Event Comment: Benefit
Mrs Cross,
Mrs Bridges,
Miss Young.
The General Advertiser included
the following Puff: Sir, As I am continually searching for latent Curiosities, out of a sincere regard for
the Public Satisfaction, I think it my Duty (lest among
the Multitude of Diversions now flourishing, some o
ther might engross
the attention of
the Curious) to inform
the world, that
the Farce which will be perform'd t
his Evening at
Drury Lane theatre, call'd
May Day, or the Merry Milkmaids of Islington, was written by
the particular desire of King
Charles II who had it first performed at
Newmarket; how agreeably that jovial Monarch was entertained, every person, who thinks it worth
his while to see it, according to
his abilities, will be a competent judge, Yours, &c A. Virtuoso. [Part of
the Multitude of Diversions referred to included announcement in
the same paper for a Rehearsal of
the whole Band of Music at
Ruckholt House,
the following Monday; a paragraph Puff on
the diversions at
Sadler's Wells in consequence of
the late happy Victory of
the Duke of Cumberland over
the Rebels, with special notice of a New Interlude of Music call'd
Strephon's Return, or the British Hero, perform'd t
his night with many advantages of Dress and Decoration, and a new Ballet by
Matthews; and fur
ther notice of
the Representation of
the Battle near
Culloden House which had met with universal applause, and which would continue to be repeated at
the New Wells in
Goodman's Fields.
The Farce at Drury Lane t
his evening was advertised as not having been played for 20 years. It was taken from
Thomas Nabbes'
Totenham Court Road, by
the Compiler of
the Muse of Newmarket, 1680.
The MS Occasional Prologue praising Cumberland is in
the Larpent Collection.