Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Prologue suggests that it was given shortly before Bartholomew and Southwark Fairs (Drolls shortly will amuse ye at the Fair), even though the play was not advertised until mid-October (Post Boy, 15-17 Oct. 1696). One song, Alas! when charming Sylvia's gone, is in the Edition and was also published separately,with the indication that Daniel Purcell set it. In the Edition, a song, Fairest nymph that ever bless'd our Shore, is sung in Act II Betwixt Mr Leveridge a Spaniard, and Mrs Cross an English Lady. Tne composer is not named. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: and 'tis a most damnable Farce

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Post Boy, No 496, 7-9 July 1698: This day is acted Oroonoko, at the King's Playhouse, for the particular Entertainment of some Persons of the highest Quality, with the Italian Shades, as they were perform'd with great Applause, before their Excellencies the Russian and Morocco Ambassadors, in the Reign of King Charles II. And an Entertainment after the manner of the Carnaval at Rome. With several Grotesque Dances

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Lady Morley attended this performance: Lady Morley and one in the Box at the Grove an Opera. 10s. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Drama, p. 378. It is not known whether this performance was the premiere, but the publication of this work on 16 March 1699@1700 (Post Man, 14-16 March 1699@1700) suggests that if the usual month between premiere and publication intervened for this work, the premiere may have been in mid-February. On the other hand, a letter-see 20 Jan. 1699@1700-may refer to this work. The music was composed by Daniel Purcell. In Songs in the New Opera Called The Grove or Love's Paradice (1700) the following singers are listed: Mrs Irwin, Freeman, The Boy, Hughes, Mrs Lindsey, Pate, and Mrs Shaw. The Preface implies that the opera was a failure: As for the Persons who were not so generous...who thought the Catastrophe was not enough prepar'd, and that the discovery in the last Act was huddled and in confusion, they will now see if what he had writ had been spoken, every thing would have appear's clear and natural, which, to shorten the Entertainment had been before broken and disorder'd

Event Comment: John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 11 April 1700: Within this Moneth there will be played for my Profit, an old play of Fletcher s, called the Pilgrim, corrected by my good friend Mr Vanbrook; to which I have added A New Masque, & am to write a New Prologue & Epilogue. Southern s tragedy, called the Revolt of Capoua, will be played At Bettertons House within this fortnight. I am out with that Company, & therefore if I can help it, will not read it before tis Acted; though the Authour much disires I shou'd (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 136)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pinkethman, [but] no plays being Allow'd to be Acted at either Theatre the Friday or Saturday before Whitsunday next,...Love makes a Man...is deferr'd till Friday the 13th of June

Event Comment: As it was perform'd several times at court, by Persons of Great Quality, before his late Majesty King Charles II. With all the Scenes Which were originally Presented in it when acted at the Theatre, particularly the Fleet of Shipsv and the Hell Scenev, in which the Masquerade was perform'd

Event Comment: [Authorship uncertain. According to the dedicatory essay in 1705 edition it was left unfinished by Mountfort?," but the Diverting Post, 28 Oct., states that it was written by Mrs Mary Pix. This is probably the premiere. It was acted four times before 18 Nov., but on which evenings is unknown.

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. And an Act of a Comedy to be perform'd before the Opera begins

Event Comment: At Mr Goff's new Playhouse in Hampstead. This Consort will be perform'd with much better Decorum than before. [In Post Boy, 13-15 Sept., it was announced that the Justices for Middlesex had served an order at Hampstead forbidding the players "to act any more there."

Event Comment: Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 25 Nov.: On Tuesday the King's Scholars at Westminster acted the Andrea of Terrence in their Dormitory, before several of the Nobility, with great Applause

Event Comment: WWeekly Journal or British Gazetteer, 28 Nov. Before many Persons of distinction, was acted the Adelphi of Terence....The Epilogue is printed in that issue

Event Comment: DDaily Journal, 14 Jan.: We hear...that...The Modish Couple, which met with great Opposition the two first Nights, but was acted the third with Success, before one of the finest Assemblies of Persons of Quality that has been seen, was last Night again so interrupted, that the Players could not perform but were forced to dismiss the Audience.' The violent Treatment which this Piece has met with, is supposedles those People who made it their Business to raise Disturbances at every new Performance that comes on the Stage. [For another account, see Egmont, Diary, I, 216.

Event Comment: By Command of Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal. Benefit Mills. Daily Post, 5 March: Colley Cibber...is so ill of a Cold he is not able to Act. Daily Advertiser, 7 March: On Monday Night last a great Disorder happen'd amongst the Footmen at [dl], occasion'd by one of the Orange Women, who meeting with some Affront, as she was passing from the Theatre to the Coffeehouse, drew out her Penknife, and stabb'd a Chairman and two Gentlemen's Servants therewith, before it could be wrench'd from her, and then took Sanctuary in the Coffee-house; but the same was immediately beset, and the People refusing either to produce the Woman, or acquaint the Footmen who she was, they forc'd themselves into the Room, broke all the Glasses and China

Event Comment: Daily Journal, 6 Dec.: Andria was acted at the Dormitory . . . before at least 200 Spectators

Event Comment: Thomas Gray to Horace Walpole, 3 Jan.: I went to King Arthur last night, which is exceeding fine; they have a new man to supply Delane's place, one Johnson, with ye finest person & face in the world to all appearance; but as awkward, as a Button-maker; in short, if he knew how to manage his Beauties to advantage, I should not wonder, if all the Women run mad for him: the inchanted part of the play, is not Machinery, but actual magick: the second scene is a British temple enough to make one go back a thousand years, & really be in ancient Britain: the Songs are all Church-musick, & in every one of ye Chorus's Mrs Chambers sung ye chief part, accompanied with Roarings, Squawlings & Squeakations dire. Mrs Giffard is by way of Emmeline, & should be blind, but, heaven knows! I would not wish to see better than she does, & seems to do; for when Philidel restores her to sight, her eyes are not at all better than before; she is led in at first, by a Creature, yet was more like a Devil by half, than Grimbald himself; she took herself for Madame la Confidente, but every body else took her to be in the Circumstances of Damnation: when Emmeline comes to her sight, she beholds this Mrs Matilda first, & cries out Are Women all like thee? such glorious Creatures! which set the people into such a laugh, as lasted the whole Act: the Frost Scene is excessive fine; the first Scene of it is only a Cascade, that seems frozen: with the Genius of Winter asleep & wrapt in furs, who upon the approach of Cupid, after much quivering, & shaKing sings the finest song in the Play: just after, the Scene opens, & shows a view of arched rocks covered with Ice & Snow to ye end of ye Stage; between the arches are upon pedestals of Snow eight Images of old men & women, that seem frozen into Statues, with Icicles hanging about them & almost hid in frost, & from ye end come Singers, viz: Mrs Chambers, &: & Dancers all rubbing their hands & chattering with cold with fur gowns & worsted gloves in abundance. Gray, Correspondence, I, 36-37

Event Comment: LLondon Daily Post and General Advertiser, 17 March: This is to inform the Publick, that the new Tragi-Comedy, intitled The Free-Thinker; or, The Fox uncas'd, which was last Summer rehearsed and was to have been play'd at [lif], but by Mr Rich's letting that House to Mr Giffard, for that Season, was prevented, will be acted on the 14th of April next [at yb], by Mr Hallam's Company of Comedians. The Play is writ much in the same Stile and Manner of George Barnwell....The Author hopes that the Generous and Judicious will encourage the Performance, tho' the Company of Players are not dropt down from the Clouds, nor does the Play libel the Government. [No further announcement of the performance has been noted before 28 April.

Event Comment: By Desire. Mainpiece: Written by the late J. Hughes, Esq. London Evening Post, 28 Jan.: It's remarkable that the new Comedy call'd The Nest of Plays...and the new Farce call'd The Coffee House...and which are the two first that have been perform'd since the Act of Parliament took Place, obliging all Plays, Farces, &c. to be licens'd before play'd, were both damn'd by the Town

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 22 Feb.: Since my distant Relation Tomo Chachi was pleas'd, through your Means, to give his Reason for the Town's Condemnation of the Two first licensed Dramatick Performances since the new Act,-I desire to have his Opinion concerning the Fate of the Third-call'd Art and Nature:-I presume he cannot assign for Cause what he did before, for that this Piece did not receive the Indulgence of being heard at all....Adomo Tomo

Event Comment: We hear that the Lord Chamberlain has refus'd granting a License to the seceding players to act in the Theatre in the Haymarket. (Daily Advertiser) To the Author of the London Daily Post, Sir: As I have engag'd myself for this winter to perform in Dublin, by an Invitation of Several Persons of Distinction in Ireland, I think it my duty before I leave London, by your paper, to return my sincere and hearty thanks to the Town for the many favours I have receiv'd during the Time of my Performing in Publick, which I hope they will Candidly accept from their most of Oblig'd, humble Servants, Thomas Lowe

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. Tickets as before. Regulus publish'd. As it is acted by his Majesties Servants at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, by Mr Havard, Author of King Charles the First. Inter omnes suos laudabiles & Virtutum insignibus illustres Viros, non preferunt Romani meliorem; quem neque Felicitas corruperit, nam in tanta Victoria, mansit pauperrimus; Nec Infelicitas fregerit, nam ad tanta Exitia revertit intrepidus. (St. Aust. de Regulo. Lib I. de Civitat. Dei.) Printed for H. Woodfall, Jr. in Little Britain, by Paul Vaillant facing Southampton Street in the Strand. J. Watts and B. Dodd also advertised King Charles the First, an Historical Tragedy, written in imitation of Shakespear, and Scanderbeg, a Tragedy. Both written by Mr Havard, author of Regulus

Event Comment: t foot of Bill]: Whenever a Pantomime or Farce shall be advertised, the advanced prices shall be returned to those who do not choose to stay; and on Thursday next will be published the Manager's reasons for his conduct in the present dispute. Winston MS.: Fleetwood, the manager, and servants driven from doors & all rushed in. Genest, IV, 137-38: A country gentleman was taken from an upper box and carried before a magistrate. This step when known by the audience occasioned much mischief. Acting the play not allowed. General Advertiser, 22 Nov.: An Address to the Public, dl Theatre 20 November. As the extraordinary disturbances which have lately happened at this theatre greatly affect the diversions of the publick, as well as the property of the manager, he thinks it incumbent on him to justify his conduct by giving a fair statement of the case....The reasons of complaint assigned, he apprehends, are the exhibition of Pantomimes, Advanced Prices, and Insults on the audience--as to the first, he submits it to be considered that however distasteful such pieces may be to the delicacy of some judgments, yet there are others to whose taste they are suited; as the playhouse may be considered as the general mart of pleasure, it is only from the variety of entertainment, the different tastes of the public can be supplied--of this the receipts of the house are a sufficient evidence, it being notorius, how necessary the addition of such pieces is towards procuring the best play a numerous audience. With regard to the advanced prices, the Manager hoped he should in some measure be justified by the great increase of the charges of the theatre which, notwithstanding any reduction that has been made, are still at least a fourth part greater than usual--but as in this point he has already submitted, he conceives it can no longer remain the subject of their displeasure, especially as by an advertisement handed about the theatre it was said that every objection would cease, when the manager consented to return the advanced prices to those, who did not choose to be tortured with entertainments. As to insults on the audience...last week upon some persons flinging the sconces and candles on the stage a quarrel arose, in the confusion of which a Gentleman was secured, but by whom the Manager knows not, nor ever gave any order, or was any acquainted with the affair till after he was discharged, for the truth of which he refers to the affidavit annexed. As to the accusation of several bruisers (as they are termed) being employed on Saturday night to insult Gentlemen, the Manager declares, that there was none but the Peace Officers, Carpenters, and Scene-men (which on account of the Entertainments are very numerous) and other servants belonging to the theatre; nor did they appear till urged by the tumult, by tearing up benches and threat'ning to come on the stage and demolish the scenes; nor could the Manager apprehend this legal precaution to prevent mischief and defend his property would ever be construed as an infringement on the liberty of an audience, especially when it is considered, what great damages he sustained some years ago on an attempt of the like nature--if any such persons appeared in the pit, the Manager presumes, they must have come in with the multitude, after his doorkeepers were drove from their posts, and the house was open to all; which was evident from several hundred persons more being present at the disturbance than were at the performance that night, who then came to a determination to prevent any performance on the Monday. After this impartial account of his conduct, the manager appeals to the judgment of the publick what foundation he has given for the outrageous disturbance on Monday night; and cannot help thinking, the real injuries he has sustained, too severe a punishment for an imaginary offence, having lost several hundred pounds already, by people being terrified from frequenting the theatre. A total exclusion is now insisted on, the Manager to resign his property, the Publick to be deprived of their diversions and the players of their subsistence; And all this after every concession, becoming one gentleman to ask, or another to make, has been submitted to. [Affidavit of Constable followed. See Genest, IV, 139-40.] The following three pamphlets came out expressing points of view concerning Fleetwood and his policy and management: I. The Disputes between the Director of d.l. and the Pit Potentates, 20 Nov. As a Letter to a Friend it tells the resolution: not to have old Pantomimes (so execrably bad that they were damn'd when new) imposed on them, unless the manager would take no more than common prices; reports how Fleetwood stocked the pit with Men of doughty valor...disguised in the habits of Gentlemen, to throw out all who protested; protests the system of casting employed whereby 2nd rate actors appeared in good parts; discusses hardship cases of certain actors (Mrs Roberts, Mrs Horton, Mrs Mills) and asks why Theophilus Cibber is not on the stage. 2. An Impartial Examen of the Present Contests, by Mr Neitherside, 1744: harks back to Fleetwood's finacial policies of the previous year, deploring his relations with the actors and with manager of cg; scourges him for miscasting his plays around one prominent actor, rather than giving a balanced performance; deplores his paying Mrs Cibber, Mrs Clive so much; revives the 1743 dispute which led to secession; dislikes the casting for 2 Nov. of Love's Last Shift; suggests better casts for many plays; scores the Licensing Act for reducing players to slavery; hopes for resumption of balanced performances. 3. Stage Policy Detected, or some Selcet Pieces of Theatrical Secret History Laid Open, in a Letter to a Certain Manager, 1744: takes apart Fleetwood's Defense, statement by statement, giving him the lie at each point. Suggests the real money from the house comes from Pit and Box, which are protesting his pantomimes; shows full attendance at Rehearsal and Macbeth with no afterpieces. Especially dislikes the hired bruisers, and the cast of the Alchemist for 6 Nov

Event Comment: Benefit Bridges, Blakes and Cross, prompter. Afterpiece: By Desire. Mr Garrick's Indisposition continuing, we have, at the particular desire of several ladies, chang'd our play. Tickets deliver'd out for the Stratagem will be taken. [On this Day appeared the Daily Advertiser a full column presentment by the Court of Westminster to the Justices of the Peace against unlicensed players]: This court being inform'd that common Players of Interludes have for several years...assembled...in Mayfair to erect Booths and exhibit Drolls and Shews...whereby numbers of His Majesty's subjects have been encouraged to assemble and commit riots and other Misdemeanours in Breach of His Majesty's Peace, and to the disturbance of the Neighborhood, and that some of the players are and now contracting for ground in order to erect Sheds, Booths and other places...for shewing and acting plays...&c, &c, &c...for the more effectual suppressing of the evils aforesaid, it is hereby recommended unto his Majesty's Justices of the Peace to meet together at such time as they shall appoint in order to proceed according to the law against all such offenders as shall be brought before them by the peace officers, who are required to be aiding the Justice of the Peace. [The gist of the Presentment lies in the statement]: that they [the Justices] shall apprehend all and every other person and Persons who in any other place or places within the said City and Liberty shall act or represent for gain, any Tragedy, Comedy, Opera, Play, Interlude, Farce, or any other Entertainment for the stage

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber. Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years.[See 2 April 1745]. Pit and Boxes laid together, where servants will be allowed to keep Places, and on the stage; which for the better Accommodation of the Ladies will be inclos'd and form'd into Front and Side Boxes. Ladies send servants by 3 o'clock. Tickets of Mrs Cibber at New Street, Spring Garden, and of Hobson. Receipts: #275 (Cross); house charges, #60. This must be subtracted as before (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit Mause, Madge. On Tuesday Evening several Performers by an order from the Lord Chamberlain were taken up for acting Plays, or Drolls, at Shepherd's Market, May Fair, and carried before a Magistrate who committed them to Prison on the Vagrant Act (General Advertiser)