Event Comment: Formerly Compos'd by Mr Handel, and now again Revis'd by him. With several Additions, to be perform'd by a great Number of the best Voices and Instruments. There will be no Action on the Stage, but the Scenes will represent (in a Picturesque Manner) a Rural Prospect, with Rocks, Groves, Fountains, and Grottos, amongst which will be disposed a Chorus of Nymphs and Shepherds. The Habits and every other Decoration suited to the Subject. [Prince of Wales and Princess Royal present. See letter from Hill to Handel, in Hill, Works, I, 174-75, and in Deutsch, Handel, p. 299.

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnstone. 1st piece: By permission of G. Colman, Esq.; never performed here. [Bannister Jun.'s 1st appearance at this theatre was on 2 Feb. 1779.] 3rd piece: Not performed here these 3 years. [No play of this title had been hitherto acted anywhere. But it appears to be the same as The Sailor's Prize, for which see cg, 1 May 1795.] Morning Chronicle, 22 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Johnstone, No. 19, Piazza, Covent Garden. Receipts: #478 (208.6.6; 13.17.6; tickets: 255.16.0)

Event Comment: Three Brothers of ye Delavals play'd ye Eldest Othello, ye next Iago, ye next Cassio--+Brabantio & Lodovico Mr Pine Roderigo-Cap. Stevens and Wife Emelia $Mrs Quan did Desdemona, the performance was very decent & met with great applause the Audience from ye Boxes to the upper Gallery were fill'd with people of ye first rank & make a most brilliant appearance. & ye greatest Crowd at ye Doors I ever saw. their Agreement for ye House was a receipt of one of the Alfred Houses upon an Averidge. they had all new cloaths, & very nicely ornamented with Diamonds (Cross). [See eulogy and criticism in some detail concerning the acting, by John Hill, Inspector No 3.] All Gentlemen and Ladies who intend going in coaches this evening to Drury Lane Theatre, are desired to order their coachmen to drive thro' Covent Garden, and stop at Bridges St. Door, and as soon as they have set down the company to drive off directly towards the Strand.--Those who go in chairs, are requested to order the men to the New Door in Russel St., and to prevent the avenues being stopt up no person will be admitted to either passage without first showing their tickets at the outward door (General Advertiser). Tickets Lost. If any person has found three tickets (numbers forgot) for the private play this night at Drury Lane, and will be so kind as to bring them to the Bar of the Rainbow Coffee House, Ironmonger Lane, shall receive 15s. for the whole, or in proportion for one or two of them (General Advertiser). Tomorrow Morning at 8 o'clock will be published' (price 6d.) by Thomas Carnan, at Mr Newberry's, at the Bible and Sun in St Paul's Churchyard; An Occasional Prologue and Epilogue to Othello, as it will this night be acted at the theatre-Royal in Drury Lane, by Persons of distinction, for their diversion. Written by Christopher Smart, A.M., Fellow of Pembroke Hall in the University of Cambridge. To be had at the place above mentioned, and at the pamphlet shops at the Royal Exchange and Charing Cross. This Prologue and Epilogue will be entered in the Hall Book of the Company of Stationers, and whoever presumes to pyrate them, or any part of them, will be persecuted as the Law directs (General Advertiser). [Both pieces by Christopher Smart, according to the Daily Advertiser. See two exceedingly favorable critical comments and one derogatory reprinted in the Gentleman's Magazine, March 1751 (pp. 119-22): "The greatest part of the play was much better performed than it ever was on any stage before. In the whole, there was a face of nature that no theatrical piece, acted by common players ever came up to." Macklin was Delaval's dramatic coach, according to one of these articles.

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is most uncertain. The play was apparently finished in July 1671-see C. E. Ward, The Life of John Dryden (Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1961), p. 83-and the play may have been acted before April 1672. For the possibilities see Macdonald, Bibliography of Dryden, p. 110, and Nicoll, Restoration Drama, pp. 404-5. The Prologue and Epilogue are in Covent Garden Drollery, 1672. The song, Whilst Alexas lay prest, the music by Nicholas Staggins, was printed in Westminster Drollery (entered in the Stationers' Register, 3 June 1672) and in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673. Another song, Why should a foolish Marriage Vow, set by Robert Smith, is also in Choice Songs and Ayres, 1673

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@149, p. 368: The Queene a Box, and a Box for the Maids Honor at Don Sebastian King of Portugal. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352. There is no certainly that this is the first performance. The play was entered in the Stationers' Register, 15 Dec. 1689. See also Charles E. Ward, The Life of John Dryden (Chapel Hill, N. C., 1961), pp. 242-46. Preface, Edition of 1690: I am...to acknowledge, with all manner of gratitude, their civility; who were pleas'd to endure it with so much patience....Above twelve hundred lines have been cut off from this tragedy since it was first deliver'd to the actors. They were indeed so judiciously lopt by Mr Betterton, to whose care and excellent action I am equall y oblig'd, that the connexion of the story was not lost. Does a cryptic remark by Huygens, 3 Dec. 1689 OS, refer to this play: Dat dat geklap met de handen in comedie, onlanxgebeurt, als er gesproken wierd van een Coning, die wederom quam in sign rijck, van seer quade consequentie was. Dat voorseker de Con. too mercifull was, en dat er mosten exempelen gestatueert werden (Journal van Constantijn Huygens, Dutch Historical Society Transactions, New Series, XXIII [Utrecht, 18-212)

Event Comment: By Particular Desire. Rylands MS.: Young Gentleman-Hill. Being the last time of the Fausan's performing in England. [The Fausans had created twelve new Dances for the English during this tour.] Receipts: #120

Event Comment: Benefit for ye widow of Capt. James Spencer, an Officer &c., and her small Children (Cross). An Old Officer who had been in His Majesty's Service 46 years, but dying when upon half-pay has left the Widow without pension and with several small children in greatest distress. N.B. Part of the Pit will be rail'd into the boxes and servants will be allowed to keep places on the Stage. Tickets to be had of Mrs Spencer, the uppermost house in Prince's Court, by Storey's Gate; the Bedford Coffee House, Covent Garden; the Tiltyard Coffee House; St James Coffee House; Sweet's Coffee House, Bukingham Court; Bridge Street Coffee House; The Rainbow Coffee House, Ludgate Hill; the Temple Exchange, Fleet St.; the Rainbow, Cornhill; and at the Stage Door of the theatre where places may be taken. Mr Norton Amber, humbly hopes this general acknowledgment of the favour which his friends were pleas'd to confer on him by their generous appearance last Night at Drury Lane, will be accepted, instead of a more particular application, which his constant employment prevents; and begs leave to assure them, that he shall ever retain a most grateful sense of their indulgent assistance. Receipts: #252 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece:In I A Grand Masqueradev. Afterpiece [1st time; M. INT 1, by Thomas John Dibdin]: To conclude with a new Scenic Representation of Britannia Triumphantv. Interspersed With a Variety of favorite old Airs, popular Songs, Parodies, &c. The Overture and new Songs composed and the Music in general arranged by Moorehead. The Machinery invented and executed by Cresswell. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre, price Six-pence. Morning Chronicle, 16 Oct. 1799: This day is published The Naval Pillar (price not listed). The afterpiece had reference to the contemplated erection of a "Naval Pillar" on Portsdown Hill, near Portsmouth, in commemoration of the recent victbries of the English navy. A plain pillar is at the last introduced, with the names of the most celebrated admirals on a scroll, round which the sailors and their sweethearts dance with peculiar festivity. The pillar now flies open, and displays a most magnificent and appropriate spectacle--consisting of Britannia, personated by Mrs Chapman, under a rich canopy, with the figures of a sailor and a soldier for supporters, pointing to the letters G. R. over a brilliant sun, which turns on the center; shrouded in clouds above, and surrounded by angels, is a medallion of Lord Howe, and on columns on each side of the canopy are medallions of your great living naval commanders" (Monthly Visitor, Oct. 1799, p. 180). Receipts: #284 10s. 6d. (277.18.6; 6.12.0)

Event Comment: [The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and Mercer, and W. Hewer and Deb., to the King's playhouse, and I afterwards by water with them, and there we did hear the Eunuch (who, it seems, is a Frenchman, but long bred in Italy) sing, which I seemed to take as new to me, though I saw him on Saturday last [see 10 Oct. 1668], but said nothing of it; but such action and singing I could never have imagined to have heard, and do make good whatever Tom Hill used to tell me. [The Eunuch may be Baldassare Ferri.

Event Comment: By her Majesty's License and Authority. [dl had come under the management of Aaron Hill, who shared the direction of the house with seven actors.

Event Comment: First Piece; [Author unknown. Apparently not published.] A New Farce of Two Acts. Second Piece: Written by Aaron Hill, Esq. Third Piece: The Words by Mr Motteux, and set to Musick by Mr Eccles

Event Comment: Benefit Clarke, Willcocks, Mrs Hill. Receipts: money #21 9s. 6d.; tickets #117 10s

Event Comment: Tickets delivered for The Merry Wives of Windsor will be admitted. Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Bourrelier, Shuter, Simmons, Strahan, Luxmore, Walker, Saby, Atkins, Young, Curteen, Hall [box-keeper], Hill, Combes, Heathcot, W. Ansell will be admitted. Receipts: #349 15s. (57.6; 5.16; tickets: 286.13)

Event Comment: The Last Night of the Company's Performing. Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Green, Harris, Doe, Iredale, Savery, Wilkins, Wyat, Hall [carpenter], Robson [music porter], Mott, Rolls, Mrs Rock, Finley, Dosel, Sturgeon will be admitted. Account-Book, 18 June: Paid Hill, Waxchandler, in full, #143 2s. Receipts: #405 4s. 6d. (39.14.6; after-money: none listed; tickets: 365.10.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by W. Wilde, Curteen, Jackson, Gillet, Goostree, Mrs Masters, Miss Hill, Mrs Norton, Finley, Ashwin, Standen, Burton, Goodwin, Coates will be admitted. Receipts: #394 19s. (43.11.6; 4.12.6; tickets: 346.15.0)

Event Comment: [Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Brandon, Hill, Mrs Masters, Gillet, Mrs Norton, Finley, Ashwin, Simmons will be admitted.] Receipts: #447 4s. (55.7.6; 6.16.0; tickets: 385.0.6)