Event Comment: "Mrs Siddons fatigued herself so much with her exertions...that she was unable to speak the Epilogue. An apology was accordingly made for its omission, and very favourably received by a drowsy audience, who were happy to find the Tragedy had reached its conclusion" (Dramatic Censor, II, 134). Receipts: #212 1s. (159.17.6; 51.2.6; 1.1.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. [In afterpiece the playbill assigns Floreski to Kelly, but "Trueman..acted as Kelly's substitute in the Entertainment, in the part of Count Floreski" (Dramatic Censor, II, 194). Morning Chronicle, 30 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Miss Pope, No. 63, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #330 14s. (87.4; 60.9; 3.5; tickets: 179.16) (charge: #230 18s. 3d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Biggs. Morning Chronicle, 12 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Biggs, No. 17, Charles-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #247 2s. 6d. (92.4.6; 62.4.0; 5.4.0; tickets: 87.10.0) (charge: #229 10s. 10d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for C. Kemble. Mainpiece: By permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Morning Chronicle, 8 Aug.: Tickets to be had of C. Kemble, No. 126, Great Russel-street, Bloomsbury

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, for the play was apparently not printed until 1704. Nevertheless, some details indicate a performance early in the early in the season of 1696-97. In the first place, the presence of Verbruggen in the cast indicates that it must have been acted before 1 Jan. 1696@7, when Verbruggen was permitted to act at Lincoln's Inn Fields. The play also parodies the works of Mrs Manley, whose The Royal Mischief had been staged (probably) in April 1696, and it is likely that the company would emphasize the pertinence of the parody by presenting it soon after the appearance of the original. Although The Female Wits may not have been acted until later in the autumn, it seems likely that it was acted first in the late summer or early autumn. Preface, Edition of 1704: [The] Success of this Play has been such...having been Acted six Days running without intermission....Among the rest, Mr Powel and his Wife excell'd in the Characters they represented, as did Mrs Verbruggen, who play'd the Chief Character....The Lady whose Play is rehears'd, personated one Mrs M-ly [Manley]