Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the Prologue to the Second Part [1699] refers to warm weather and to May Fair. The Songs to both parts were advertised in the Post Boy, 24-27 June 1699, suggesting a first production not later than the end of May 1699. The following among the songs for Part I list the singer or composer or both: From azure plains, sung by Pate, in A Second Collection of New Songs and Ballads (1699). How comes it now good Mrs Spratt, sung by Pate and Leveridge (ibid.). Of all the world's enjoyments, sung by Leveridge (ibid.). Whilst wretched fools sneak up and down, composed by Daniel Purcell and sung by Leveridge and Pate (ibid.). Young Philander wooed me long, composed by Daniel Purcell (ibid.). For Part II: The devil he pulled off his jacket of flame, composed by Samuel Ackroyde (ibid.). He led her by the milk-white hand, composed by Samuel Ackroyde (ibid.)

Event Comment: Benefit Thurmond and Rogers. [For a long essay on current theatrical taste, see Universal Spectator, 10 April.

Event Comment: Benefit Dan French of Hampstead. [The bill has a long song about the performance, written presumably by Dan French. For a full account of the expenses of this performance, see BM Add MSS 32, 251, p. 308.]

Event Comment: An English Opera. Benefit Mrs Lampe. 6 p.m. Prices 5s., 4s., 3s. Note. By Desire of several Ladies of Quality going to the Assembly, the Opera will be over by Nine o'Clock. Tickets at Mr Lampe's at the Golden Unicorn in Hanover St., Long-Acre

Event Comment: Benefit Carney. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit and First Gallery 1s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. Tickets at Carney's Lodgings at Mrs Comer's the bottom of Lemon St.; at the Taphouse of the Wells. As Mr Carney's long Illness has prevented him from waiting on his Friends in a proper manner, he humbly hopes that Gentlemen and Ladies will continue their Favours to him, without any further Application

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Horton. Tickets to be had at the Golden Head in Long-acre. (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Lying-In Hospital for Married Women, in Brownlow Street, Long Acre. [On 18 Jan. appeared in the Public Advertiser the Occasional Epilogue]: @After this bounteous, well-intentioned play@You think I'm come to banter all away;@To mock the soft compassion in the breast,@And turn at once all charity to jest...@Tir'd of such arts, I'm now so serious grown@I mean to speak plain sentiments alone.@ [Then addressing each part of the house, with appropriate comment--and a good deal of banter--she praises marriage as an institution, and this hospital as an aid.] @Methinks I spy some amorous pairs above [to upper gallery]@Drawn here by tender flames of mutual love.@Close pack'd they sit,-and woo with secret squeeze,@With conscious elbows, sympathetic knees.@Go on my friends,-true to connubial law,@And leave to us the Women in the straw.

Event Comment: Characters in Mainpiece New Dress'd in the Habits of the Times. [Theatrical Intelligence for 4 Nov. (Theatrical Miscellaneous Cuttings, G 60.23, Boston Public Library) notes: Last night the reformation in dress took place at the theatre in the revival of the second part of King Henry IV. The beauty as well as the propriety of the dresses give great satisfaction. The Old English Habits are indeed admirably suited to the style and manners of the plays of that time, in which a peculiarity prevails very remote from modern dialogue and the present fashion. The effect of this observation of the Costume, as the French call it, is very visible in the representation of Every Man in His Humour, and will, we hope, for the future be strictly observed in dressing every character of the plays of that age." The author then comments on Love's succes as Falstaff, and Garrick's effectiveness as the sick king especially in delivering the long speeches.

Event Comment: Benefit for British Lying In Hospital, Brownlow St., Long-Acre

Event Comment: Doors opened at 6 o'clock. To Begin (By Particular Desire) exactly at Seven. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. King of Denmark. Lusignan-Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). For the King of Denmark.--At a Quarter after seven, an Apology was made by Mr Holland--viz.--"The King, being detained longer than he expected, sent word to desire the play might begin as he would not by any means make the publick wait, and he would come as soon as he possibly could,--and he [Holland] desired to know the audience's pleasure whether it should begin before he came."--A great clap and cry'd "No,"--not begin till he comes"--At thirty-five minutes after seven he came, and the play began (Hopkins Diary)

Event Comment: [The Young Gentleman who played Zaphna was Wroughton. "His real name was Rottan, but altered euphonia gratia. He was designed for a surgeon and served his apprenticeship at Bath. The following playbills show that he met with approbation on the stage. He remained with Covent Garden from this time till the end of the season 1785-86. He then played in Ireland one Winter, and was engag'd at Drury Lane Theatre in the beginning of the season 1787-88. This was the occasion of Mr Wroughton's leaving Covent Garden, I mean it was thus conjectured. Mr Lewis had been appointed manager of that theatre for Mr Harris. Mr Lewis and Mr Wroughton lived next door neighbors in Broad Court at the top of Bow Street, and were sworn friends:--they laughed together, lived together--In the season 1784-85 two new performers Mr Holman and Mr Pope, appeared on the Covent Garden Stage--these young men were great favorites with Mr Harris; Mr Holman, attracting at this time very crowded audiences, stood so particularly high in his regard, that his partiality made him guilty of some injustice to older and abler actors in the theatre. Mr Henderson had really cause to complain of neglect; and Mr Wroughton thought himself equally oppressed. At this time we had a Club and met every Wednesday fortnight during Lent at the Long Room in Hamstead at dinner. Our Club consisted of a certain number of us belonging indifferently to either theatre, and two or three other gentlemen who were not actors. Mr King, Mr Quick, Mr Farren, Mr Mattocks, myself, etc., etc. When the bottle had a little warmed Mr Wroughton he threw out some sarcasms on his Friend Mr Lewis's management; Mr Lewis retorted; Their tempers grew hot, their words grew aggravating; Mr Wroughton struck Mr Lewis; Mr Lewis returned the blow. They were parted; all the pleasures of the day were over, and the Club broke up in confusion. I was not present this day, but have related what Mr Siddons told me of this Quarrel, and I imagine that Mr Wroughton's attack on Mr Lewis sprang from a suspicion that he was too willing to execute Mr Harris's designs in favour of Mr Holman. Be this as it may, Mr Wroughton was discharged from cg at the expiration of his Articles with Mr Harris."--Hopkins MS Notes.] Receipts: #186 3s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Weston and Miss Ogilvie. By Authority. Being the Last Night. [Many advance bills noted the continuous deferment of this on account of Weston's bad state of health.] Mr Weston's late and precarious State of Health making it extremely doubtful whether he could go through so long and laborious part as Richard, he humbly recommends to the Public Mr Gentleman's friendly intention of undertaking the Character for that Night, and will for the Capital Entertainment of his Friends, speak a new Occasional Prologue, and appear in the Farce, that the strength he has gained for some Days past may not be impaired by Fatigue

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [See 11 May 1772.] [Young gentleman identified by Hopkins MS Notes. Genest, V, 517, also calls attention to the fact that the text lists Douglas as Norval and Old Norval as Stranger (1757) or Prisoner (1768). Webster first named as Douglas on bill for 27 Feb. 1776. Review of Webster's acting appeared in the Westminster Magazine for Jan.: "His person is rather elegant; his voice is full and harmonious, his pronunciation distinct and correct, and his delivery graceful and unembarassed. Those are his excellencies, and considering it was his first performance, he seems to possess them in a degree far superior to the various candidates for theatrical fame which the managers of both houses have brought forward for some years past. On the other hand he is aukward, and in some parts unanimated. His arms are too long, or he flung them about in a very disgusting manner. He seemed to express the sense of his author much better than his own feelings. His voice though full, wants variety and modulation; not but on some occasions he managed it with infinite grace and judgement. But if this want of variety of tones and extent of voice, which is so indispensibly necessary to constitute a first rate actor, be not the effect of Nature, the Public may behold with less anxiety their decayed veterans giving nightly proofs of their increasing infirmities, and quick approaching theatrical dissolution."

Event Comment: "A Gentleman who is as mad as myself about the School remark'd that the Characters upon the Stage at the falling of the Screen stand too long before they speak-I thought so too the first Night-he said it was the same on the 2d & was remark'd by others-tho they should be astonish'd & a little petrify'd, yet it may be carry'd to too great a length" (David Garrick to R. B. Sheridan, 12 May 1777, in The Letters of David Garrick, ed. D. M. Little and G. M. Kahrl, 1963, III, 1163). Receipts: #195 13s. (184.7; 10.19; 0.7)

Event Comment: Benefit for Condell, Evans & Curteen, box-keepers. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted. Mainpiece: On account of the additional Airs, contracted into 3 Acts. The Music by Purcell, Smith, Arne & Fisher. [Wright is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill. And see 8 May.] Public Advertiser, 7 May: Tickets to be had of Condell, Cross-court, Bow-street, Covent Garden; of Evans, at Bromfield's, trunk-maker, No. 118, Long-acre; of Curteen, No. 11, Temple-lane, Whitefriars

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Colles, the Widow Legg & Miss Kirby. Morning Post, 17 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Kirby, No. 70, Long-acre [others not listed]. Receipts: #225 15s. (37.9.0; 11.11.6; 1.2.6; tickets: 175.120) )charge: #105)

Event Comment: [Miss Harper was taken ill; The Irish Widow was thereupon substituted and begun, but the audience was clamorous, and insisted on The Son-in-Law. A long delay ensued until the proper acters had been brought back to the theatre and until they were dressed. Mrs Jewell read Miss Harper's part. While trying to find out what the audience wanted, Bannister retorted sharply from the stage to one of the noisiest of the objectors. This action caused several letters to be written to various newspapers debating the right of a "servant of the public" to reprimand a member of the audience even when that member might be in the wrong (Morning Chronicle, 16 Sept., et seq.).] The last Night of the Season

Event Comment: Benefit for Edwin. 1st piece: Never performed there. [Master Edwin was from the Hay.] Public Advertiser, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Edwin, No. 76, the corner of Long Acre, Drury-lane. Receipts: #107 10s. 6d. (89.0.6; tickets: 18.10.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Edwin. [Digges's 1st appearance as Shylock was at Edinburgh, 8 Apr. 1772.] Tickets to be had of Edwin, No. 76, Long Acre. Tickets delivered by Stevens will be admitted

Event Comment: "Among other Obligations that the Town has to the new Open is that it has, for this year, delivered the Play-goer from his periodical Endurance of Rowe's Tamerlane" (Public Advertiser, 6 Nov.). The reference is to the long established custom of performing Tamerlane either on 4 Nov. (the date of William III's birth) or 5 Nov. (the date of his landing in England). In the play the virtuous Tamerlane was held to be the portrait of an upright monarch, and the vicious Bajazet [i.e. Louis xiv] as that monarch's enemy. At DL Tamerlane was acted on either or both of these nights uninterruptedly from 1716 to 1777; at LIF and CG, with the exception of five seasons, from 1721 to 1784. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 1 May 1783]. Receipts: #155 2s. 6d. (153/4/0; 1/18/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett [who had 1st acted Jemmy Jumps at York, 28 Apr. 1788]. Tickets delivered for The Female Pursuit will be admitted. Morning Herald, 5 May: Tickets to be had of Fawcett, No. 153, Drury-lane, facing Long-Acre. Receipts: #282 4s. 6d. (155.1.6; 6.17.0; tickets: 120.6.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Murray. 1st piece: By Permission of the Author [Walsh Porter], and the Manager of the Theatre Royal Bath [William Wyatt Dimond]. [This was 1st acted at Bath, 27 Feb. 1798. It refers to the nation-wide attempt, being made at this time, to raise funds by voluntary contribution for the defense of the country. And see 9 Feb. Larpent MS 1197; not published. Miss Murray's 1st appearance on the stage was at Bristol, 1 July 1793.] Times, 27 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Murray, No. 77, Long Acre. Receipts: #198 17s. (102.6.0; 4.1.6; tickets: 92.9.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Murray. 2nd piece: Compressed into Two Acts by the Author [Elizabeth Inchbald. Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews]. Morning Chronicle, 8 Apr: Tickets to be had of Miss Murray, No. 77, Long Acre. Receipts: #393 9s. 6d. (159.5.6; 24.14.6; tickets: 209.9.6)

Event Comment: Nethercot (Davenant,pp. 337-78) believes that this play was brought out in the late summer of 1663. The Epilogue refers to the Long Vacation, presumably the summer of 1663, as the play is referred to in Stapylton's The Stepmother, which was licensed 26 Dec. 1663. In Act V is a farce relating to Pompey; as Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, p. 405) states: Pompey, a Tragedy, which I have seen acted with great Applause, at the Duke's Theatre, and at the End was acted that Farce printed in the fifth Act of The Play-house to be Let. [See also June 1663.

Event Comment: [Written by Shakespear. With new Scenes and Cloaths. At the Desire of several Persons of Distinction the Pit and Boxes will be put together at 3s. Boxes on the Stage 4s. Gallery 1s. [The Prologue is in The Comedian, No. VII, October 1732, with a long essay on the major theatres of the present season.] Daily Advertiser, 4 Oct.: A very splendid and crowded Audience...testify'd their Approbation both of the Decorations and Performance. The principal Embellishments are as follows: On a large Oval over the Pit is represented the Figure of His Majesty, attended by Peace, Liberty, and Justice, trampling Tyranny and Oppression under his Feet; round it are the Heads of Shakespear, Dryden, Congreve, and Betterton. On the Coving on the Left Hand is painted the Scene of Cato pointing at the dead Body of his Son Marcus; in the Middle, that of Julius Caesar stabb'd in the Senate-House; and on the Right, that of Marc Anthony and Octavia, where the Children are introduc'd in All for Love. On the Sounding-Board over the Stage is an handsome Piece of Painting of Apollo and the Nine Muses. [See also Daily Post, 4 Oct. and Gentleman's Magazine, II (October 1732), 1028.