Event Comment: Mainpiece: A new Comedy. In Three Acts. With a Dramatical Introduction. [By John Kelly. For a puff, see Daily Advertiser, 29 Nov.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Egerton 2320: Receipts: #78. Phaeton posted but the Devil to pay done

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Afterpiece: With Additional Scenes, particularly a new one for the Conclusion

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Sir John VanBrugh. For the Entertainment of the Grand Master, and the brethren of the Honourable and Antient Society of Free and Accepted Masons, for the Benefit of a Brother, who has had great misfortunes. None to be admitted Without printed Tickets (Daily Advertiser). The Brethren are desired to meet the Right Honourable the Grand Master, at Mr Filkes, at the Bedford Arms in the Piazza in Covent Garden, at Four o'clock in the afternoon, in order to accompany him to the play. Stage form'd into an amphitheatre. Servants allowed to keep places

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: With proper scenes, Machines, &c. [This is the Dryden-Davenant version.] Paid G. Garrick balance of his bill #6 13s.; Christmas Box to ye Beadle 3s. 6d.; Mr Norton 5 chorus #1 5s.; Xmas Jury #1 1s.; Mr Madden for an Embroidered Coat and a velvet suit of Cloaths #12 (Treasurer's Book). [This month was published A Dissertation on Comedy (by John Hippisley, Jr) in which the Rise and Progress of that Species of the Drama is particularly considered and deduced from the earliest to the present age. By a Student of Oxford. Printed for T. Lowndes (Gentleman's Magazine, Register of Books). The "Student of Oxford" seems to have been a Garrick apologist in the extreme: "But whatever reason there may have been formerly for this complaint [the immorality of the stage] since Mr Garrick's management the Stage is become the school of manners and morality: Ribaldry and Profaneness are no longer tolerated, Sense and Nature exert their influence; Pantomime daily declines, Dancers are but little encouraged; the Burletta performs to empty benches, and the British can now vie with the Athenian Drama when in its severest state of purity" (p. 15). Also, from the same source, Reflections on that Species of Dramatic Writing which it improperly call'd Serious Comedy: from the French of M Maillet du Boulley.] Receipts: #120 (Cross); #126 3s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Yates. House Charges #65 5s. [Profit to Yates #118 16s. 6d.] Not performed for 20 years. Revived with alterations. Paid B. Johnson's Head Bill #2 5s. 6d. Paid #2 2s. for licensing Dido (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #184 6d. (Treasurer's Book). About 5 went into the Pit at Drury Lane to see the False Friend reviv'd with alterations, for the benefit of Yates. It engages the attention, but was very well performed. Don John by Holland; Don Pedro by Powell; Lopez by Mr Yates, the drinking Servant by Baddeley; Leonora by Mrs Barry (whom I never saw before); Isabella by Miss Plym and Jacintha by Mrs Yates. I think an Abigail an odd character for her, but no doubt she was willing to play anything for her husband's benefit. After the dance of the Vintage, Mr Yates spoke by way of Interlude a new piece on his being in France called the "Modern Traveller," containing some strokes on the affectation of French Fashions, &c. We had the Farce of High Life Below Stairs with minuet by Mrs Yates and a French Valet, which I do not remenber to have seen when I saw this Farce (before) (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: [Lucy identified as Miss Dayes by Kemble note on playbill and by Winston MS 10.] At the opening of this season Justice Sir John Fielding wrote to Garrick not to play the Beggar's Opera fearing it had a bad influence on the minds of the young. But both Garrick and Colman continued to play it (Winston MS 10). Receipts. #183 13s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Abington. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. [See 12 April 1771.] Afterpiece: Taken from Sir John Vanbrugh. Boxes and Pit are laid together. Paid Mr Loutherbourg on acct (per Mr Johnston) #41 13s. 4d.; The Author of the Fair Quaker (vide 23 Nov. last) #78 8s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #276 15s. 6d. Charges: #65. Profit to Mrs Abingston: #211 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Lessingham. Mainpiece: A Tragedy altered from Dryden [Aureng-Zebe] by Mr W. Addington, never performed before. Afterpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [See 16 May 1770.] Charges #71 2s. Profit to Mrs Lessingham #38 7s. 6d., plus #92 12s. from tickets (Box 186; Pit 146; Gallery 242). Paid Cooper (printer) #36 2s.; Paid Mrs Witaker for a woman's white & silver flower'd suit #10 10s.; Paid John Doe for sticking black bills #6 6s. Receipts: #109 9s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Afterpiece 1st time; F 2, by Ursula Agnes Booth, based on the same, by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger. The playbill lists Death in place of Lee Lewes, but he 'Was not to be found...Hull begged permission for Lee Lewes to read Death's part in his own undress, which [was] granted" (London Chronicle, 28 Apr.).]. Books of the Entertainment to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 30 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Quick, No. 15, Drury-lane. Receipts: #262 2s. (157.2; tickets: 105.0) (charge: #64 10s.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [Prologue by Nicholas Rowe.] Afterpiece [1st time; co 2, by John O'Keeffe, altered from his The Shamrock (see CG, 7 Apr. 1783); published (1st authorized) as noted above]: The selected Music by the Author of the Piece. The Overture, new Airs and Accompaniments by Shield. With New Dresses, Scenery, &c. The Words of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 30 June 1784: Paid O'Keeffe for Copyright, &c. of The Poor Soldier #315. Receipts: #218 14s. (215/7; 3/7)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by John O'Keeffe. Text (ist authorized) in Cumberland's British Theatre, Vol. xxxi]: Written by the Author of The Agreeable Surprise, Son-in-Law, &c. The Overture and new Airs composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2]: Written by the Author of The Poor Soldier [John O'Keeffe. Text 1st published in his Dramatic Works, Vol. IV (T. Woodfall, 1798)]. With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. The Airs partly compiled, the new Music, Overture, and all the Accompaniments composed by Shield. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 6 Apr.: Paid O'Keeffe in full for Love in a Camp #105. Receipts: #189 2s. 6d. (175/1/6; 14/1/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe. MS: Larpent 743; not published; synopsis of plot in Public Advertiser, 14 Aug. The following season reduced to an afterpiece of 2 acts]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The Overture, new Airs and Accompaniments by Dr Arnold. The Scenes painted by Rooker. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by John Rose. Larpent MS 956; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Herald, 7 Sept. Author of Prologue unknown.

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but it very probably occurred not later than May 1691, as the play was advertised in the London Gazette, 4-8 June 1691. For discussions of it, see E. W. White, Early Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59), 44-45, and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre, Chapter III. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 42: King Arthur an Opera, wrote by Mr Dryden: it was Excellently Adorn'd with Scenes and Machines: The Musical Part set by Famous Mr Henry Purcel; and Dances made by Mr Jo. Priest: The Play and Musick pleas'd the Court and City, and being well perform'd, twas very Gainful to the Company. Roger North: I remember in Purcell's excellent opera of King Arthur, when Mrs Butler, in the person of Cupid, was to call up Genius, she had the liberty to turne her face to the scean, and ner back to the theater. She was in no concerne for her face, but sang a recitativo of calling towards the place where Genius was to rise, and performed it admirably, even beyond any thing I ever heard upon the English stage....And I could ascribe it to nothing so much as the liberty she had of concealing her face, which she could not endure should be so contorted as is necessary to sound well, before her gallants, or at least her envious sex. There was so much of admirable musick in that opera, that it's no wonder it's lost; for the English have no care of what's good, and therefore deserve it not (Roger North on Music, ed. John Wilson [London, 1959], p. 217-18)

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By John Vanbrugh.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: As 25 Feb. Afterpiece: [By John Thurmond.

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By John Tracy.] Receipts: #86 17s

Event Comment: Benefit the Author of the Afterpiece: A new Ballad Opera. [By John Breval.] Receipts: money #60 0s. 6d.; tickets #43 8s

Event Comment: Benefit Cibber. At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by the late N. Rowe, Esq; Poet Laureat. Afterpiece: Taken from the French by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Mr Dryden. Afterpiece: A New Tragi-Comi-Farcical Operatical Grotesque Pantomime. [By John Kelly.]