Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but it cannot be later than December 1698, for the play was advertised in the Post Man, 27-29 Dec. 1698. The play may have been produced earlier in the season, but it apparently followed the two operatic works (The Island Princess and Rinaldo and Armida), as the Epilogue alludes to the "late Singers." It also refers to Sigismondo Fideli, as being lately arrived, and he is known to have given a concert on 22 Dec. 1698

Event Comment: Not Acted these Fifteen Years. [After this performance the dl at Oxford, where Betterton spoke a prologue written by Joseph Trapp. It appeared as a broadside and in The Players Turn'd Academicks and has been reprinted by Wiley. p. 124.

Event Comment: [By Joseph Trapp. Possibly the premiere. For 20 Jan. it is advertised as The Sixth Day of Acting; if performed consecutively, this date would be the first performance.

Event Comment: Benefit Thurmond. For the Entertainment of his Excellency Don Joseph Dias, Ambassador from the Emperour of Morocco, lately arriv'd

Event Comment: Benefit Bowen. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. For the Entertainment of his Excellency Don Joseph Diaz, Ambassador extraordinary from Muley Ismael Ben Shreif Elhossemy, Emperor of Morocco. [In Daily Courant, 1 June: "The Play-House at Dorset-Stairs is now pulling down."

Event Comment: Benefit Joseph Abbington, Jr. At 6 p.m. Tickets 5s

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 17 Aug.: Yesterday Morning died at his House at Strand on the Green after three Days Illness, Mr Joseph Miller, a celebrated Comedian

Event Comment: Benefit the Author of Sir Roger DeCoverley [Joseph Dorman]. Receipts: money #38 8s. 6d.; tickets #120 3s. (Account Book); #170 (Rylands MS.). [On 19 Nov. Dorman paid the Treasurer #15.

Event Comment: Benefit Rogers, Simson, and Mrs Chetwood. Tickets to be had of Rogers at Mr Molloy's, Wine Merchant in Bear Yard, Lincoln's Inn Fields; at Mr Settre's, Linen Draper, at the Golden Anchor, next Tom's Coffee House, Covent Garden; of Mrs Chetwood, Castle Tavern, Drury Lane; and of Simson, at Mr Gill's, a shoemaker, Basinghall St. [At 5 p.m. this day Jack, Joseph and Polly Granier are scheduled to dance in several dances at the New Wells, Lemon St., Goodman's Fields. Carney has also gone over to the New Wells.

Event Comment: [This Pastoral Serenata first appeared 21 March 1744 at the Crown and Anchor in the Strand, qv. At that time Beard, Savage, Mrs Clive and Miss Edwards sang in it.] By Subscription for three nights will be performed an English Pastoral Serenata, set to Music by Mr DeFesch. Pit and Boxes laid together at 5s. First Gallery 2s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. 6d. On the 20th of March and 3rd of April will be performed a New Oratorio call'd Joseph, also set to Music by Mr DeFesch. For the encouragement of such persons as shall please to favour Mr Defesch by subscribing one Guinea, they shall be entitled to six tickets, each of which will admit one into the boxes, or Two into the Gallery. Nobody to be admitted into the boxes without printed tickets, which will be deliver'd at the theatre. Subscriptions to be taken till the 5th of March, at Mr DeFesch's at the sign of the Angel and Trumpet, in St. Martin's Lane, at the Bedford Coffee House, Covent Garden; and at Mr Page's Stage Door-keeper. To begin at half an hour after six. This day is publish'd Papal Tyranny in the Reign of King John. [No price given, but the 1st edition lists it as 1s. 6d. Watts would have had to sell about two thousand copies to cover his investment in copyright and printing costs.

Event Comment: The Oratorio of Joseph and his Brethren, which was to have been performed this night at Covent Garden, is put off on account of the Trial of Lord Lovat

Event Comment: Benefit of Joseph Woodbridge and D. Grant

Event Comment: PPittard's Observations on Garrick's Acting pub. as 6 d. Dedicated to Earl of Chesterfield (Winston MS 8). [Joseph Pittard the actor? or pen name for John Shebbeare?] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: FFoote read part of his The Minor on 9 Nov. 1759 in a course of Comic Lectures and left for Dublin on 10 Nov. (Theatrical Duplicity or, A Genuine Narrative of the Conduct of David Garrick, Esq. to Joseph Reed on his Tragedy of Dido. MS in Harvard Theatre Collection)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilford, Ross, (pit door-keepers); Slater; and Trott, (lobby door-keeper). Mainpiece: Acted but once these 10 years. [See 15 Jan. 1753.] Tickets deliver'd by Besford, Clark, Darby, Toten, Dimmock, &c. will be taken. [Besford a mistake for Joseph Besworth (porter).] Receipts: #15 15s. plus #100 14s. 2d. as 1!2 value of the tickets deliver'd. @Names Bow Pit Gallery Balue 1!2 Value@Wilford 2 62 18 #11 12s. #5 16s.@Ross 5 162 83 #33 17s. #16 18s. 6d.@Trott 144 53 .. #43 19s. #18 12s. 9d.@Slater 2 57 110 #20 1s. #10 6d.@Derby 4 79 105 #23 7s. #11 13s. 6d.@Toten .. 32 43 #9 2s. #4 11s.@Clingo .. 55 47 #12 19s. #6 9s. 6d.@Clarke .. 40 44 #10 8s. #5 4s.@Besworth .. 24 20 #5 12s. #2 16s.@Dymuck .. 12 53 #7 2s. #3 11s.@Jos. Smith 8 29 25 #8 17s. #4 8s. 6d.@Cole 4 61 83 #18 9s. #9 4s. 6d.@S. Griffiths .. 11 12 #2 17s. #1 8s. 6d.@Total 169 677 643 #208 2s. #100 14s. 2d. [1!2 of #208 2s. would seem to be #104 1s.]@ Rec'd of John Crane for the ends of the wax candles sold last season #6 4s., and for those sold this season #23 19s. 4d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Present their Majesties and the Princess Brunswick and Lady Louisa. Paid Yeomen of the guard #2 2s. Paid Joseph Stevens, Music porter, #1 16s. (Account Book). Receipts: #220 5s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: AAsh Wednesday. Publish'd this day. Price only 1s. Letters which have passed between John Beard Esq Manager of Covent Garden Theatre, and John Shebbeare, M.D. Wherefore I thus entreat with due Submission, Between the Bard and me you'd make decision, The whole now on your Approbation waits. Prologue to the Perplexities, sung by Mr Beard. Printed for G. Kearsly N.B. This Pamphlet is entered at Stationers Hall, whoever pyrates any part of it will be prosecuted. [This pamphlet of 50 pages is given a four-column review in the Gentleman's Magazine for March (p. 124). The controversy was over a play which Shebbeare submitted to Beard and which the latter finally rejected after holding it two seasons. Beard's letters are quoted. The reviewer is severe upon Shebbeare: Upon the whole for anything that has hitherto appeared, the managers of both theatre have rather been to blame for receiving some pieces that they should have rejected, than for rejecting any they should have received. No piece has yet been printed, by the rejection of which the managers have betrayed their trust, or neglected their duty to the public. There may be such pieces in manuscript, but, if there are, the most effective way of avenging the author on the manager is to print them, for the voice of the public would instantly and effecturally do justice to the writter...by compelling the representation.' Shebbeare was Joseph Pittard?]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Paid Joseph Stevenson, Music Porter, as per bill #1 8s. (Account Book). Receipts: #252 12s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Full Prices. Hopkins MS Memorandum Book: By the Manager's order I ask'd Mr Joseph? Reed what he had a benefit for the next night. His answer was The Managers give it him for his withdrawing Dido and on account of The Register Office and to clear them from all demands he had upon them whatever

Event Comment: To be published by Subscription: A General History of The Stage, for the last ten years; comprehending all remarkable Occurrences during that Period, the Production and Success of every new Piece, and Anecdotes of the Principal Performers. By Joseph Younger. Prompter to the Theatre Royal In Covent Garden. Printed Proposals to be had Becket and DeHondre in the Strand, and of Griffin in Catherine Street

Event Comment: Mr Inchbald from the Norwich Compy. made his first appearance in Osmyn very bad Figure, Indifferent voice and a very bad Actor. a Small hiss at End of Play (Hopkins Diary). Osmyn, Young Gentleman (Cross Diary). This appears to be the last night of Miss Younge's performing in London this season--She left Drury Lane, and went ot Dublin. Mr Joseph Inchbald became an actor in the York Company of Comedians--He died at Leeds in Yorkshire, where he is buried--I knew him intimately--he was an excellent man, and an admirable actor of old comic characters, and of drunken men--He was at once-poor fellow-the greatest Sloven and in many Particulars of the nicest Delicacy too, that could be imagined (Hopkins Diary-MacMillan)

Event Comment: Every Man in His Humour oblig'd to be Deferr'd. Paid Joseph Stephenson as per Certificate from Sir John Fielding, 10s. (Account Book). Receipts. #156

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A Comic Opera altered [by Colman] from Gay. The Music entirely new by Dr Arne. Now acted for the first time in 2 Acts. [The 1776 Edition in Bell's British Theatre lists: Achilles-Mattocks; Peripas-$Reinhold; Lycomedes-$DuBellamy; Diphilus-$Dyer; Ajax-$Dunstall; Ulysses-$Owenson; Diomedes-$Fox; Argytes-$Baker; Deidamia-$Mrs Mattocks; Artemona-$Miss Brown; Philoe-$Miss Valois; Thetis-$Miss Catley. [$Miss Pearce may have played Lesbia).] Paid Banks for the Head of a Figure used in The Fair #1 1s.; Paid Mr Gard for performing 5 nights in the Fair and 3 in the Sorcerer #1. Paid Joseph Besford for performing 5 nights in the Fair 12s. 6d. (Account Book). [Afterpiece unfavorably reviewed in the Westminster Magazine.] Receipts: #149 18s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. The eighth night of the New Pantomime of the Sylphs will be on Thursday. Gave Porters of the several Inns of Court their Christmas Box #3 12s. 6d. Paid John Corker and Joseph Stephenson each 10s. as per certificate from Sir John Fielding (Account Book). Receipts: #183 15s. (Account Book)