Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years. [See 16 April 1751.] With the Decorations prescribed by Shakespeare. The Characters new Dressed in the Haibts of the Times. [The reviewer for Town and Country Magazine preferred Mrs Hartley's acting in Jane Shore to that in Henry VIII, where she frequently sunk into a whining monotony which from the length of some of the speeches became very disagreeable.' She did, however, he thought, do the last scene well.] Receipts: #223 13s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Jane Shore oblig'd to be deferr'd. Gave Duke of Cumberland's Footmen by Cummins #1 1s., and Duke of Gloucester's Footmen by Bryan #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #111 11s

Event Comment: Jane Shore deferr'd. Mrs Yates Ill. Receipts: #124 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mrs Barry, not being yet sufficiently recover'd of her Indisposition to undertake a Character of so much Exertion as Alicia, The Play of Jane Shore is oblig'd to be deferr'd till Saturday

Event Comment: The Tragedy of Jane Shore oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of the sudden indisposition of Mrs Barry

Event Comment: Hamlet is obliged to be deferred. [But on 11 Nov. Jane Shore is announced for this night.] Receipts: #124 3s. 6d

Event Comment: Jane Shore [announced on playbill of 5 Dec.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of a principal Performer

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author [of mainpiece]. On account of the severe Indisposition of Mrs Yates Jane Shore [announced on playbill of 12 Dec.] is obliged to be deferred

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. [Mainpiece in place of Jane Shore, announced on playbill of 8 Jan.] Receipts: #284 12s. 6d. (275/7/0; 9/0/6; 0/5/0)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Jane Shore; afterpiece of The best Bidder, both announced on playbill of 17 Jan.] Receipts: #140 12s. (139/2; 1/10)

Event Comment: [The play is opened by Mrs Beverley and Charlotte, and when Mrs Siddons came on she was hissed because of a widespread report that she had refused to act for Brereton's benefit in Dublin. "A considerable period of time was lost; it might be forty minutes before the play began . . . We could perceive that the lady supported herself with a great degree of firmness under this very aweful trial--a trial which, in great measure, determined her future fame--perhaps her residence in this metropolis" (Town and Country Magazine, Oct. 1784, p. 510). "The Breretons have used her shockingly--Mrs B. was mean enough to sneak off the stage and leave her to stand the insults of a malicious party tho' she knew the whole disturbance was on her account and that her husband had at least been obliged to contradict the reports that concern'd him" (Betsy Sheridan, Journal, 1960, p. 32). Mrs Siddons explained to the audience that the stories circulated against her were "calumnies." She had, in fact, on 19 Aug., acted Jane Shore in Dublin for Brereton's benefit (Dublin Public Register, 19 Aug. 1784). "Though Mrs Siddons delivered this address with her usual judgment and articulation, and it was received with reiterated bursts of applause, yet she was so agitated when off the stage as to be very near fainting, and continued for some time much flurried" (Public Advertiser, 6 Oct.).] Receipts: #304 5s. (291/13; 12/11; 0/1)

Event Comment: Benefit for Blandford and Randall. 3rd piece: A Pantomimical Interlude, from Don Juan. First Scene opens with a Tempestuous Sea, and Shipwreck of Don Juan and his man Scaramouch, who is cast on shore from off the Back of a Dolphin on the Island of Martinico. Scene from the pantomimes of The Enchanted Island, Wizard of the Silver Rock, The Witches Frolic, &c. The whole to conclude with a View of the Inside of the Bastille, with the different Gratings, Railings, and Instruments of Death and Torture by which the unfortunate Victims suffered, and the Grand Chorus of God save the King. The Curtain will rise precisely at 6:45

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Jane Shore, advertised on playbill of 23 Dec.] Receipts: #231 18s. 6d. (226.8.0; 5.10.6)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Jane Shore, advertised on playbill of 23 Dec.] Receipts: #231 18s. 6d. (226.8.0; 5.10.6)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Jane Shore, advertised on playbill of 12 Mar.] Receipts: #311 8s. 6d. (233.7.0; 74.10.0; 3.11.6)

Event Comment: The United Company. It seems likely that this play was revived in the late winter of 1693-94, for several songs for it are in Thesaurus Musicus, 1695 (licensed 16 March 1693@4; Stationers' Register, 29 Sept. 1694): A song in the fourth act, Tormenting passion leave my breast, set by John Eccles, and sung by Mrs Hudson. A song in the fifth act, set by John Eccles and sung by Mrs Burr. Mr Doggett's Serenade in the fifth act, Then beautious nymph look from above, set by John Eccles

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Comedie in 5 Actes de Mr Baron. The alleged deposition of Wm Davison:...he on the 17th Day of November being the second Night of the French Strollers acting at the Theatre in the Haymarket, was at the Sign of the Globe, a Publick House about Nine of the Clock that Night, where this Deponent saw John Haines, one of the Waiters at the said Tavern, and several other Persons, to the Number of 16, dressed like Chairmen, each of which had a great Bludgeon in his Hand, which he put under his Coat, in order to hide the same, but in such a manner as this Deponent was capable of seeing said Bludgeons;...and was informed by several Persons of credit that they and others to the number of 30, were hired by Lord Trentham to protect the French Strollers from any Attempt that might be made to prevent their Acting [claims Haines had a list of their names and told them Lord Trentham would need them again on other nights] notarized before John Waple, 24 Nov. [Lord Trentham offered a fifty pound reward for the original copy of the above affidavit.] John Haynes...maketh Oath...that he...never had any Conversation directly or indirectly, with Lord Trentham, relating to the French Players, nor did the said Lord Trentham dine at the King's Arms on 17 Nov., nor did this Deponent see the said Lord Trentham on that Day, nor for several Days before, nor did the Deponent make use of the said Lord Trentham's name, in any conversation at the Globe Alehouse the said Lord Trentham was not in the least privy to this Deponent's going to the said little Theatre on the said 17th of Nov. with several Persons as mentioned in the affidavit or pretended affidavit of Wm Davison...Sworn the 26th Day of Nov., before me, H. Fielding. [This notice repeated in the General Advertiser for a week. The French players departed for France on 28 Dec.

Event Comment: Benefit for the Widow and Four Children of the late Mr Follett. [John Follett had died in Jan. 1799. Address by John Cartwright Cross (Monthly Mirror, June 1799, p. 367).] Receipts: #416 7s. 9d. (120.4.3; 4.1.0; tickets: 292.2.6)

Event Comment: Flora's Figarys appears in Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 148, under this date. As Flora's Vagaries, it had been acted at Christ Church, Oxford, on 8 Jan. 1663. The play was not published before 1670, and the entry in Herbert's list has sometimes been regarded as the date of licensing, sometimes as the date of a performance in London. Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 427, assigned it to ca. January 1662@3 at Vere St, presumably because "Mr Bird" in the cast in the quarto of 1670 referred to Theophilus Bird, who died before 3 Nov. 1663. But the cast in the edition of 1670 is presumably that for 5 Oct. 1667, when Pepys saw the play and referred to Nell Gwyn and Mrs Knepp as acting in it; they, too, are listed in the quarto of 1670 but could hardly have played in it in 1663. If the cast in the 1670 edition is not that for 3 Nov. 1663 and if the "Mr Bird" is Theophilus Bird Jr, then the obstacles to consiuering 3 Nov. 1663 as the date of a performance rather than of licensing are less formidable. [I am indebted to professor John Harold Wilson for much of this argument.

Event Comment: On this date, L. C. 5@16, p. 101 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 10n) Nathaniel Lee's The Duke of Guise was banned. John Drummond to Marquis and Duke of Queensberry, 16 July 1682: Ther is a play hear to be acted that maks a great business, for the Duke of Munmuth has complained of it, and they say that notwithstanding it is to be acted sometime nixt weik. They call it the Duke of Guise, but in the play the true story is cheinged to the plott time hear (HMC, Buccleuch-Queensberry MSS., 1903, II 108). Newsletter, 29 July 1682: A play by Mr Dryden, termed the Duke of Guise, wherein the Duke of Monmouth was vilified and great interest being make for the acting thereof, but coming to His Majesty's knowledge is forbid, for though His Majesty be displeased with the Duke yet he will not suffer others to abuse him (HMC, 15th Report, Part VII, 1898, p. 108). Newdigate newsletters, 29 July 1682: A play having been made [by] Mr Dryden termed ye Duke of Guise supposed to Levell att the villifying the Duke of Monmouth & many other protestants & great Interest made for the Acting thereof but bringing to the knowledge of his Matie the same was forbidd for though his Maties pleasure is to be dissatisfyed and angry with the Duke of Monmouth, yet hee is not willing that others should abuse him out of a naturall affection for him (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 81)

Event Comment: Philip Perceval to Sir John Perceval, 1 Feb.: The opera of Camilla has been one of the chief diversions of the town this long time, and business is forgot. Next week we expect a new one, and soon after another. One goes by Mr Addison's name; I think they call it Fair Rosamond, the other is Mr Clayton's undertaking. Great things are expected of them both. (Egmont MS, II, 215.