Event Comment: Tragedy never acted. By James Thomson. Characters New Dress'd. But as it is rather more fashionable to run mad about Mr Thomsons's play, I will change my theme and talk to you of Tancred. I want much to know how you like it, at this distance I would lay any wager you do not like it so well as your sister does, who certainly cannot be your sister and not have been to see it long ago. Everybody agrees that no play was ever so much improved in acting, at least since the Booths and Bettertons. That first scene expecially, where Siffredi discovers to Tancred who he is, pleased me almost beyond anything I ever saw, indeed even before I saw it, that scene was my favourite. But what do you think of the story, and what of the style?-A Series of Letters between Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, I, 60 (dated strangely 2 March). [On 26 April, the Daily Post published a letter by Bellario on Tancred and Sigismunda, discussing the kind of support it received]: A very remarkable new Lord of the Treasury was proud of appearing its Foster Father, and attended at the public rehearsals; the first night of the performance this celebrated person and his friends in the Box with him (all very lately most flaming Patriots) were seen clapping their hands at the following remarkable speech: First of You All...To Quit Mistakes. [The letter also discussed political aspects of the play, then the poetry of the lines. The author heard that three hundred lines were cut out after the first performance, and was of opinion that double that amount would have been beneficial.

Event Comment: Benefit Lady Flame. With an Additional Scene of the Ceremony of Lady Flame's being made a Free Masonv, wherein the Grand Mystery is discover'd

Event Comment: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales [who were present]. Pit and Boxes put together at half a guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 2s. 6d. London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 8 Nov.: The Box in which their Royal Highnesses sat, was of white Sattin, beautifully Ornamented With Festons of flowers, in their proper Colours, and in Front was a flaming Heart, between two Hymeneal Torches, whose different Flames terminated in one Point, and were surmounted with a Label, on which were wrote, in Letters of Gold, these Words, Mutuus Ardor

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is uncertain, but the Prologue and Epilogue, printed separately, bear a licensing date of 20 Nov. 1689. Luttrell's copy of the Prologue and Epilogue (in the possession of Mr Louis Silver, Wilmette, Illinois, who kindly permits me to use his dating) bears his date of acquisition: 25 Nov. 1689. The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 283-85. Dedication, Edition of 1690: The Play had not that Success which it deserv'd....The main fault ought to lye on those who had the management of it. Had our Authour been alive she would have Committed it to Flames rather than suffer'd it to have been Acted with such Omissions as was made....And Lastly, many of the Parts being false Cast, and given to those whose Tallants and Genius's suited not our Authors Intention

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters, 29 Sept. 1696: The Close of least Week one of our merry Andrews or Jack Puddings in Bartholomew ffaire stood in ye Pillory at Temple Bar for saying upon ye publick Stage yt in a little tyme Piggs would be roasted by ye flames of Exchange Telleyes & yt Bank Bills should Singe ye Haire of ym off. Transcribed by Professor John Harold Wilson

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the Prologue to the Second Part [1699] refers to warm weather and to May Fair. The Songs to both parts were advertised in the Post Boy, 24-27 June 1699, suggesting a first production not later than the end of May 1699. The following among the songs for Part I list the singer or composer or both: From azure plains, sung by Pate, in A Second Collection of New Songs and Ballads (1699). How comes it now good Mrs Spratt, sung by Pate and Leveridge (ibid.). Of all the world's enjoyments, sung by Leveridge (ibid.). Whilst wretched fools sneak up and down, composed by Daniel Purcell and sung by Leveridge and Pate (ibid.). Young Philander wooed me long, composed by Daniel Purcell (ibid.). For Part II: The devil he pulled off his jacket of flame, composed by Samuel Ackroyde (ibid.). He led her by the milk-white hand, composed by Samuel Ackroyde (ibid.)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 16-18 April 1700, suggests that the first production came before Easter, March 31. A song, Delia tired Strephon with her flame, with music by John Eccles and sung by Bowman, is in Wit and Mirth, 1706

Event Comment: 'TTis said that the French Strollers will attempt again to play, in the Haymarket, after the violent Flame rais'd by them (London Evening Post)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Lying-In Hospital for Married Women, in Brownlow Street, Long Acre. [On 18 Jan. appeared in the Public Advertiser the Occasional Epilogue]: @After this bounteous, well-intentioned play@You think I'm come to banter all away;@To mock the soft compassion in the breast,@And turn at once all charity to jest...@Tir'd of such arts, I'm now so serious grown@I mean to speak plain sentiments alone.@ [Then addressing each part of the house, with appropriate comment--and a good deal of banter--she praises marriage as an institution, and this hospital as an aid.] @Methinks I spy some amorous pairs above [to upper gallery]@Drawn here by tender flames of mutual love.@Close pack'd they sit,-and woo with secret squeeze,@With conscious elbows, sympathetic knees.@Go on my friends,-true to connubial law,@And leave to us the Women in the straw.

Event Comment: "Friday night, about 20 minutes before eight o'clock, on the conclusion of the third act, a very serious alarm took place at Drury Lane Theatre. A fire broke out at an oil-shop, the corner of Little Brydges-street. The flames appearing through the windows at the back of the upper gallery, the alarm of fire spread through many parts of the house. [The audience was dismissed, those in the boxes] passing over the stage into Russel-street...Some of the box and pit company continued for a time on the stage with the performers, some of whom were dressed in character, others half dressed, and the appearance [was] truly motley" (Public Advertiser, 5 Feb.). Receipts: #133 12s. (129.10; "An Alarm of Fire prevented the 2nd Acct."; 3.12; tickets not come in: 0.10)