Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 5, by Matthew Gregory Lewis; incidental music by Michael Kelly (see 2 Feb. 1798), with one selection from Jomelli. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1797, pp. 357-58)]: With new Dresses, Scenery, and Decorations. The Scenery designed by the late Mr Greenwood [who died on 1 Nov.], and executed by his Son, Pugh, and others. Times, 15 Jan. 1798: This day is published The Castle-Spectre (2s.). "There is a sufficient number of Ghosts, Hobgoblins, Cells and Trap-doors to serve for a pantomimical exhibition of the most extravagant nature, and the whole may, with no breach of propriety, be termed a Speaking Pantomime, of which Kemble is made the Harlequin and Mrs Jordan the Columbine" (Morning Herald, 16 Dec.). Receipts: #316 18s. 6d. (257.6.6; 58.17.0; 0.15.0)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. The many Ladies who have Places for the suceeding nights of the new Pantomime [The Magic Oak] are respectfully acquainted that, on account of Bologna Jun.'s accident, it cannot be performed before Easter Monday. [The Mouth of the Nile, also advertised on playbill of 5 Mar., was not acted on this night.] Doors, &c. as 21 Nov. 1798. Receipts: #364 13s. 6d. (361.13.6; 3.0.0)

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Santlow. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. The Scenes as 2 April. Admission as 5 Jan., but no benches railed into boxes

Event Comment: No persons to be admitted behind the scenes nor any money to be returned after the Curtain is drawn up. [A customary notice throughout the remainder of the season until benefit time.] Tomorrow (not acted these two years) Jane Shore. The part of Alicia to be attempted by Miss Jane Cibber, being her first time of appearing upon that stage these two years. Receipts: #40 (Cross)

Event Comment: This night the Riot was very Great, the Gentlemen came with Sticks, & tho' the play went on quiet 'till the last Act, we had there a great Stop, notwithstanding we ended it, & then the rout went on, ye Boxes drove many out of the Pit, & broken heads were plenty on both Sides; the dance began,--was Stop'd--& so again & again--while this was doing numbers were assembl'd in the Passages of the pit, broke down & were getting into the Cellar, but were repuls'd by our Scene men &c.--heavy blows on both sides--Justice Fielding--& Welch came with Constables & a Guard; but without effect, tho' the Justices stood upon ye Stage--I thought ye proclamation must have been read--after ye battle in the Passages numbers went & broke Garrick's Windows in Southhampton Street, --part of ye Guard went to protect it-Garrick was oblig'd to give up the Dancers-& ye Audience disperc'd (Cross). This day publish'd at 1s. The Country Coquet; or, Miss in her Breeches, a Ballad Opera, as it may be acted at Drury Lane. @Men, some to business, some to pleasure take@But every woman is at heart a Rake.@ Pope By a Young Lady. Printed for and sold for J. Major, in Three-Tun Court, leading from the Ship in Ivy Lane into Newgate Market. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Morning Chronicle, 8 May: The audience had been much better satisfied with less noise behind the scenes, while Miss Davies was singing. During her first song there was such a noise that Savoi was obliged to go off the stage, by orders from some gentlemen in the pit, to request silence three several times

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Opera, which begins again to-day with The Witts, never acted yet with scenes; and the King and Duke and Duchess were there...and indeed it is a most excellent play, and admirable scenes. Downes (p. 21): All the other Parts being exactly Perform'd; it continu'd 8 Days Acting Successively

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. On Thursday 10 Dec. 1663, Pepys reported that this play was to be acted the following week, but the date of the first performance is uncertain. But--except for the holidays--it was probably acted on consecutive days until 1 Jan. 1663@4, when Pepys saw it. The play is also in Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 138, as a "Revived Play." Pepys, Diary: I perceive the King and Duke and the Court was going to the Duke's playhouse to see Henry VIII. acted, which is said to be an admirable play. But, Lord! to see now near I was to have broken my oathe, or run the hazard of 20s. losse, so much my nature was hot to have gone thither; but I did not go. Downes (p.24): King Henry the 8th, This Play, by Order of Sir William Davenant, was all new Cloath'd in proper Habits: The King's was new, all the Lords, the Cardinals, the Bishops, the Doctors, Proctors, Lawyers, Tip-staves, new Scenes: The part of the King was so right and justly done by Mr Betterton, he being Instructed in it by Sir William, who had it from Old Mr Lowen, that had his Instructions from Mr Shakespear himself, that I dare and will aver, none can, or will come near him in this Age, in the performance of that part: Mr Harris's performance of Cardinal Wolsey, was little Inferior to that, he doing it with such just State, Port, and Mein, that I dare affirm, none hitherto has Equall'd him:...Every part by the great Care of Sir William, being exactly perform'd; it being all new Scenes; it continu'd Acting 15 Days together with general Applause

Event Comment: The King's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@12, p. 17: King here. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 344. See Noyes, Ben Jonson on the English Stage, p. 307, for a letter to Lady Sunderland on this performance, and, p. 308, for an anecdote from The Life of the Late Famous Comedian, Jo. Haynes, concerning Haynes and Hart in a scene. For another allusion to the action, see Henri Ferneron, Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth (London, 1807), p. 179n. Pepys, Diary: 15 Jan. 1668@9: It is about my Lady Harvy's being offended at Doll Common's [Mrs Corey's] acting of Sempronia, to imitate her; for which she got my Lord Chamberlain, her kinsman, to imprison Doll: when my Lady Castlemayne made the King to release her. Mrs John Evelyn to Mr Terryll, 10 Feb. 1668@9: There has not been any new lately revived and reformed, as Catiline, well set out with clothes and scenes (Diary and Correspondence of John Evelyn, ed. William Bray, IV, 14). See also 7 and 11 Dec. 1667

Event Comment: The King's Company. This play has generally been assigned to June 1669, partly on the basis of a suit--see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, pp. 252-53, 348-55-over a scene for it which Isaac Fuller, the scene designer, states was finished by 23 June 1669. The suit also states that the play ran for fourteen days, but it is not certain that the theatres played on consecutive days in the summer. The play has been assigned to 24 June 1669 on the basis of a letter from Charles II to Princess Henriette-Anne, dated 24 June [1669]: I am just now going to a new play that I heare very much commended (Cyril Hughes Hartmann, Charles II and Madame [London, 1934], p. 259). Elizabeth Cottington to Herbert Aston, ca. May 1669: Wee ar in expectation still of Mr Draidens play. Ther is a bowld woman [Aphra Behn (?)] hath oferd one: my cosen Aston can give you a better account of her then I can. Some verses I have seen which ar not ill; that is commentation enouf: she will think so too, I believe, when it comes upon the ptage. I shall tremble for the poor woman exposed among the critticks (Arthur Clifford, Tixall Letters [London, 1815], II, 60)

Event Comment: This date of performance is not a certainty; for the evidence, see Spencer, Shakespeare Improved, p. 94. Neither is Shadwell's authorship of the alterations a certainty, for the contributions of other playwrights have never been fully determined. (See Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 43.) The instrumental music was composed by Matthew Lock, with new vocal music by James? Hart and Pietro Reggio. See Songs Set by Signior Pietro Reggio, 1680. And differing versions of the second Prologue and the second Epilogue are in BM Egerton MS. 2623, ff. 54-55. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 34-35): The Year after in 1673. The Tempest, or the Inchanted Island, made into an Opera by Mr Shadwell, having all New in it; as Scenes, Machines; particularly, one Scene Painted with Myriads of Ariel Spirits; and another flying away, with a Table Furnisht out with Fruits, Sweetmeats and all sorts of Viands; just when Duke Trinculo and his Companions, were going to Dinner; all things Perform'd in it so Admirably well, that not any succeeding Opera got more Money

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the licensing of the play on 13 Aug. 1677 suggests a production not later than July 1677. Dedication to edition of 1678: But having...suffer'd so much through the defects of setting off, when it came on the Stage, it dares not now reject any Accomdation the Press cane give it. For (with the Theatres good leave to speak Truth,) it cannot receive greater Disadvantage in the Reading, than it met in the Presenting, The chief Parts Acted by Women; and, for their Ease, and somewhat of decorum, as was pretended, whole scenes left out, and scarcely any one Speech unmangled and entire. As for Adornments, in Habit, Musick, and Scene-Work it was Vacation-time, and the Company would not venture the Charge

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Preface states:...the many inconveniences this hasty Peice has been expos'd to, as the Season of the being [sic] so near Christmas. [The Preface also refers to several scenes omitted in the action and expresses gratitude to Mountfort who wrote one scene of the fifth act.] This play was entered in the Term Catalogues, Feb. 1690@1

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is stated in Luttrell, A Brief Relation, II, 435, 28 April 1692: On Monday will be acted a new opera, call the Fairy Queen: exceeds former playes: the clothes, scenes, and musick cost 3000#. [According to Some Select Songs As they are Sung in the Fairy Queen (1692) tne singers were Mrs Ayliff, Mrs Dyer, Freeman, Mrs Butler, and Pate. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XII (1903), ii; E. W. White, Early Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59 ), 45; and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre, Chapter IV.] Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 42-43: The Fairy Queen, made into an Opera, from a Comedy of Mr Shakespeare s: This in Ornaments was Superior to the other Two [King Arthur and The Prophetess]; especially in Cloaths, for all the Singers and Dancers, Scenes, Machines and Decorations, all most profusely set off; and excellently perform'd, chiedly the Instrumental and Vocal part Compos'd by the said Mr Purcel, and Dances by Mr Priest. The Court and Town were wonderfully satisfy'd with it; but the Expences in setting it out being so great, the Company got very little by it. Gentleman's Journal, May 1692: The Opera of which I have spoke to you in my former hath at last appear'd, and continues to be represented daily: it is call'd, The Fairy Queen. The Drama is originally Shakespears, the Music and Decorations are extraordinary. I have heard the Dances commended, and without doubt the whole is very entertaining. [As the May issue of the Gentleman's Journal was licensed on 14 May, the statement that The Fairy Queen continued to be acted daily may indicate consecutive performances from 2 May to at le ast 14 May 1692.

Event Comment: Post Boy, 12-15 June 1697: Great Preparations are making for a new Opera [The World in the Moon] in the Play-house in Dorset-Garden, of which there is great Expectation, the Scenes being several new Sets and of a moddel different from all that have been used in any Theatre whatever, being twice as high as any of their former Scenes. And the whole Decoration of the Stage not only infinitely beyond all the Opera's ever yet performed in England, but also by the acknowledgment of several Gentlemen that have travell'd abroad, much exceeding all that has been seen on any of the Foreign Stages

Event Comment: With an addition of a whole new Scene, consisting of Three Songs, compos'd by Signior Scarlatti, and perform'd by the famous Signior Cavaliero Nicolini Grimaldi. The Scenes, as 2 April. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Admission to pit and boxes by Printed tickets only. Stage boxes half a guinea. First Gallery 2s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. 6d

Event Comment: As it was altered from Shakespear by Sir Wil. D'Avenant, and the late Mr Dryden, Poets Laureat. With new Scenes, Machines, and all the Original Decorations proper to the Play. By her Majesty's Command no Persons are to be admitted behind the Scenes