SELECT * FROM london_stages WHERE MATCH('(@(authnameclean,perftitleclean,commentcclean,commentpclean) "Mr Ben Johnson"/1) | (@(roleclean,performerclean) "Mr Ben Johnson")') GROUP BY eventid ORDER BY weight() desc, eventdate asc OPTION field_weights=(perftitleclean=100, commentpclean=75, commentcclean=75, roleclean=100, performerclean=100, authnameclean=100), ranker=sph04

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We found 4589 matches on Event Comments, 2635 matches on Performance Comments, 974 matches on Author, 542 matches on Performance Title, and 0 matches on Roles/Actors.
Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Charke. 6 p.m. 5s., 3s., 2s., will be presented a Concert, etc. [In the bill for 21 Feb. it is announced as: By Permission...will be reviv'd an Historical Play, not acted these sixty years.] Tickets and Places to be had of Mr Meredith, at the Theatre. [Puffs in the Daily Advertiser announce their pleasure that Mrs Charke is actually going to play a woman's role. A rehearsal was held on 1 March.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Pope John Viii

Event Comment: Benefit Mr Dove and Mrs Dove. Boxes 3s., Pit 2s., First Gallery 1s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. [Theatre designated as the Late Wells in advance notices; as the New Wells on the day of performance.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Provoked Husband

Afterpiece Title: The Devil to Pay

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Giffard. Mainpiece: At the Particular Desire of Several Persons of Quality. Servants will be admitted to keep places on the stage; and the ladies are desired to send their servants by 3 o'clock. Mr Giffard having receiv'd directions for places at his benefit takes this opportunity of acquainting his friends he shall desist from troubling them on that occasion this season. Tickets to be had of Mrs Giffard at No. 11, in Craven Buildings, Drury Lane; and of Hobson at the Stage door

Performances

Mainpiece Title: King Lear

Cast
Role: Goneril Actor: Mrs Bennet

Afterpiece Title: The Anatomist

Cast
Role: Beatrice Actor: Mrs Bennet

Song: II: Lowe

Dance: III: Muilment; V: Sga Bettini

Event Comment: Tragedy never acted. By James Thomson. Characters New Dress'd. But as it is rather more fashionable to run mad about Mr Thomsons's play, I will change my theme and talk to you of Tancred. I want much to know how you like it, at this distance I would lay any wager you do not like it so well as your sister does, who certainly cannot be your sister and not have been to see it long ago. Everybody agrees that no play was ever so much improved in acting, at least since the Booths and Bettertons. That first scene expecially, where Siffredi discovers to Tancred who he is, pleased me almost beyond anything I ever saw, indeed even before I saw it, that scene was my favourite. But what do you think of the story, and what of the style?-A Series of Letters between Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, I, 60 (dated strangely 2 March). [On 26 April, the Daily Post published a letter by Bellario on Tancred and Sigismunda, discussing the kind of support it received]: A very remarkable new Lord of the Treasury was proud of appearing its Foster Father, and attended at the public rehearsals; the first night of the performance this celebrated person and his friends in the Box with him (all very lately most flaming Patriots) were seen clapping their hands at the following remarkable speech: First of You All...To Quit Mistakes. [The letter also discussed political aspects of the play, then the poetry of the lines. The author heard that three hundred lines were cut out after the first performance, and was of opinion that double that amount would have been beneficial.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Tancred And Sigismunda

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Joseph

Event Comment: Benefit Mr Daniel and Mrs Bainbridge; tickets deliver'd out for Love's Last Shift will be taken

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Provoked Husband

Afterpiece Title: The Miller of Mansfield

Event Comment: Benefit of the Author, it being the eighth night only of acting, but the night from the first Representation, because of the interruption of Mrs Woffington's Benefit. Tickets to be had of G. Strahan, in Cornhill; J. Davidson in the Poultry; A. Millar in the Strand; R. Dodsley in Pall Mall, and of Mr Hobson at the Theatre, where places may be taken on the stage.-Daily Advertiser

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Tancred And Sigismunda

Event Comment: Benefit for the Two Misses Scott. Pit and Boxes to be put together, 5s. Gallery 3s. To begin at half an hour after Six. No persons to be admitted but by printed tickets, which may be had of the two Misses Scott, at Mr Hind's, painter in Silver St., near Golden Square, and at the theatre where places may be taken. Several of the principal performers being engag'd for tomorrow night, the Misses Scott are oblig'd to take this night for their benefit, and humbly hope the Gentlemen and Ladies who intend them the honour of their company will excuse it, and the same tickets will be admitted. Note tickets deliver'd out for the Castle Tavern in Paternoster Row for the 14th of January will be taken

Performances

Mainpiece Title: A Concert

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Joseph

Event Comment: Benefit Chapman. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets deliver'd for the Pilgrim will be taken at this play. Tickets and places to be had at Mr Chapman's, the corner of Bow St., Covent Garden

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Don Sebastian

Cast
Role: Merchant Actor: Bencraft.
Role: Benducar Actor: Bridgwater

Afterpiece Title: The Schoolboy

Song: ( B By desire )Mad Bess-Beard; The Charms of Polly Willis-Mrs Clive

Dance: Cooke, Sga Campioni

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Tempest

Event Comment: Benefit Arne. Tickets to be had of Arne next door to the Crown in Great Queen St., by Lincoln's Inn Fields; at St. James's Coffee House; at Nando's Coffee House, Temple Bar; and at Mr Simpson's Music Shop in Sweeting's Alley near the Royal Exchange, and places taken of Hobson at the Stage Door where tickets may also be had. -General Advertiser. Last night, at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane was perform'd King Pepin's Campaign, with great applause. The Music is said to be inimitable in its way. -Daily Advertiser, 17 April

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Venice Preserved

Afterpiece Title: King Pepin's Campaign

Song: I: Gentle Shepherd-Mrs Arne

Dance: II: Muilment

Event Comment: Benefit Mr Mills and Mrs Mills. Servants will be allowed to keep places upon the stage, which will be form'd into Front and Side Boxes. Tickets and places to be had of Hobson at the stage door

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Provoked Wife

Afterpiece Title: The Lying Valet

Cast
Role: Melissa Actor: Mrs Bennet.

Dance: II: Muilment; III: Sga Bettini

Event Comment: Benefit Mr and Mrs Hale. Mainpiece not acted these 14 years [see 15 May 1734]

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Timon Of Athens; Or, Man-hater

Afterpiece Title: Orpheus and Eurydice

Cast
Role: Squire Actor: Bencraft

Dance: SScotch Dance, as17441012

Song: II: A Duet-Beard, Miss Edwards

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

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Conscious Lovers

Cast
Role: Isabella Actor: Mrs Bennet

Afterpiece Title: Tragedy of Tragedies

Cast
Role: Queen Actor: Mrs Bennet.

Dance: I: Sga Bettini; III: Muilment

Song: II: Lowe; V: Nanny O (By Desire)-Lowe

Event Comment: Benefit Cashell. At the desire of several Persons of Quality. Ladies send their servants by four o'clock. Tickets of Cashell at Mr Elwood's, Staymaker, in Hunt's Court, St. Martin's Lane

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark

Performance Comment: Hamlet-Cashell; King-Bridgwater; Horatio-Hale; Queen-Mrs Pritchard; Polonius-Hippisley; Laertes-Chapman; Ostrick-Woodward; Ophelia-Mrs Clive; Bernardo-Gibson; Marcellus-Carr; Rosencraus-Ridout; Guildenstern-Anderson; Francisco-Bencraft; Priest-Hayman; Lucianus-James; Player Queen-Mrs James; Gravediggers-Rosco, Stoppelaer; Ghost-Quin.
Cast
Role: Francisco Actor: Bencraft

Afterpiece Title: The Mock Doctor

Dance: II: Comic Dance, as17450423 IV: Le Gondalier-Cooke

Song: Between Play and Farce: the celebrated song Ellen/a/Roon-Mrs Clive

Event Comment: Benefit Leviez, Desse, and Powell (Deputy Treasurer). [The latter was probably John Powell, who later ingratiated himself with Lord Holland, became an accountant in the office of Paymaster General of His Majesties Forces and in 1783 was accused with Mr Bembridge of concealing a large sum in Accounts chargeable to Lord Holland, 1757-65. He committed suicide 26 May 1783, under the stress of the investigation, and the verdict of death as a result of Lunacy was issued. See account in Gentlemen's Magazine (1783) pp. 454, 539, 613. He is there described as having been a Teller in Drury Lane Theatre, a person who acts as a check upon the door keepers of the playhouse, by counting the number of people in the house, which he does from a small box, conveniently situated for that purpose.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Merchant Of Venice

Cast
Role: Nerissa Actor: Mrs Bennett

Afterpiece Title: The Anatomist

Cast
Role: Beatrice Actor: Mrs Bennet

Dance: I: Sga Bettini; III: Muilment

Song: II: Gentle Shepherd-Mrs Arne; IV: Mrs Arne

Event Comment: Benefit Mr Hathorne, Treasurer

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Careless Husband

Afterpiece Title: Flora

Dance: CComic Dance, as17450423 Scotch Dance, as17441012

Song: Scotch Ballad beginning And we are Gayly yet-Beard

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Argalus And Parthenia

Afterpiece Title: Harlequin's Whim; or, A True Touch of the Times

Event Comment: Benefit Banks, Connor, Carney, and Trott [Lobby Doorkeeper]. Tickets deliver'd by a Gentleman under Misfortunes, Mr Bianchini, and others will be taken

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Busy Body

Afterpiece Title: The Schoolboy

Dance: As17450514

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Way Of The World

Afterpiece Title: The Devil to Pay

Dance: Cooke

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Gamester

Afterpiece Title: The Debauchees; or, The Jesuit Caught

Dance: III: Grand Dance, as17451008

Song: IV: Lowe

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Massacre At Paris

Afterpiece Title: The Devil to Pay

Song: Blogg, Barlow, Waters, Mrs Phillips, Mrs Williamson, Mrs Cushing

Dance: the two Mhe two Masters, Miss Granier

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Cato

Performance Comment: Cato-Delane; Syphax-L. Sparks; Sempronius-Berry; Juba-Mills; Portius-Havard; Marcus-Blakes; Lucius-Winstone; Decius-Woodburn; Lucia-Mrs Bennet; Marcia-Mrs Giffard.
Cast
Role: Lucia Actor: Mrs Bennet

Afterpiece Title: The Debauchees

Dance: III: Mechel

Song: V: The Subscription-Lowe

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Drummer; Or, The Haunted House

Afterpiece Title: The Lying Valet

Song: Barlow

Dance: As17451018