Event Comment: [By Mrs Aubert.] Never Acted before. In Daily Courant, 26 May: Never acted before, being unfortunately prevented on Friday last, by the unexpected Arrest of the Person who was to have played the Doctor

Event Comment: Mrs Mills, a Drury Lane actress, died on this day

Event Comment: Mrs Egerton smart figure not much of the Gentlewoman tho, appear'd in Lady Townly (Hopkins Diary). From the Theatre Royal, Dublin (MacMillan). Lady Townly, Mrs Egerton, first time (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: [Mrs Siddons's 1st appearance as Queen Elizabeth was at Liverpool, 10 Sept. 1777.] Receipts: #317 9s. 6d. (334.2.6; 36.2.0; 1.2.0; ticket not come in: 0.3.0)

Event Comment: Benefit Theophilus Cibber. As alter'd from Shakespear by C. Cibber

Event Comment: [By Sir John Vanbrugh and Colley Cibber.] All the Characters new drest. Mist's 13 Jan.: On Wednesday last a most horrid, barbarous, and cruel Murder was committed...upon a posthumous Child of the late Sir John Vanbroog, by one who, for some Time past, has gone by the Name of Keyber. It was a fine Child born, and would certainly have lived long, had it not fallen into such cruel Hands. Davies (Dramatic Miscellanies, III, 260-61): In all the tumults and isturbances of the theatre on the first night of a new play, which was formerly a time of more dangerous service, to the actors, than it has been of late, Mrs Oldfield was entirely mistress of herself; she thought it her duty, amidst the most violent opposition and uproar, to exert the utmost of her abilities to serve the author. In the comedy of uproar, to exert the utmost of her abilities to serve the author. In the comedy of the Provoked Husband, Cibber's enemies tried all their power to get the play condemned. The reconciliation scene wrought so effectually upon the sensible and generous part of the audience, that the conclusion was greatly and generously approved. Amidst a thousand applauses, Mrs Oldfield came forward to speak the epilogue; but when she had pronounced the first line,-Methinks I hear some powder'd critic say-a man, of no distinguished appearance, from the seat next to tne orchestra, saluted her with a hiss. She fixed her eye upon him immediately, made a very short pause, and spoke the words poor creature! loud enough to be heard by the audience, with such a look of mingled scorn, pit, and contempt, that the most uncommon applause justified her conduct in this particular, and the poor reptile sunk down with fear and trembling. See also Cibber, Apology, I, 310-11; Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 105

Event Comment: Not Acted these Eight Years [see 24 April 1741]. Benefit Cibber, Jr. Tickets and places of Hobson at the Stage door. Tickets ddliver'd out for All's Well at Covent Garden theatre will be taken to the above mentioned play this night. [Mrs Clive's Prologue recommended the cause of Liberty to the Ladies of Great Britain. Cibber had pleaded in his advance advertisement on 5 April in the General Advertiser.] As I have in justice to my creditors assigned over so much of my salary as reduces the remainder to a very small pittance, I very much depend on the encouragement and indulgence of the town at my Benefit. [On the day of the benefit he inserted in the General Advertiser a long, double column address to the Publick puffing his Benefit, and scotching a rumor industriously and invidiously spread that he came to Drury Lane only to impede Mrs Cibber in her performance there. In this he washes in public the linen of his domestic affairs at some length, professing his virtue, forbearance, and generosity, and Mrs Cibber's unfairness and ingratitude, citing her salary as about #700 per year, not a penny of which would she afford for his relief from creditors, or to bail him out of the Fleet prison where he languished six months. He alleges that she was instrumental in forming a cartel between the rival theatrical managers with precluded his employment by either house, and that she refused to act a benefit for him when he was in debtor's prison.

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but Cibber (see below) states that it was acted in January; the Dedication was signed 7 Feb. 1695@6, and the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 3157, 10-13 Feb. 1695@6. Two songs were published separately: Go home, unhappy wench, set by Francks and sung by Mrs Cross and the Boy (in Thesaurus Musicus, The Fifth Book, 1696) and What an ungratefull devil moves you, set by Daniel Purcell (in Deliciae Musicae, The First Book of the Second Volume, 1696). A separately-printed sheet of the second song states that it was sung by "The Boy", Cibber, Apology, I, 212-14: The next Year I produc'd the Comedy of Love's last Shift; yet the Difficulty of getting it to the Stage was not easily surmounted; for, at that time, as little was expected from me, as an Author, as had been from my Pretensions to be an Actor. However, Mr Southern, the Author of Oroonoko, having had the Patience to hear me read it to him, happened to like it so well that he immediately recommended it to the Patentees, and it was accordingly acted in January 1695 [i.e., 1695@6]. In this Play I gave myself the Part of Sir Novelty, which was thought a good Portrait of the Foppery then in fashion. Here, too, Mr Southern, though he had approv'd my approv'd my Play, came into the common Diffidence of me as an Actor: For, when on the first Day of it I was standing, myself, to prompt the Prologue, he took me by the Hand and said, Young Man! I pronounce they Play a good one; I will answer for its Success, if thou dost not spoil it by thy own Action....I succeeded so well in both, that People seem'd at a loss which they should give the Preference to. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 16: Ramble: Ay, marry, that Play was the Philosopher's Stone; I think it did wonders. Sullen: It did so, and very deservedly; there being few Comedies that came up to 't for purity of Plot, Manners and Moral: It's often acted now a daies, and by the help of the Author's own good action, it pleases to this Day

Event Comment: [By Colley Cibber. Premiere. For Cibber's account of the play, see Cibber, I, 308-9, and dedication ot 1705 edition.

Event Comment: [By Colley Cibber.] Never Acted before. A New Pastoral (of Three Acts). N.B. Printed Books of the Play will be sold at the Theatre. Fog's, 11 Jan. On Tuesday Night last a ridiculous Piece was acted at...Drury-lane, which was neither Comedy, Tragedy, Opera, Pastoral or Farce; however, no Thief or Robber of any Rank was satyriz'd in it, and it could be said to give Offence to none but Persons of Sense and good Taste; yet it met with the Reception it well deserv'd, and was hiss'd off the Stage. See also Cibber, Apology, I, 243-44, 248-49; Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 106-7; Whincop, p. 197

Event Comment: Written on a plan of Shakespear by Colley Cibber. The characters new Dress'd. With New Scenes and Decorations. No persons admitted behind the scenes

Event Comment: [By Colley Cibber.] With new Scenes and new Habits. Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 164: But alas! I can remember being of the merry Party in the Pit the first Night of Cibber's Caesar in Egypt, in which he performed the Part of Achoreus ; and we then laught at his quavering Tragedy Tones, as much as we did at his Pasteboard Swans which the Carpenters pulled along the Nile. [See also Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 12 Dec.

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. A contract between Cibber and Rich was signed on 29 Oct. 1696 (L. C. 3@73, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, pp. 381-82), with an agreement that it was not to be printed until a month after it was acted. Since the play was advertised in the Post Man, 20-23 March 1696@7, it may have been acted as early as January 1697, certainly not later than February 1697. Possibly Leveridge set the music for a song, Tell me, Belinda, prithee do, which is in A New Book of Songs by Mr Leveridge, advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3293, 3 June 1697. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Lady in Fashion, by a Player, Damn'd. Preface, Edition of 1697: Not to miss the Advantage of Mr Doggett's Excellent Action; I prepar'd a low Character

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Brett and Haughton. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by C. Cibber, Esq; Poet-Laureat