Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: Sir W. Pen and my wife and Mercer and I to Polichinelly, but were there horribly frighted to see Young Killigrew come in with a great many more young sparks; but we hid ourselves, so as we think they did not see us. By and by they went away, and then we were at rest again; and so, the play being done

Event Comment: For performances in Sept. 1667 preceding this date, see the season of Pepys, Diary: I fell in talk with Tom Killigrew about musick, and he tells me that he will bring me to the best musick in England (of which, indeed, he is master), and that is two Italians and Mrs Yates, who, he says, is come to sing the Italian manner as well as ever as he heard any: says that Knepp won't take pains enough, but that she understands her part so well upon the stage, that no man or woman in the House do the like!

Event Comment: See 27 Feb. and 4 March. Pepys, Diary: [Sir W. Coventry] told me the matter of the play [The Rehearsal] that was intended for his abuse, wherein they foolishly and sillily bring in two tables like that which he hath made, with a round hole in the middle, in his closet, to turn himself in; and he is to be in one of them as master, and Sir J. Duncomb in the other, as his man or imitator: and their discourse in those tables, about the disposing of their books and papers, very foolish. But that, that he is offended with, is his being made so contemptible, so that any should dare to make a gentleman a subject for the mirth of the world; and that therefore he had told Tom Killigrew that he should tell his actors, whoever they were, that did offer any thing like representing him, that he would not complain to my Lord Chamberlain, which was too weak, nor get him beaten, as Sir Charles Sidly is said to do, but that he would cause his nose to be cut

Event Comment: During February and March 1678@9 two plays, titles unknown, were acted before the King. See an order: To Edward Griffin, Esq. Treasurer of the Chamber, to be paid over to John Lacy, assigne of Charles Killigrew, Mastr of the revells, for two plays acted before his said Majestie in Feb'ry and March 1678@9 (Moneys Received and Paid for Secret Services, ed. J. Y. Akerman, Camden Society, LII 1851, 34)

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: After dinner Sir Tho. Crew and my Lady to the Playhouse to see The Silent Woman

Event Comment: John Verney to Sir Ralph Verney, 25 April 1675: The King on Saturday night sent for the keys from the Earl of Clarendon--'tis said the reason is, that last Thursday a play was acted at court, and after orders given that no more should be let in, his lordship came to the door, which the guard refused to open, tho' he told them who he was, on which he broke it open and struck a yeoman of the guard. Some say a chamberlain was never before turned out for beating a yeoman of the guard (HMC, 7th Report, Appendix, [1879], p. 464)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the Songs were advertised in the Post Boy, 29-31 March 1698, and performance probably occurred in early March. One song, All things seem deaf to my complaints, set by John Eccles and sung by Mrs Bowman, was published in The A'lamode Musician, 1698. According to the Post Boy, 17-19 March 1697@8, another song, Fair Amoret is gone Astray, had its words written by Congreve, and, according to the Post Boy, 29-31 March 1698, the music set by John Eccles. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: Damn'd. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 173: I have little to say to this Play, for 'tis not fair to attack a Man that's down, tho' I do not think (considering what Plays have pleas'd) that this ought to have met with so severe a Fate

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not knwon, but the Dedication is dated February 1699@1700, the play was entered in the Term Catalogues in February 1699@1700, and advertised in the Flying Post, 16 March 1699@1700. The latest likely date for the first production is January 1700, but the play may have appeared in late December as a rival to lif's production of I Henry IV early in January 1700. Cibber, Apology, I, 275: But the Master of the Revels, who then licens'd all Plays for the Stage, assisted this Reformation [of the morality of the stage] with a more zealous Severity than ever. He would strike out whole Scenes of a vicious or immoral Character, tho' it were visibly shewn to be reform'd or punish'd; a severe Instance of this kind falling upon my self may be an Excuse for my relating it: When Richard the Third (as I alter'd it from Shakespear) came from his Hands to the Stage, he expung'd the whole first Act without sparing a Line of it. This extraordinary Stroke of a Sic volo occasion'd my applying to him for the small Indulgence of a Speech or two, that the other four Acts might limp on with a little less Absurdity! no! he had no leisure to consider what might be separately inoffensive. [Cibber continues with an explanation of the censor's argument for cutting the act.] Preface to Cibber's Ximena, 1719: Richard the Third, which I alter'd from Shakespear, did not raise me Five Pounds on Third Day

Event Comment: John Vanbrugh to the Earl of Manchester, 25 Dec. 1699: Miss Evans the dancer at the New Playhouse is dead too; a feaver Slew her in eight and forty hours. She's much lamented by the Towne as well as the House, who can't well bare her loss; Matters running very low with 'em this Winter; if Congreve's Play [The Way of the World] don't help 'em they are undone. 'Tis a Comedy and will be play'd about Six weeks hence, nobody has seen it yet. Liveridge is in Ireland, he Owes so much money he dare not come over, so for want of him we han't had one Opera play'd this Winter; tho' Purcell has set one New One and Fingar another. We have got the Woman from the Chesire Cheese upon the Stage, who has the best Voyce for't by much that has been there at any time. We have the Emperors Crooaed Eunuch here, Francisco. They give him a hundred and twenty Guineas for five times. He has sung Once and was well likt. Dogget was here last Week, they gave him thirty pound to act Six times, which he did and fill'd the house every time (The Complete Works of Sir John Vanbrugh [Bloomsbury: Nonesuch Press, 1928], IV, 4)

Event Comment: At 5:30 p.m. And not to dismiss tho' the Audience should be small

Event Comment: Benefit Tho. Dean Jr. Tickets 5s. At 7 p.m. Note, That the Tickets that were return'd at York-Buildings [21 Jan.] will not be taken, there being a Number of fresh Tickets issu'd out for Stationers-Hall

Event Comment: Benefit Penkethman and Powell. Mainpiece: Written by the famous Authors Beaumont and Powell. Mainpiece: Written by the famous Authors Beaumont and Fletcher. Note, Tho' it be a Benefit Night, the Subscribers' Tickets will pass. It being Positively the last time of Acting at Greenwich this Season

Event Comment: Written by the late famous Poet Laureat John Dryden, Esq. Note, The Subscribers' Tickets Pass every Night there is Acting at Greenwich, tho' it be on a Benefit Night

Event Comment: [Opening night, under the management of John Rich.] By the Company of Comedians under Letters Patents granted by King Charles the Second. Beginning exactly at Six. No Persons are to be admitted behind the Scenes, nor any Money to be return'd after the Curtain is drawn up. Receipts: #143. Weekly Packet, 18 Dec.: This Day the New Play-House...is to be open'd...by the Company that act under the Patent; tho' it is said, that some of the Gentlemen who have left the Theatre in Drury-Lane for that Service, are order'd to return to their Colours, upon Pain of not exercising their Lungs anywhere; which may in Time prove of ill Service to the Patentee; that has been at vast Expence to make his Theatre as convenient for the Reception of an Audience as any one can possibly be

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Knight. At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Receipts: money #27 17s. 6d. and tickets #23 13s. The Epilogue was printed in Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer, 7 April, with a note: The Author of the following Epilogue would never have thought of publishing such a Trifle, but to let the Town see that scandalous Piece (as some were pleas'd to call it) not fit to be spoken. Mrs Knight's Zeal to the Government (which she has always express'd at the Worst of Times) cannot be enough applauded....It was wrote with no other Design than to do her some Service on her Benefit-Day; but has had indeed a quite contrary Effect, and kept back that Part of her Audience whose Money is as good as other Peoples, tho' their Principles (as being Tories) are the worst in the World

Event Comment: Benefit Tho. Foster, late Mercer in Ludgate Street. Tickets 5s. Gallery 2s. 6d.At 7 p.m

Event Comment: Lady Bristol to Lord Bristol, 3 Nov.: I am just come home from a dull empty opera, tho' the second time; the first was full to hear the new man, who I can find out to be an extream good singer; the rest are all scrubbs except old Durastante, that sings as well as ever she did. Letter Books of John Hervey, III, 108