Event Comment: A riot caused
the acting of
Cato to cease in Act IV. See
The Weekly Packet 1 March,
The Evening Post 22-25 Feb.,
The Post Boy 22-25 Feb.
The most complete account appeared in
Read's Original Weekly Journal, 1 March:
The Night before had been
the Third Night of a
New Comedy, written by a young Gentleman of good Interest, and well respected, and
the Boxes were bespoke for Monday Night, but a certain Ruler of that House, remarkable for Ill-Nature and Immorality, stop'd
the Run of
the Play, and caus'd
the Tragedy of
Cato to be given out...and tho' he was earnestly expostulated with on
the Injustice of such a Proceeding, yet he obstinately persisted in his Resolution, which
the Friends of
the Author of
the New Play very much resented: But this was not all, for when Cato came to be play'd,
Mr Wilks,
Mrs Oldfield, and
Mrs Porter, who have principal Parts had given
them to some of
the inferior Players, which was look'd on as Riding
the Audience, who would no longer Brook what
they look'd on as an Insult, but with
their hisses, Catcalls, &c. deafen'd
the House, and drown'd
the Shrill Pipes of
the Actors; insomuch that
the loudest Rant in
Lee or
Shakespear had been no more to be prefer'd to it, than
the Noise of a Flagelot to
the whistling of a Tempest; till
the End
the Players were obliged to retreat to
their Fastnesses, unable any longer to Stand
their Assaults; for
they were storm'd with Orange-Peals, &c. as well as bombarded with Hisses Huzzas and Catcalls. Nor wou'd
the Audience suffer
them to Capitulate or receive any Offers of Submission, but calling for a Dance, put an End to
the Play, in
the middle of
the 4th Act