 suggests a premiere not later than April 1679. A song, Can life be a blessing, with music by Thomas Farmer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book, 1681

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Troilus And Cressida; Or, Truth Found Too Late

Performance Comment: Edition of 1679: The Prologue-Mr Betterton Representing the Ghost of Shakespear; Hector-Smith; Troilus-Betterton; Priam-Percivall; Aeneas-Joseph Williams; Pandarus-Leigh; Calchas-Percivall; Agamemnon-Gillo; Ulysses-Harris; Achilles-David Williams; Ajax-Bright; Nestor-Norris; Diomedes-Crosby; Patroclus-Bowman; Anthenor-Richards; Thersites-Underhill; Cressida-Mrs Mary Lee; Andromache-Mrs Betterton; The Epilogue-Thersites.
Cast
Role: Thersites Actor: Underhill
Role: The Epilogue Actor: Thersites.
Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is uncertain. The fact that the Epilogue suggests that it followed Settle's The Female Prelate is not a factor in the dating, as the Newdigate newsletters--see Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 80--show that Settle's play was first acted on 31 May 1680, whereas Caesar Borgia was entered in the Term Catalogues, November 1679. Although the reference in the Epilogue to burning the Pope's Effigies" has been argued as referring to the Pope-burning procession of 17 Nov. 1679, the references in the Epilogue to Father Lewis, who was tried and convicted at York, 28 March 1679, suggest that it was written before his execution, 27 Aug. 1679. Hence the play may have been acted first some time in the late spring or the summer. A song, Blush not redder than the Morning, with music by Thomas Farmer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book, 1681

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Caesar Borgia, Son Of Pope Alexander The Sixth

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but it was probably acted much earlier than November 1682, when it was entered in the Term Catalogues. The fact that the Epilogue refers to the Duke of York's "second Exile into Flanders" points to the possibility that it may have been acted near that time, i.e., between 24 Sept. 1679 and 14 Oct. 1679. It may have been first acted early as March 1679, when the political flights of the Duke of York were also a matter of public concern

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Young King; Or, The Mistake

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play the play was entered in the Term Catalogues in November 1679 suggests that it was first acted not much later than September 1679

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Woman Captain

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. There is no certainty as to the date of the first production; but as this play was entered in the Term Catalogues November 1679, it was certainly first acted by October 1679, possibly in September 1679. A musical number, The Loyal Protestant, the music by Thomas Farmer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book, 1681

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Virtuous Wife; Or, Good Luck At Last

Event Comment: William Blaythwaite to Sir Robert Southwell, 4 Sept. 1679 [describing a visit made on 3 Sept. 1679 by Sir Edward Dering, Mrs Helena Percival, Miss Helena, Miss Betty, and himself]: What we saw was the dancing on the ropes performed first by Jacob Hall and his company, then by a Dutch dancer, who did wonderful feats. From thence we went to the Elephant, who I think was more terrible than pleasant to the young spectators (Morley, Memoirs of Bartholomew Fair, p. 192)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Entertainments

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but its Prologue indicates that it follows The Woman Captain. Like that play and The Virtuous Wife, Caius Marius was entered in the Term Catalogues, November 1679, but the large number of plays apparently presented earlier in the autumn suggests that this one could hardly have been brought on the stage before October 1679

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The History And Fall Of Caius Marius

Performances

Mainpiece Title: London In Luster

Performance Comment: [Projecting Many bright beams of Triumph: Disposed with Several Representations of Scenes and Pageants. Performed with great Splendor on Wednesday, October XXIX. 1679] At the Initiation and Instalment of the Right Honourable Sir Robert Clayton, Knight, Lord Mayor of the City of London. Dignified with divers delightfull Varieties of Presentors, with Speeches, Songs, and Actions, properly and punctually described. All set forth at the proper Cost and Charges of the Worshipful Company of Drapers. Devised and Composed by Tho. Jordan, Gent.
Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that it was entered in the Term Catalogues in February 1679@80 suggests a first production in December 1679 or January 1680. A song, Tell my Strephon that I die, with music by John Blow, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Fourth Book, 1683

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Loyal General

Performance Comment: Edition of 1680: Prologue by Mr Dryden-; King-Harris; Theocrin-Betterton; Theron-Norris; Diphilus-Gillo; Escalus-Jevan; Pisander-Bowman; Abardanes-Jo. Williams; Sossacles-David? Williams; Queen-Mrs Currer; Arviola-Mrs Lee; Edraste-Mrs Price.
Cast
Role: Theron Actor: Norris
Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known. The play was entered in the Term Catalogues, May 1680, and advertised in the True News, 12-15 May 1680, suggesting a production not later than April 1680. Nevertheless, the fact that the Prologue refers to the attack on John Dryden in Rose Street (18 Dec. 1679) and to the petitions to Parliament--Luttrell, A Brief Relation, I, 31, on 13 Jan. 1679@80, refers to petitions subscribed by several thousands--suggests that the play appeared during January 1679@80

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Loving Enemies

Event Comment: It is not certain that this performance was given by the King's Company, but because it first produced the play, it has been assigned to Drury Lane. Pepys, Diary: Tuesday January the 27th...comeing home at night (after I had carryed my Cozen Winn Houblon home from a Play (shee would if she could). [Mornamont MS II, folio 1192, Cambridge University Library.] See also Arthur Bryant, Samuel Pepys: Years of Peril (New York, 1935), p. 314

Performances

Mainpiece Title: She Would If She Could

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the fact that Narcissus Luttrell purchased a copy on 22 March 1679@80 suggests that the premiere occurred not later than February. A copy, with Luttrell's date of purchase, is in the Ohio State University Library. (I am indebted to Professor J. H. Wilson for this information.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Misery Of Civil-war

Event Comment: During this month the dissident players from the King's Company--Goodman, Gray, and Clarke--returned from Edinburgh. For details, see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, pp. 262-63

Performances