Event Comment: Richard Coeur de Lion [advertised on playbill of 24 Mar.] is obliged to be deferred, on Account of the Indisposition of a principal Performer. Receipts: #80 10s. (65.17.0; 13.7.6; 1.5.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum. 3rd piece: To conclude with a Grand Representation of a Regatta. [This was included in both subsequent performances.] Public Advertiser, 7 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, Red Lion-Square, the corner of Leigh-Street. Receipts: #243 16s. 6d. (62.9.0; 17.18.0; 0.9.6; tickets: 163.0.0) (charge: #107 9s. 3d.)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Confederacy; afterpiece of Richard Coeur de Lion, both advertised on playbill of 23 Oct.] Receipts: #158 5s. (130.6; 27.11; 0.8)

Event Comment: [As mainpiece the playbill announces the 1st night of The False Friend (see 24 Oct.), but "Miss Farren was taken ill, and The Beggar's Opera was the substitute. It proved, however, to be a substitute flat, stale and unprofitable. We never saw more indiffernet acting" (Oracle, 22 Oct.). Afterpiece in place of Richard Coeur de Lion, advertised on playbill of 20 Oct.] Paid Watch & Beadles, St. Martin's parish? 1 Year #42 10s. 4d. Receipts: #73 4s. (46.17.0; 24.17.6; 1.9.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Public Advertiser, 14 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 23, New North-street, Red Lion-square. Receipts: #56 16s. (43.1.0; 11.8.6; 2.6.6; tickets: none listed) (charge: #121 6s. 4d.)

Event Comment: [As afterpiece the playbill announces Katharine and Petruchio, in place of Richard Coeur de Lion, advertised on playbill of 21 Jan., but "On Acct. of the sudden Indisposition of Mrs Goodall Katharine & Petruchio was put off and The Apprentice substituted in its stead" (MS annotation on Kemble playbill).] Receipts: #236 5s. (189.8; 45.1; 1.16)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2]: Written by George Saville Carey. Morning Herald, 15 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 23, North-street, Red Lion-square. Receipts: #525 15s. (67.15; 22.19; 5.10; tickets: 429.11) (charge: #173 6s. 10d.)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Careless Husband; Afterpiece of Richard Coeur De Lion, both advertised on playbill of 27 Sept.] Receipts: #159 19s. (111.0; 45.15; 3.4)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum. Morning Chronicle, 19 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 23, New North-street, Red Lion-square. Receipts: #667 14s. (127.2.6; 35.17.6; 7.16.0; tickets: 496.18.0) (charge: #222 0s. 8d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum. Morning Herald, 20 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 23, New North-street, Red-lion-square. Receipts: #148 10s. 6d. (81.10.0; 57.6.6; 2.3.0; tickets: none listed; odd money: 7.11.0) (charge: #214 1s. 7d.)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Force of Ridicule; afterpiece of Richard Coeur de Lion, both advertised on playbill of 28 Nov.] "The new Comedy last night was deferred upon the pretext of Miss Farren's illness...The Manager sent after Mrs Siddons, who was found at Covent-Garden Theatre, seeing Abroad and at Home. Brandon, however, ordered her a chair, and she kindly performed Isabella. Wroughton read the Father" (Oracle, 30 Nov.). "For near an hour the audience waited patiently...At half past seven Palmer addressed the audience" He said that Miss Farren was ill, that to those who preferred to leave the theatre their money would be returned, and that instead of the new play Mrs Siddons would act Isabella, "as soon as the dresses could be prepared for that purpose. This address was by no means favourably received, and hundreds of persons immediately left the house. A few minutes after eight, the Curtain drew up to the tragedy, which was well performed, and much applauded by the few who remained to witness it" (Morning Herald, 30 Nov.). "November 30. Miss Farren last night refused to appear in a new Play at Drury Lane which made much confusion in the House. The cause assigned was indisposition but that was not believed by the audience; and the fact Lysons says is, that as she cannot obtain payment from the Theatre, she resolutely told them she wd. not appear unless her demands were paid...Such is the unprincipled conduct of Sheridan" (Diary of Joseph Farington, 1922, I, 174). [On 1 Dec. Morning Herald prints a letter from Miss Farren, from Green-street, Grosvenor-square. saying that she really was ill. The editor of the paper adds a note in which he affirms his positive knowledge that rumours about a dispute as to Miss Farren's unpaid salary were without foundation.] Receipts: #134 2s. (82.2; 50.18; 1.2)

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of Richard Coeur de Lion. advertised on playbill of 1 May.] Receipts: #186 18s. 6d. (147.19.6; 36.2.0; 2.17.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum. [3rd piece in place of Lodoiska, advertised on playbill of 7 June.] Morning Herald, 22 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 23, New North-Street, Red-Lion-Square. Receipts: #578 7s. (60.5; 46.19; 6.6; tickets: 464.17) (charge: #223 11s. 9d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum. Times, 5 June: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 23, New North-street, Red Lion-square. Receipts: #635 16s. 6d. (46.14.0; 55.0.0; 1.14.0; tickets: 532.8.6) (charge: #220 9s. 4d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum. Morning Chronicle, 11 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 23, New North-street, Red Lion-square. Receipts: #713 9s. (87.10.6; 34.1.6; 2.8.0; odd money: 11.3.0; tickets: 578.6.0) (charge: #212 7s. 5d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum. Morning Chronicle, 28 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 23, New North-street, Red Lion-square. Receipts: #628 0s. 6d. (92.5.6; 41.1.6; 8.11.0; tickets: 486.2.6) (charge: #70 7s. 11d.)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance, the premiere, is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216: first Acting. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. Nell Gwyn also attended this performance; see VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p406. The title page states: The English Opera; or The Vocal Musick in Psyche, with the Instrumental Therein Intermix'd...By Matthew Lock. Preface: All the Instrumental Musick (which is not mingled with the Vocal) was Composed by that Great Master, Seignior Gio. Baptista Draghi, Master of the Italian Musick to the King. The Dances were made by the most famous Master of France, Monsieur St.Andree. The Scenes were Painted by the Ingenious Artist, Mr Stephenson. In those things that concern the Ornament or Decoration of the Play, the great industry and care of Mr Betterton ought to be remember'd, at whose desire I wrote upon this Subject. Roger North Upon Music: I am sure the musick in the Psyche was composed by Mr M. Lock, of whom wee may say, as the Greeks sayd of Cleomenes, that he was ultimus Heroum. This masque is also in print, and begins 'Great Psyche,' &c. and the book containing the whole musick of that entertainment is not unworthy of a place in a vertuoso's cabanet (ed. John Wilson [1959], pp. 306-7). Preface to Settle's Ibrahim (licensed 4 May 1676): I have often heard the Players cursing at their oversight in laying out so much on so disliked a play [Psyche]; and swearing that they thought they had lost more by making choice of such an Opera: writer than they had gained by all his Comedies; considering how much more they might have expected, had such an Entertainment had that scence in it, that it deserved: and that for the future they expect the Tempest, which cost not one Third of Psyche, will be in request when the other is forgotten. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 35-36): In February 1672. The long expected Opera of Psyche, came forth in all her Ornaments; new Scenes, new Machines, new Cloaths, new French Dances: This Opera was Splendidly set out, especially in Scenes; the Charge of which amounted to above 800l. It had a Continuance of Performance about 8 Days together it prov'd very Beneficial to the Company; yet the Tempest got them more Money

Event Comment: Evelyn, Diary: I dined at the Master of the Mints with my Wife, invited to heare Musique which was most exquisitely performed by 4 the most renouned Masters, DuPrue a French-man on the Lute: Signor Bartholomeo Albrici? Ital: on the Harpsichard: & Nicolao Matteis? on the Violin; but above all for its sweetenesse & novelty the Viol d'Amore of 5 wyre-strings, plaied on with a bow, being but an ordinary Violin, play'd on Lyra way by a German, than which I never heard a sweeter Instrument or more surprizing: There was also a Flute douce now in much request for accompanying the Voice: Mr Slingsby Master of the house (whose Sonn & Daughter played skillfully) being exceedingly delighted with this diversion, had these meetings frequently in his house

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the premiere is not known, although a reference in the text to 1690 suggests that the play may have been produced in that year; but the fact that it was not advertised in the London Gazette until 6-9 April and not entered in the Term Catalogues until May 1691 suggest that it posaibly appeared early in 1691. This play was discussed in Wit for Money, or Poet Stutter; A Dialogue between Smith, Johnson, and Poet Stutter; containing Reflections on some late Plays, and particularly on Love for Money, or The Boarding School. The British Museum copy of this pamphlet has a manuscript date of 23 April 1691. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 42: The Boarding School; Wrote by Mr Durfy, it took well being justly Acted. Earl of Ailesbury, mid-January 1690@1: My Lady Fenwick was a great intriguer, and had always castles in the air in her imagination to that degree, that I was present at a play where she was brought in. If I mistake not it was The Boarding School, and the famous comic, Mr Lee, in woman's clothes represented her to the life, and so exactly had her features and complexion that one could hardly have distinguished one from the other (Memoirs, [London, 1890], II, 390-91)