Event Comment: The King's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 359: The Rivall Queene. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346. That this is the premiere is indicated by a letter from the Marquis of Worcester to the Marchioness, 17 March 1676@7: Sir Charles Sedley's Cleopatra has been acted often, and to-day a new play of the death of Alexander, but I have not been to see either, living a mighty drudging life (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Beaufort MSS., IX, 66). Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 11), has a cast which agrees (except for omissions) with that in the edition of 1677. Downes adds (p. 16): [Hart in] Alexander, towards the latter End of his Acting; if he Acted in any one of these but once in a Fortnight, the House was fill'd as at a New Play, especially Alexander, he Acting that with such Grandeur and Agreeable Majesty, That one of the Court was pleas'd to Honour him with this Commendation; That Hart might Teach any King on Earth how to Comport himself

Event Comment: The King's Company. This performance is known from a document in The Theatrical Inquisitor and Monthly Mirror, July 1816, p. 26, and in Fitzgerald, A New History, I, 145. This document lists the receipts and attendance: The King's box, #1 10s., possibly six persons; Mr Hayles' boxes, #2 16s., possibly 14 persons; Mr Mohun's boxes, #3 16s., possibly 19 persons; Mr Yate's boxes, #1 15s. 6d., possibly 9 persons; James' boxes, #2 4s., possibly 11 persons. Mr Kent's pit, 112 persons; and Mr Britan's pit, 79 persons; a total of 191 persons paying #23 17s. 6d. Mr Bracy's gallery, 100 persons; Mr Johnson's gallery, 44 persons; a total of 144 persons, paying #10 16s. Upper Gallery, 119 persons, paying #5 19s. Mrs Kempton (upper gallery?), 5s. The house rent is listed as #5 14s. The attendance appears to total at least 513 persons. Compare these data with those for 12 Dec. 1677

Event Comment: At Lee and Woodward's Great Theatrical Booth, Opposite the Hospital-Gate

Event Comment: With Alterations. Note, as the Pantomime is added at common Prices, no latter Account can be taken.-Daily Advertiser. [Repeated throughout the run of the pantomime.

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; DO 3, by Prince Hoare, based on Didone Abbandonata, by Pietro Metastasio]: The Musick is chiefly new, and composed by Storace. The Selections are made from the most celebrated works of Salieri, Paer, Rampini, Sacchini, Sarti, Giordani, Cimarosa, Schuster, Andreozzi. The Scenery and Machinery designed by Greenwood and executed by himself and his Pupils. The Dresses of the Tyrians, Trojans and Africans entirely new, and taken from the most accurate descriptions of the Habits of their respective Nations. [Both Miss Barclay and Master Welsh had 1st appeared at the king's oratorios, 24 Feb.]. "A procession was introduced in which an Ostrich, a Dromedary and an Elephant marched to slow music. The Masque, which concluded the opera, was some insipid stuff about Neptune and Nereids, with a representation of the Temple of Neptune. Young Welsh sang prettily in this said Masque" (Morning Herald, 24 May). "[Mara] retained only one song of her Didone [see king's, 14 Feb. 1786]; the brilliant bravura, Son Regina, of Sacchini" (Mount-Edgcumbe, 80). Morning Herald, 28 May 1792: This Day is published Dido (price not listed). Receipts: #244 8s. 6d(213.14.5; 28.15.0; 1.19.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act I the Cardinal's Banquet. In Act II the Court for the Trial of Queen Katharine . In Act V a Grand Procession to the Christening of Princess Elizabeth . Receipts: #115 10s. (105.0; 10.10)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Sophia Lee. Prologue and Epilogue by Harriet Lee (see text)]: With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. Receipts: #252 8s. (182.5; 68.8; 1.15)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pope. 1st piece: Not acted these 7 years [acted 1 Jan. 1795]. Morning Chronicle, 23 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Pope at her house, Half-moon-street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #272 4s. 6d. (159.14.0; 2.10.0; tickets: 110.0.6)

Event Comment: The King's Company. It is difficult to determine the run of the play, as all the known performances fall on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but, except for 30 January, a Fast Day, it may well have been performed daily. L. C. 5@138, f. 15: A Warrant to the Master of the Great Wardrobe to prouide and deliuer to Thomas Killigrew Esq. to the value of forty pounds in silkes for to cloath the Musick for the play called the Indian Queen to be acted before their Maties Jan. 25th 1663 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 354)

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: And took my wife out immediately to the King's Theatre, it being a new month, and once a month I may go, and there saw The Indian Queen acted; which indeed is a most pleasant show, and beyond my expectation; the play good, but spoiled with the ryme, which breaks the sense. But above my expectation most, the eldest Marshall did do her part most excellently well as I ever heard woman in my life; but her voice not so sweet so Ianthe's [Mrs Betterton's]; but, however, we came home mightily contented

Event Comment: The United Company. An order (L. C. 5@147, p. 52, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356), dated 19 Dec. 1685, calls for a payment of #20 for the King and Queen at Alexander, but the order does not indicate whether the performance occurred on this date

Event Comment: By Command. [No mention of the King and Queen in Treasurer's Book.] Paid Mr Grist on act by order #10. Receipts: #280 1s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but a licensing date of 28 March 1678 suggests a first performance not later than February 1678. One song, One night while all the village slept, with music by Louis Grabu and words by Sir Car Scroop, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book, 1681. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 17): Major Mohun...[in] Mithridates, &c. An Eminent Poet seeing him Act this last, vented suddenly this Saying: Oh Mohun, Mohun! Thou little Man of Mettle, if I should write a 100 Plays, I'd Write a Part for thy Mouth; in short, in all his Parts, he was most Accurate and Correct. [Downes, p. 12, gives an identical cast except for omissions.] Princess Anne apparently played Ziphares and Frances Apsley played Semandra in a production of this drama, probably at St James's Palace or at Sir Allen Apsley's house in St James's Square, between January 1677@8 and August 1679. See Benjamin Bathurst, Letters of Two Queens (London, 1924), p. 61

Event Comment: TThe King and Queen present

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Arne. An Historical Musical Drama. The Musick composed by Command of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and never perform'd in England, but at his Royal Highnesses Palace at Cliefdon. The Poem was written by Mr Thompson and Mr. Mallet. The Musick by Mr Arne. To conclude with a Celebrated Ode in Honour of Great Britain in imitation of those formerly sung at Banquets of Kings and Heroes. Boxes 6s. Pit 4s. First Gallery 2s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. 6d. The above Day is fix'd on to avoid interfering with Mr Handel. Mrs Arne hopes humbly the Town will not be offened at this small advance of the Price, this performance being exhibited at an extraordinary expence, with regard to the number of Hands, Chorus singers, building the stage, and erecting an organ; besides all other incidentals as usual. Ladies desired to send servants by 4 o'clock. Tickets of Mrs Arne, next door to the Crown in Great Queen St, by Lincoln's Inn Fields, and places taken of Hobson at the stage Door, with whom Tickets are left

Event Comment: This performance is on the two L. C. lists, 5@139, p. 129, and 5@12, p. 17. The second list states that the King attended the play. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 343. The play may have continued its run on 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, and 13 March, as it was certainly given on 14 March

Event Comment: The King's Company. This performance is on the L. C. lists, 5@139, p. 129, and 5@12, p. 17: The Mayden Queene at court. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 343

Event Comment: This entry in A Calendar of the Inner Temple Records, ed. Inderwick, III, 65, follows one for a play on 2 Feb. 1668@9, suggesting that this play fell on All Hallows Day. The customary fee of #20 was paid the actors

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, 22 Nov. 1676, suggests that it was first acted not much later than September 1676. The Dedication: I know it is a triffle that by the meaness of the stile, the want of good design, and the ill representation at the Theatre, being play'd to the worst advantage, has got little credit with the World

Event Comment: The King's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 359: The Mayden Queene. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346

Event Comment: At the Great Room, George Inn Yard. Mrs Charke and King's Company of Comedians. A new Droll. Pit 1s. 6d. First Gallery 1s. Upper Gallery 6d. 12 noon to ten p.m. during the time of the Fair

Event Comment: Receipts: #76 15s. 6d. Rec'd #27 12s. for the deficiency 21 Dec. Paid Barry his one third of the surplus above the #80 House Charges: #0. Paid Mrs Martha Bedwell, Mrs Creighton, Mr Bedwell and Mr Griffin their renter's interest, #24 12s. Gave King's Footmen and Chairmen #4 4s., the Prince of Wales's Footmen and Chairmen #2 2s., and the Princess of Wales's Footmen and Chairmen #2 2s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Kniveton. Tickets deliver'd by King will be taken. Charges #72 6s. 6d. Balance to Knivetons #17 3s. 6d., plus #109 3s. from tickets (Box 176; Pit 331; Gallery 155) (Account Book). Receipts: #89 10s