Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted here. [Staunton, who was from the Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, is identified in Westminster Magazine, July 1780, p. 397.

Event Comment: The Jubilee consists of Dialogue Singing & Dancing. This Entertainment was written & compil'd by Mr G.-and it was receiv'd with bursts of Applause the Procession of Shakespear's Characters &c. is the most Superb that ever was Exhibited or I believe ever will. There never was an Entertainment produc'd that gave so much pleasure to all Degrees Boxes pit and Gallery (Hopkins Diary). The Music by Dibdin. With New Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. [On all subsequent bills, though some are shortened, the PAGEANT is advertised in large capitals. Larpent MS 298, includes descriptive notes and stage directions, p. 24: "Here follows the Pageant, with Bells ringing, Fifes playing, Drums beating, and Cannons firing. In The Procession every scene in the different plays represents some capital part of it in action...The last Scene is a magnificent Transparent one in which the Capital characters of Shakespeare are exhibited at full length with Shakespeare's Statue in the middle crowned by Tragedy and Comedy, fairies and Cupids surrounding him and all the banners waving at the upper end. Then enter the dancers." The Pageant appeared at the top of the stage and came forward, Reviewed in Freeholder's Magazine, Oct.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Opera, and there saw Romeo and Juliet, the first time it was ever acted; but it is a play of itself the worst that ever I heard in my life, and the worst acted that ever I saw these people do, and I am resolved to go no more to see the first time of acting, for they were all of them out more or less. Downes (p. 22): Note, There being a Fight and Scuffle in this Play, between the House of Capulet, and House of Paris; Mrs Holden Acting his Wife, enter'd in a Hurry, Crying, O my Dear Count! She Inadvertently left out, O, in the pronuntiation of the Word Count! giving it a Vehement Accent, put the House into such a Laughter, that London Bridge at low-water was silence to it. This Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, was made some time after into a Tragi-comedy, by Mr James Howard, he preserving Romeo and Juliet alive; so that when the Tragedy was Reviv'd again, twas Play'd Alternately, Tragical one Day, and Tragicomical another; for several Days together. [No specific notices are known which would indicate when Howard's version appeared.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Downes (p. 25) states that it was acted eight days successively, but as Pepys does not indicate whether he saw its first performance, the sequence of playing it is not known. Pepys, Diary: We [Mrs Pepys and Pepys] took coach and to the Duke's playhouse, where we saw The Duchess of Malfy well performed, but Betterton and Ianthe [Mrs Saunderson] to admiration. Downes (p. 25): This Play was so exceeding Excellently Acted in all Parts; chiefly, Duke Ferdinand and Bosola: It fill'd the House 8 Days Successively, it proving one of the Best of Stock Tragedies

Event Comment: [By Colley Cibber. No edition before 1719.] Never Acted before

Event Comment: [Written by Colley Cibber.] Never Acted before. Whincop, p. 197: Mr Cibber's Enemies shew'd themselves very warmly at the Representation of this Piece, and I think without much Discretion; for they began to hiss it before they had heard it, and I remember very well, began their Uproar, on the first Night, as soon as he appeared to speak the Prologue

Event Comment: [Cast taken from 1st edn. The bill merely lists actors and notes "With proper Music, Scenes, and Decorations. Never acted before." It mentions no Prologue or Epilogue.] This Masque was wrote about eleven years ago, by Mr Malet & Mr Thomson, & play'd in the Garden at Clifden before the P. of Wales &c.--Mr Malet has now alter'd it, & it was play'd with great Applause, only some of the Dances, being too long were dislik'd, & some of the Songs had ye same reception (Cross). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: This Tragedy is taken from ye French by ye Revd Mr Francis. A great Noise before ye play began, occasion'd by ye Music not playing what they lik'd, they being Palted wou'd not come into the Orchestra-a Branch knock'd down, Candles thrown &c.-Mr Garrick went on, order'd ye Music in, & all was quiet-went off with great Applause (Cross). Never acted before. Characters New Dress'd Mr Garrick is intitled to my sincerest Gratitude for his Performance as an Actor, and for his Punctuality as a Manager...his strong good Sence, with that Spirit of Theatrical Criticism, which is his peculiar natural Genius (Prefatory matter by Francis first in ed.). Receipts: 180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Play never acted before. [This new tragedy by MacNamara Morgan is mercilessly scourged by Paul Hiffernan in Tuner No 1, (21 Jan.), pp. 41-61]: To Tune it in Lilliputian Score : @Such sighing@Such Billing@Such Flashing@Such Heeling@And Dying@And Killing@And Dashing@And Kneeling@Such Rizing@Surprizing!@Such Falling@And Bawling@Such Attitudes@And Flattitudes@Were ne'er exhibited before.@ In the representation Mr Barry spared no pains; Miss Nossiter and Mr Smith strained hard-Mrs Bland, as far as her part exposed itself, did it with alacrity, but vanished abruptly in a storm of Lust. Mrs Vincent put as good a face on wanton barbarity as possible-and Mr Sparks who can do justice to a more spirited character, supported his Arcadian Kingship with becoming equanimity...It is a Romance crush'd together without choice, unconnected and full of Exidents not Incidents. Musidorus and Pamela , are duplicates to Pyrocles and Philoclea , which lengthen by so much the play, with repetition of the same dull nauseous tale of love, stirr'd up now and then by a bounce and a cracker-many persons come on we know not why, and disappear we know not wherefore....This new piece is an outlaw from all rules of Criticism; the Unities of Time, Place, and Action are unobserv'd; Plot, Moral, Verisimilitude, or even Probability unknown: many scenes bid defiance to possibility....Mr Rich stopp'd at no expence as to the Dresses and Decorations, and reprieving the play's duration to the utmost extent of Managerian clemency

Event Comment: The King's Company. See Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 118. Pepys, Diary: And so home to Sir W. Pen, who with his children and my wife has been at a play to-day and saw D'Ambois, which I never saw

Event Comment: [By Susanna Centlivre.] Never Acted before. [In the Preface the author discusses her difficulties with the Epilogue. The managers did not think it safe to speak the Epilogue without a License. As she could not get it approved in time, Norris spoke "six Lines Extempore" asking the audience to excuse the defect and promising one for the second night. The Spectators, convinced no Epilogue was intended, hissed. On the following day the Epilogue was licensed, but Mrs Oldfield, who had been intended to speak it, received letters against it; Norris then spoken an Epilogue which implied that the intended one had never been licensed.

Event Comment: Afterp1ece never acted there

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted before. Characters new dressed &c. [See Theatrical Review; or, Annals of the Drama, 1763, pp. 67-74: Bless us what a sweet consistent piece of business is a modern Tragedy." See Boswell's account of his attendance that night with two friends, With oaken cudgels in our hands and shrill sounding catcalls in our pockets," ready prepared to damn the play (London Journal), p. 154 ff.).] Critical Strictures on the New Tragedy of Elvira, published this month (Gentleman's Magazine). I then undressed for the Play. My father and I went to the Rose, in the Passage of the Playhouse, where we found Mallet, with about thirty friends. We dined together, and went from thence into the Pitt, where we took our places in a body, ready to silence all opposition. However, we had no occasion to exert ourselves. Not withstanding the malice of a party, Mallet's nation, connections and indeed imprudence, we heard nothing but applause. I think it was deserved. The play was borrowed from de la Motte, but the details and language have great merit. A fine Vein of dramatick poetry runs thro' the piece. The Scenes between the father and son awaken almost every sensation of the human breast; and the Council would have equally moved, but for the inconvenience unavoidable upon all Theatres, that of entrusting fine Speeches to indifferent Actors. The perplexity of the Catastrophe is much, and I believe justly, critisized. But another defect made a strong impression upon me. When a Poet ventures upon the dreadful situation of a father who condemns his son to death; there is no medium; the father must either be monster or a Hero. His obligations of justice, of the publick good, must be as binding, as apparent as perhaps those of the first Brutus. The cruel necessity consecrates his actions, and leaves no room for repentance. The thought is shocking, if not carried into action. In the execution of Brutus's sons I am sensible of that fatal necessity. Without such an example, the unsettled liberty of Romev would have perished the instant after its birth. But Alonzo might have pardoned his son for a rash attempt, the cause of which was a private injury, and whose consequences could never have disturbed an established government. He might have pardoned such a crime in any other subject; and the laws could exact only a equal rigor for a son; a Vain appetite for glory, and a mad affectation of Heroism, could only influence him to exert an unequal & superior severity (Gibbon's Journal, ed. D. M. Low [New York, n.d.], pp. 202-4)

Event Comment: [By Colley Cibber.] Never Acted before. A New Pastoral (of Three Acts). N.B. Printed Books of the Play will be sold at the Theatre. Fog's, 11 Jan. On Tuesday Night last a ridiculous Piece was acted at...Drury-lane, which was neither Comedy, Tragedy, Opera, Pastoral or Farce; however, no Thief or Robber of any Rank was satyriz'd in it, and it could be said to give Offence to none but Persons of Sense and good Taste; yet it met with the Reception it well deserv'd, and was hiss'd off the Stage. See also Cibber, Apology, I, 243-44, 248-49; Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 106-7; Whincop, p. 197

Event Comment: The Tragedy of Zara, Made English [by Aaron Hill]. Applauded Thirty-Six Nights running at Paris. The Characters, by a Sett of Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, who never acted before. None will be admitted but by Tickets into the Room that Night, which (by Reason of the Smallness of the Place) will be all commodiously made into Boxes, for the easy Reception of those many Great Personages, who have read and perus'd this Play with Approbation, and desir'd a long Time to see it acted; and charitably agreed to favour and encourage this Design, for the Benefit of [Mr William Bond, the Proprietor], who brings it on at a great Expence (tho' all that act in it, are so good to appear Gratis for him) who has lain ill of the Gout, and Rheumatism, upwards of Four Years. [This bill, in the London Daily Post and General Advertiser, differs considerably in phraseology, though not in basic fact, from that in the Daily Advertiser.]

Event Comment: This play was wrote by Mr Moor but as he had some Enemies, came out under ye Name of Mr Spence--went off well, except some few Words & a Song wch are since omitted--Mr Havard not being able to play the part design'd for him The following advertisement was put at ye Bottom of ye Bills for he first 2 Days: N.B. The Managers being engag'd to act two New Plays this Winter, cou'd not longer defer this Tragedy in waiting for Mr Havard's Recovery; Mr Davies at a very short Warning, has willingly undertaken the Character which Mr Havard was to have acted, and humbly hopes for the Indulgence of the Public (Cross). [This N.B. note from the Cross Diary is printed verbatim on the playbill]. Never Acted before. Tis hoped no Gentlemen will desire to be admitted behind the Scenes, this night. Receipts: #217 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. On Monday (Never Acted Before) a Comedy, three acts, call'd No One's Enemy But His Own, and another of 2 Acts, call'd What we Must All Come To

Event Comment: [Comedies of three acts and two acts respectively, by Arthur Murphy never acted before.

Event Comment: At 5 went into the Pit to see Mrs Yates' first appearance on that stage....Hastings for the first time by Powell, but I like Barry better in that character....Mrs Bellamy always excelled in the character of Alicia. Jane Shore by Mrs Yates who far surpasses Mrs Dancer in that character...Woodward is the best Fine Gentleman [in the farce] I ever saw. Drunken man very well by Dunstall (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #189 12s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Mainpiece: Never acted there. Charges #69 12s. 6d. Profit to Woodward #121 2s. 6d., plus #44 10s. from tickets (Box 178) (Account Book). The several Musical Pieces performed last night at Covent Garden, were very agreeably received by a numerous Audience. The well contrasted variety of the Compositions in which each performer exerted their [highest] excellency had the most pleasing effect. Dr Arne's elegant Serenata, as well as the Thunder Ode, composed by Mr Michael Arne, met with the greatest Applause. The Performance will be repeated on Wednesday Next (Public Advertiser). Receipts: #190 15s

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild. 1st piece: Not acted these 12 years. [acted 23 Feb. 1784]. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1]. Morning Herald, 20 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 34, Long-acre. Receipts: #274 12s. (149.10; 9.7; tickets: 115.15)

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife to the King's playhouse to see The Northerne Castle, which I think I never did see before. Knipp acted in it, and did her part very extraordinary well; but the play is but a mean, sorry Play; but the house very full of gallants. It seems, it hath not been acted a good while

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. There is no certainty that this performance is the premiere, but it may well be. Two songs, Ah false Amyntas, and Amyntas led me to a grove, both set by Robert Smith, are in Choice Songs and Ayres, 1673. Preface to the edition of 1673: Good, Sweet, Honey, Sugar-candied Reader, ...Indeed that day 'twas Acted first, there comes into the Pit a long, lither, plegmatick, white, ill-favour'd, wretched Fop, an Officer in Masquerade newly transported with a Scarfe & Feather out of France, a sorry Animal that has nought else to shield it from the uttermost contempt of all mankind, but that respect which we afford to Rats and Toads, which though we do not well allow to live, yet when considered as a part of God's Creation, we make honourable mention of them. A thing, Reader--but no more of such a Smelt: This thing, I tell ye, opening that which serves it for a mouth, out issued such a noise as this to those that state about it, that they were to expect a woful Play, God damn him, for it was a womans.... Reader, I have a complaint or two to make to you, and I have done; Know then that this Play was hugely injur'd in the Acting, for 'twas done so imperfectly as never any was before, which did more harm to this than it could have done to any of another sort; the Plot being busie (though I think not intricate) and so requiring a continual attention, which being interrupted by the intolerable negligence of some that acted in it, must needs much spoil the beauty on't. My Dutch Lover spoke but little of what I intended for him, but supplied it with a great deal of idle stuff, which I was wholly unacquainted with until I heard it first from him. According to the Preface, the Prologue was lost

Event Comment: [By Susanna Centlivre.] Never Acted before. Whincop (pp. 189-90): On the first Day there was a very poor House, scarce Charges. Under these Circumstances, it cannot be supposed the Play appeared to much Advantage, the Audience only came there for want of another Place to go to, but without any Expectation of being much diverted; they were yawning at the Beginning of it, but were agreeably surprized, more and more every Act, till at last the House rung with as much Applause as was possible to be given by so thin an Audience

Event Comment: Mainpiece: [By William Taverner. Apparently not printed.] Never Acted before. Afterpiece: [By William Taverner.] A New Masque of Vocal and Instrumental Musick of Two Acts. Receipts: #31 10s