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SELECT * FROM london_stages WHERE MATCH('(@(authnameclean,perftitleclean,commentcclean,commentpclean) "John Dryden Esq"/1) | (@(roleclean,performerclean) "John Dryden Esq")') 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

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We found 9825 matches on Author, 1782 matches on Performance Comments, 1657 matches on Event Comments, 371 matches on Performance Title, and 0 matches on Roles/Actors.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Libertine Destroy'd

Performance Comment: John-Mills; Jacomo-Johnson; Antonio-Thurmond; Lopez-Bickerstaff; Francisco-Keene; Leonora-Mrs Knight; Maria-Mrs Porter; Octavia-Miss Sherburn; Flavia-Miss Willis; Shepherds-Norris, Leigh, Pack, Burkhead.
Cast
Role: John Actor: Mills
Role: Jacomo Actor: Johnson

Dance: Dutch Skipper and Wife-

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Libertine Destroy'd

Performance Comment: John-Mills; Maria-Mrs Porter; Jacomo-Johnson.
Cast
Role: John Actor: Mills
Role: Jacomo Actor: Johnson.

Music: With the Shepherds' Musick by the late Mr Henry Purcell-

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Cato

Performance Comment: Cato-Comerford; Portius-Russell; Marcus-Smith; Lucius-Dancer; Sempronius-Johnson; Juba-Stokes; Decius-Mrs Kenny; Syphax-Lewis; Marcia-Miss Taylor; Lucia-Mrs Wilks.
Cast
Role: Sempronius Actor: Johnson
Related Works
Related Work: Cato Author(s): John Ozell

Afterpiece Title: The Election

Performance Comment: John-Kenny; Dick-Comerford; Trusty-Russell; Sally-Mrs Davies; Wife-Mrs Wilks.
Cast
Role: John Actor: Kenny

Afterpiece Title: High Life below Stairs

Performance Comment: Lovel-Russell; Freeman-Johnson; Philip-Lewis; Lord Duke-Comerford; Sir Harry-Smith; Robert-Dancer; Coachman-G. Smith; Tom-Kenny; Kingston (the Black Boy)-Master Russell; Kitty (with song)-Mrs Russell; Lady Charlotte-Miss Taylor; Lady Bab-Mrs Wilks; Cook-Mrs Newby.
Cast
Role: Freeman Actor: Johnson

Song: 2nd piece: With all the original Songs, Chorusses-

Entertainment: Imitations, as17760930

Event Comment: John Lacy's The Old Troop; or, Monsieur Raggou was probably acted by this time. Not published until 1672, it was, however, referred to in the Epilogue to The Vestal Virgin (which was entered in the Stationers' Register, 7 March 1664@5): @If nothing pleases but Variety,@I'll turn Ragou into a Tragedy.@When Lacy, like a whining Lover dies.

Performances

Event Comment: John Evelyn, writing to Viscount Cornbury this day, protested the frequency of theatrical performances during the Lenten "Indiction" after hearing that there was to be "no Lent indicted this year." He wondered if Fridays and Saturdays could not be spared from the licentiousness of plays. (See Diary and Correspondence, ed. Bray III, 150-52.

Performances

Event Comment: John Aubrey to Anthony a Wood, 26 Oct. 1671: I am writing a comedy for Thomas Shadwell, which I have almost finished since I came here, et quorum pars magna sui.... And I shall fit him with another, The Countrey Rebell, both humours untoucht, but of this, mum! for 'tis very satyricall against some of my mischievous enemies which I in my tumbling up and down have collected (Aubrey's Brief Lives, ed. Andrew Clark [Oxford, 1898], I, 52n). See also the season of 1670-71

Performances

Event Comment: John Verney to Sir Ralph Verney, 25 April 1675: The King on Saturday night sent for the keys from the Earl of Clarendon--'tis said the reason is, that last Thursday a play was acted at court, and after orders given that no more should be let in, his lordship came to the door, which the guard refused to open, tho' he told them who he was, on which he broke it open and struck a yeoman of the guard. Some say a chamberlain was never before turned out for beating a yeoman of the guard (HMC, 7th Report, Appendix, [1879], p. 464)

Performances

Event Comment: John Perin paid #1 10s. for a booth at the Fair in 1680. See Rosenfeld, Theatre of the London Fairs, p. 6

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Entertainments

Event Comment: [John Banks's The Island Queens (1684) altered.] And by reason of the extraordinary Charge in the Decoration of it, the Prices will be rais'd, Boxes 5s., Pit 3s., First Gallery 2s., Upper Gallery 1s. At 5:30 p.m

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Albion Queens; Or, The Death Of Mary, Queen Of Scotland

Related Works
Related Work: The Albion Queens Author(s): John Banks
Related Work: The Island Queens; or, The Death of Mary, Queen of Scotland Author(s): John Banks
Event Comment: John Vanbrugh to Jacob Tonson (Vanbrugh, Works, IV, 125): The Opera will begin about the 10th of March under the Academy of Musick. It will be a very good one this year, and a better the next. They having engag'd the best Singers in Italy, at a great Price. Such as I believe will bring the Expences to about twice as much as the Receipts. But the fund Subscribed being about #20000, may probably Support it, till Musick takes such root, as to Subsist with less aid. The King gives a #1000 a year to it

Performances

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Injur'd Merchant; Or, The Extravagant Son

Afterpiece Title: The Jew in Distress; or, Harlequin turn'd Sharper

Song: Phillips, Mrs Vaux, Mrs St.John

Performance Comment: John.

Dance: Phillips, Mrs Vaux, Mrs St.John

Performance Comment: John.
Event Comment: [John Baker, Diary, p. 106: "Went apres midi con Uxor in chariot to 'Messiah', could not get seat in Upper Gallery, sat in lower."

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Messiah

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Recruiting Officer

Dance: Lancashire Hornpipe-Esq Timothy's Countryman who perform'd it with so much Applause during the Time of the Fair; Mimic Scene between Harlequin and a Peasant-; Vaulting on the Horse-a Gentleman lately arriv'd from France

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Blazing Comet

Related Works
Related Work: The Blazing Comet: The Mad Lovers; or, The Beauties of the Poets Author(s): Samuel Johnson

Song: Song on the Privilege and Happiness of Free@Masonry A very humorous Song on the Charitable Corporation, sent by George Robinson, Esq</a>. late Treasurer, from Italy to his Friends in London-

Performances

Mainpiece Title: As You Like It

Afterpiece Title: No Song No Supper

Song: End I: Sweet Lillies of the Valley-Dignum; End IV: My Friend is the Man I'd copy through Life (written by Miles Peter Andrews, Esq., composed by Hook)-Dignum; V: a song, as17990214

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Concert

Music: The Passion of Sappho (Written by Mr Harison), The Feast of Alexander (Written by Mr Dryden)-Mr ThomasClayton (Author of Arsinoe)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Concert

Music: The Passion of Sappho (by Harrison), If Wine and Music have the Power (by Prior), The Feast of Alexander (by Dryden)-ThomasClayton

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Concert

Music: Vocal and Instrumental Music-; Consisting of an Ode design'd for the Prince's Birth/Day-; an Ode on the King-; and that Celebrated Piece of Mr Dryden, called the Feast of Alexander; All by Mr Tho. Clayton, Author of Arsinoe-

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Concert

Music: A Solo on the Violin-Collett; a Concerto on the Harpsichord-Gladwin; several Pieces on the Trumpet-Snow; Likewise the Dead March in Saul-to be performed with the Sackbuts; To which will be added, set to Musick Dryden's Ode on St. Cecilia's Day by Mr Handel-; the principal Voice Part-Mrs Arne

Performances

Mainpiece Title: L'allegro E Il Penseroso; With Additions, Dryden's Ode On St

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Much Ado About Nothing

Performance Comment: Benedick-Ryan; Pedro-Cashell; Don John-Ridout; Leonato-Johnson; Claudio-Hale; Dogberry-Hippisley; Balthazar-Hayman; Hero-Mrs Hale; Margaret-Miss Hippisley; Antonio-Carr; Boracchio-Gibson; Conrade-Anderson; Verges-James; Fryar-Rosco; Town Clerk-Marten; Sexton-Arthur; Watch-Stoppelaer; Ursula-Mrs Vaughan; Boy-Miss Morrison; Beatrice-Mrs Pritchard.
Cast
Role: Don John Actor: Ridout
Role: Leonato Actor: Johnson
Related Works
Related Work: Much Ado about Nothing Author(s): John Philip Kemble

Afterpiece Title: Duke and no Duke

Related Works
Related Work: A Duke and No Duke Author(s): John Thurmond

Dance: PPeasant-Cooke; Comic Ballet-Cooke, Signora Campioni

Song: SSong of Diana from Dryden's Secular Masque,-Beard (set by Mr Boyce); Genius of England-Beard

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Inconstant

Related Works
Related Work: The Inconstant: or, The Way to Win Him Author(s): John Fletcher

Afterpiece Title: Duke and no Duke

Related Works
Related Work: A Duke and No Duke Author(s): John Thurmond

Song: II: A New Cantata (compos'd by Mr Arne)-Beard; III: Singing-Master Vernon; IV: The Incantation Song in Dryden's Indian Queen (composed by Purcell)-Beard

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Mourning Bride

Afterpiece Title: Duke and no Duke

Related Works
Related Work: A Duke and No Duke Author(s): John Thurmond

Dance: V: A Dance-Sg Piettro, Janeton Auretti, Master Piettro

Song: II: Dryden's Incantation Song-Beard

Performances

Mainpiece Title: As You Like It

Afterpiece Title: Don Quixote in England

Dance: III: A Hornpipe-the Little Swiss

Song: I: Master Vernon

Entertainment: S+SpecialtyAfter: An Elogium-Mr Ross;wrote by Dryden, concluding with Milton's Epitaph to the Memory of Shakespear-Mr Ross. representing the shade of Shakespear as figured on his monument in Westminster Abbey. By Particular Desire.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Discovery

Related Works
Related Work: The Lucky Discovery; or, The Tanner of York Author(s): John Arthur
Related Work: The Spanish Fryar; or, The Double Discovery Author(s): John Dryden
Related Work: The Fatal Discovery Author(s): John Home

Afterpiece Title: Polly Honeycomb

Entertainment: After: By particular Desire Sheridan will recite Dryden's Ode on the Power of Music-