Event Comment: "...Richard III, which I saw performed at Drury-lane theatre at the beginning of the present season...The dresses of the characters which here make their appearance are in the usual half-and-half mode, made up from portraits of Charles I's reign, and from unrestrained fancy. Richard's habit, indeed, shews a faint hint, at the costume of his day; but how modernized! A fancy cap and feather,with a milliner's white-ribband rose, sewed thereon. A deep ruff, of that make not known until the reign of James I From the neck depends a ribband With the George: this decoration never seen in paintings till about the fashions of the abovementioned monarch's court. On his legs and feet, white silk stockings, white shoes, and red roses. These latter ornaments unknown before Elizabeth or James I's modes of dress prevailed; at any rate, they should have been white ones to have accorded with the party-badge in his cap." Writer signing himself "An Artist and an Antiquary" in Gentleman's Magazine, Apr. 1800, p. 319. Receipts: #225 16s. 6d. (178.3.6; 47.12.0; 0.1.0)

Event Comment: King Lear oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of Indisposition of a principal Performer. Paid Thompson (perukemaker) #7 19s. 6d., and Banks for 2 Masks #1 1s. (Account Book). Receipts: #174 3s

Event Comment: king's "On 28th March 1795, I saw the Opera Aci & Galathea by Bianchi. The music is very rich in parts for the wind instruments, and I rather think one would hear the principal melody better if it were not so richly scored. The Opera is too long, especially since Banti has to keep everything going all by herself; for Brida is a good youngster with a beautiful voice but very little musical feeling; and Rovedino, and the good old Braghetti, and the wretched Seconda Donna-they all deserved, and received, not the least applause. The orchestra is larger this year, but just as mechanical and badly placed as it was before, and indiscreet in its accompaniments; in short, it was the 3rd time that this Opera was performed, and everyone was dissatisfied. It happened that, when the 2nd Ballet began, the whole public suddenly became dissatisfied and yelled 'off-off-off,' because they wanted to see the new Ballet which Madam Hilligsberg had given at her Benefice 2 days earlier. Everyone was embarrassed-there was an interval lasting half an hour-until at last a dancer came forward and said, very submissively: 'Ladies and Gentlemen: since the performer [sic, instead of proprietor] Mr Taylor cannot be found, the whole Ballet Company promises to perform the desired ballet next week, for which, however, the Impresario must pay Madam Hilligsberg #300.'That satisfied them, and they then yelled, 'go on-go on;' and thus the old Ballet was performed' (Haydn, 293)

Event Comment: The King's Company. The exact date of this performance is not known, but the Prologue refers to "After a four Months Fast," suggesting that the theatre did not reopen until the end of the Long Vacation (24 Oct. 1681 is the beginning of Michaelmas Term). The Epilogue also seems to refer to events at Bartholomew Fair, and the Prologue to the King's visit to Newmarket, from which the King did not return until 12 Oct. 1681. Furthermore, The Impartial Protestant Mercury, No. 54, 28 Oct. 1681, reports: A Revised Play was some days since Acted on an Eminent Publick Theatre, and the Prologue is extreamly talked of. [The periodical reprints some of the lines (which are essentially those in the printed version).] The Loyal Protestant, No. 70, 29 Oct. 1681, refers to the same performance and reprints part of the Epilogue (which also is essentially that of the separately printed Epilogue). All of these elements point to a performance in mid-October. Both the Prologue and the Epilogue were printed separately, and have been reprinted by Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 43-45. Broadside copies of the Prologue and Epilogue in the Huntington Library bear Luttrell's manuscript notations that both were written by Dryden. Luttrell's date of acquisition is 13 Feb. 1681@2, an instance in which Luttrell's date of purchase does not apparently correspond closely to a date of performance

Event Comment: [By Theophilus Cibber.] Alter'd from Shakespear. Containing the Marriages of King Edward the Fourth , and young Prince Edward , with Lady Gray , and Lady Anne . The Distresses of Queen Margaret . The Deposing King Henry the Sixth . The Battles Fought at St. Albans, Wakefield, Mortimer's-Cross, and Tewkesbury. The Deaths of Lord Clifford of Cumberland , and his Son, the Duke of York , his Steward. And many other True Historical Passages

Event Comment: Benefit for Cautherly. [Farce never before acted, written by King.

Event Comment: The United Company. As 9 Nov. 1692 is known to be the second day, it is assumed that 8 Nov. 1692 represents the first performance. (See entry for 9 Nov. 1692.) The authorship is uncertain; William Mountfort signed tne Dedication, but its authorship is linked with that of Edward III (November 1690), which may have been by Bancroft. Gentleman's Journal, October 1692 (not issued until November): Henry the Second, King of England, A new Play, by the Author of that call'd Edward the Third, which gave such universal satisfaction, hath been acted several times with applause. It is a Tragedy with a mixture of Comedy....Had you seen it acted, you would own that an Evening is pass'd very agreeably, when at a Representation of that pleasing Piece. [Alfred Harbage, Elizabethan-Restoration Palimpsest, Modern Language Review, XXXV (1940), 312-18, argues that this play is the Elizabethan Henry II once in the possession of Moseley. A song, In vain 'gainst Love I strove, composed by Henry Purcell and sung by Mrs Dyer, not in the printed play, is in Comes Amoris, 1693, and Joyful Cuckoldom 1695. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), vii

Event Comment: Mainpiece: At the Particular Desire of Several Persons of Quality. N.B.: [This bill] was put up, but Mr Garrick was seiz'd with an ague, & there was no play, nor the Doors open'd (Cross). The Managers of Drury Lane Playhouse paid the sum of #208 1s. [Being the whole money taken at the play of King Lear, for the benefit of the Sufferers by the late Fire] into the hands of Mt Knight and Mt Jackson; and not as mentioned by Mistake in yesterday's paper; and the whole company gave their night's pay for the said benefit. The last new Reviv'd Play, call'd The Lover's Melancholy, will be acted by particular desire next Thursday, at Drury Lane, to which will be added, Miss in her Teens, being the last time of performing it this season (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: [Henderson's 1st recorded appearance as Falstaff was at Bath, 6 Mar. 1777. "In the frolicksome, gay, and humourous situations of Falstaff Henderson is superior to every man...His soliloquy in describing his ragamuffin regiment, and his enjoying the misuse of the king's press-money are so truly excellent that they are not inferior to any comic representation of the stage" (Davies, I, 252-53).] Afterpiece: Never performed here. The Musick composed by Dr Arnold

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: Abroad with my wife by coach to the Theatre to shew her King and no King, it being very well done

Event Comment: The United Company. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 23 Jan. 1685@6: Today will be acted King and noe King, by the King's command; everybody is sending to keep places; next week begins the French opera (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, Vol. II, p. 102)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wood, Sub-Treasurer. Tickets deliver'd out for The Mistake will be taken (playbill). For ye Morocco Embassador, who, tho' unlearn'd in out Language, behav'd as if he understood nature -Mr Wood, the Subtreasurer had Tickets (Cross). [Mrs Frances Brooke, in The Old Maid, for 8 May 1756, gives the following eye-witness account of the evening: "I determined to watch the artless working of [the Ambassador's] surprise, and to catch, as well as I could his sentiments of the theatre, the Audience, the Play, and the performers. And shall give them to my readers, just as they appeared to me. On his first coming to the front of the Box, he was complimented with the Applause of the whole House, which seemed to give him great pleasure, and which he returned by two bows in the English, and afterwards by a reverence in the Moorish manner, which last I thought very graceful...tho' he is rather low of stature, yet his loose flowing robes, and his manner altogether gave him such an air of superiority, that I thought the Audience looked only like his attendants. "The House and Spectators attracted his notice so much for some time, that he seem'd very well entertained before the drawing up of the curtain. At the first scene between the Lords, I thought he looked disappointed, and after a transient view of the stage, directed his eyes again to the company; at the entrance of King Henry his attention was a little recover'd to the performance, but his majesty had not proceeded half way thru the scene, before he burst into a most immoderate fit, of apparently contemptuous laughter, which he repeated very often thro' the whole playing of the part. The manner in which this stranger was affected by it, amongst other considerations, fully convinces me that this character is most ridiculously burlesqued in the representation, and that both Shakespeare and the Monarch are very inhumanly sacrificed, to the polite taste, and elegant distinction of the upper gallery....I could point out many abuses of the like nature, which have increased upon us so much of late, that 'tis almost impossible to attend the theatres, with the expectation of receiving pleasure from some parts of the perfbrmance, without the certainty of suffering equal disgust from others; it was the case of many besides myself, at this of Henry, upon the absurdity of Winchester's brandishing his cane at Canterbury, upon the close of the Council Scene; and yet to give opportunity for this notable stage foolery, the Archbishop and Bishop are both made to walk out of their proper order, tho' in attendance upon the King....His character is drawn by Shakespeare very nearly as it stands in history, and in colours far different from the farcical ones, in which it is the present fashion to represent it. He is described indeed as imperious, but at the same time a great Monarch, and not withstanding his short interjections of anger, he is in my judgment upon every occasion a King. I wish this consideration may prevail with Mr Berry, when he plays this character for the future, to remember that tho' Harry as well as Jobson may be something rough and boistrous, yet the turbulency of a haughty prince, is a very different quality, and must therefore appear in avery different fashion, from the sawciness of an impudent cobbler. "Whatever neglect his Moorish Excellency might discover of this part, he paid great attention to that of Queen Catherine; but nothing seem'd to affect him so stronglyas Miss Young's singing, at which he appeared quite collected, and listened to her with all marks of rapturous admiration; his whole soul appeared touched, and at the end of the song, he joined the house in clapping, a mark of applause I did not observe him give at any other time. "I thought upon the King's kissing Anna Bullen, that he appeared surprized and offended, and looked about, to observe whether others were not affected in the same manner. "The procession was less marked by him than I had expected, but upon the Champion's entry on horseback, he burst into such an Immoderate fit of laughter, as to fall quite back in his seat. "At the end of the play he rose, as if to leave the House, but looked very well pleased upon being informed there was more entertainment to come; in the Pantomime he seem'd surprized and disgusted at the appearance of Harlequin, to whom he did not appear reconciled to the last; his wonder was still greater at the flying of the Genii cross the stage, and other parts of the machinery, which I thought he studied byt was puzzled to account for. He laughed heartily at the Clown, and admired Colombine not a little.... "I am jealous of the honour of my country in all respects. I would have this stranger leave it with as high opinion of our publick entertainments as possible, and could wish that at the Old House, he might see Mr Garrick in Richard or some equally striking part, and at the New, he may be present at plays, where rich dresses, magnificent show and graceful action, and uncommon personal perfections in the principal performers might contribute to give him a more elevated idea of our stage, than he can have receiv'd from King Harry."] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: The King's Company. This play is on the L. C. list, 5@12, p. 17. See also Nicoll. Restoration Drama, p. 344

Event Comment: As 27 Nov. 1738. Mainpiece: Alter'd from Shakespear. Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 48: In the Year 1738, having, as he [Colley Cibber] said, Health and Strength enough to be as useful as ever, he came to Terms with Mr Fleetwood for his performing Richard, Fondlewife, Sir John Brute, &c. All his Comedy Parts he was right in, but in Richard he found his Mistake; his usual Strength and Spirit failed him most unhappily. I went behind the Scenes in the third Act, and asking him how he fared? He whispered me in the Ear, "That he wou'd give fifty Guineas to be then sitting in his easy Chair by his own Fireside.

Event Comment: MMrs Green went to Bath to play & left us-O fool. Mr Mossop from Ireland play'd Richd -the House was crowded in ten Minutes, he was receiv'd with great Applause but happening to crack towards the end a few hiss'd. but were overpower'd by the Claps--he is very young has been upon ye Irish Stage but two years--his performance was so well, that we cou'd find no want but--Garrick (Cross). Receipts: #210 (Cross)