Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Martyr. 2nd piece [1st time; O 1, by John Wolcot. Larpent MS 770; not published]: Being a Translation from the French Opera of that name [Nina; ou, La Folle par Amour, by Benoit Joseph Marsollier des Vivetieres], now performing at Paris with universal applause. With the original Music [by Nicolas Dalayrac, adapted by William Shield and William Thomas Parke. Two other versions of this opera, both unacted, were published this year: one anonymous, and one by George Monck Berkeley]. Receipts: #300 8s. 6d. (150.0.0; 2.18.0; tickets: 147.10.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 2, by Prince Hoare, adapted from Camille; ou, Le Souterrain, by Benoit Joseph Marsollier des Vivetieres]: The Musick entirely new by Dussek [and Kelly]. With new Scenery [by Marinari (Monthly Mirror, Nov. 1798, p. 309)], Dresses, and Decorations. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 7 May 1799: On May 9 will be published The Captive of Spilburg (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #209 6s. 6d. (108.10.6; 99.19.6; 0.16.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 3, by Samuel Birch, adapted from Camille; ou, Le Souterrain, by Benoit Joseph Marsollier des Vivetieres, and from Les Victimes Cloitrees, by Jacques Marie Boutet de Monvel; the songs written by Thomas John Dibdin. Larpent MS 1236; not published. The playbill states that this was "Taken from the German," but London Chronicle, 12 Dec., says that its source is the same as that of The Captive of Spilburg (see dl, 14 Nov.). An examination of the MSS of these two pieces (Larpent 1230 and 1236) proves that such is unmistakably the case]: With entire new Scenes, Machinery, Dresses & Decorations. The Music composed and selected by Steibelt and Attwood. The Action of the Chorusaes, Finales, &c. under the Direction of Farley, and the Action of the Overture by Bologna Jun. A new Descriptive Overture, composed by Steibelt, on a Plan never before introduced on the English Stage, accompanied by Action. "The overture is...nothing more than music adapted to pantomime; and, in the present instance, the dumb shew is an unnecessary anticipation of the procession with which the piece opens" (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1798, p. 369). The Scenery painted by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Blackmore, &c. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #338 17s. 6d. (325.14.6; 13.3.0)

Event Comment: Benefit Beckham, the Prompter. Tickets at Beckham's Toy Shop, in Cornhill; George's Coffeehouse, Temple Bar, Tom's Coffeehouse, Russel St., Covent Garden; Dodsley's Bookseller, at Tulley's Head; and at Gloucester Tavern, Pall Mall. Tickets deliver'd out by Mrs Steel, Mrs E. Hippisley, the two Masters Granier, and Mr Ravenscroft, will be taken...Servants will be allow'd to keep Places upon the Stage, which (for the better Accommodation of the Ladies) will be enclos'd, and form'd into an Amphitheatre

Event Comment: Benefit for Shawford, Roger, Granier and the Widow Reinhold. Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Dyer, Miss Helm, Mrs Viviez, Mrs Leppie. Tickets delvier'd out by Redman, Chapman, and others will be taken. Receipts #23 14s. 6d. plus 1!2 value of tickets. @Tickets Mrs Dyer Box 8@Pit 35@Gallery 29@Value #10 3s.@1!2 Value #5 1s. 6d.@Tickets Miss Helm Box 3@Pit 20 Gallery 20@Value #7 5s.@1!2 Value #3 12s. 6d.@Tickets Mrs Viviez Box 15@Pit 42@Gallery 71@Value #17 3s.@1!2 Value #8 11s. 6d.@Tickets Mrs Leppie Box 6@Pit 38@Gallery 34@Value #10 12s.@1!2 Value #5 6s.@Tickets Redman Box -@Pit 40@Gallery 44@Value #9 16s.@1!2 Value #4 18s.@Tickets Chapman Box 52@Pit 150@Gallery 79@Value 43 8s.@1!2 Value #21 14s.@Tickets Jarvis Box 3@Pit 77@Gallery 55@Value #18 8s.@1!2 Value #9 14s.@Tickets Cockayne Box 2@Pit 19@Gallery 7@Value #4 1s.@1!2 Value #2 6d.@Tickets Dumay Box 17@Pit 31@Gallery 36@Value #12 10s.@1!2 Value #6 5s.@Tickets Mrs Granier Box -@Pit 18@Gallery 16@Value #4 6s.@1!2 Value #2 3s.@Tickets Miss Davis Box 23@Pit 27@Gallery 13@Value #11 2s.@1!2 Value #5 11s. (Gratis)@Tickets Paddock Box 1@Pit 24@Gallery 26@Value #6 9s.@1!2 Value #3 4s. 6d.@Tickets Hitchcock Box 17@Pit 42@Gallery 3@Value #10 17s.@1!2 Value #5 8s. 6d. (Gratis)@Total Box 147@Pit 573@Gallery 433@Value #166@1!2 Value #83 Money #23 14s. 6d.@#106 14s. 6d. #9 12s.; Paid Blackmore a bill for the theatre, #71 12s. 6d.; A Bill for Rich #30 0s. 6d

Event Comment: 3rd piece [1st time; P 2, by John Fawcett. Text 1st published by Duncombe and Moon, c. 1825]: With entire new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. The Overture and most of the Musick composed by Dr Arnold. The Selections from eminent Masters, and the whole adapted by him to the Action of the Drama. The Scenery, comprehending a display of Views in the Island of Jamaicav, designed and painted [on playbill of 1 July: from Views taken on the Spot, and documents of undoubted authority] by S. Whitmore. The Machinery by Ronaldson, Sylvester, &c. The Dresses [on playbill of 1 July: made for the purpose by Persons acquainted with the spot where the Scene of Action lyes] by Gay, Mrs Egan, &c. A Prospectus of the Action with the Songs annexed, Price Six-pence, to be had at the Theatre [and reprinted in Dramatic Censor, III, 21-29]

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Polly Young. Afterpiece: Positively for Last time this season

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This date of the premiere is not known, but the presence of Cademan (who was injured in August 1673) in the cast suggests a late spring or early summer production. In addition, two songs, in the play, Beauty no more shall suffer eclipse, and Full round the health good natured and free, both set by Robert Smith, are in Choice Ayres and Songs, 1673 (which was entered in the Stationers' Register, June 1673). It is possible, then, that the play was first given early as May 1673. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 33: A Comedy call'd The Reformation, Written by a Master of Arts in Cambridge; the Reformation in the Play, being the Reverse to the Laws of Morality and Virtue; it quickly made its Exit, to make way for a Moral one

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Preface states:...the many inconveniences this hasty Peice has been expos'd to, as the Season of the being [sic] so near Christmas. [The Preface also refers to several scenes omitted in the action and expresses gratitude to Mountfort who wrote one scene of the fifth act.] This play was entered in the Term Catalogues, Feb. 1690@1

Event Comment: The United Company. This play was never published, and the date of its first performance is not known. It is referred to, however, in the Gentleman's Journal, May 1694, with the implication that it preceded The Married Beau and that both had appeared since the previous issue of the Gentleman's Journal

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 25-28 April 1696, suggests that it was acted not later than the period preceding Passion Week (6-11 April 1696). In addition, the large number of minor performers in the cast suggests a Lenten performance by the young actors. In Act I, Scene i, there is an Entertainment of Instrumental Musick, Compos'd by Signior Finger: Then a Song, set by Mr John Eccles, and Sung by Young La Roche. In III, iii: A Dialogue set by Seignior Baptist. The play is an adaptation of John Webster's Cure for a Cuckold. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702): The City Bride, by another Player, Damn'd