Event Comment: Mainpiece: Containing the Distresses and Death of King Henry the Sixthv; the Artful Acquistion of the Crown by King Richardv; the Cruel Murder of Prince Edwardv and his Brother in the Tower; the Landing of the Earl of Richmondv, and the death of King Richard in the Memorable Battle of Bosworth Fieldv; being the last that was faught between the Houses of York and Lancasterv. [A customary elaboration of the title, appearing at subsequent performances this season, but not repeated here.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Containing the Distresses and Death of King Henry VIv ; the Artful Acquisition of the Crown by Richardv ; the Cruel Murder of the young King Edward Vv and his brother in the Tower; the Landing of the Earl of Richmondv ; and the Death of Richard in the memorable Battle of Bosworth Fieldv ; being the last that was fought between the Houses of York and Lancasterv ; with many other historical passages [a regular notice appearing with performances of this play]. Receipts: #118 18s. 6d. [Paid to] Lee one third of the surplus of this night's receipts over the charge of #100, #3 19s. 6d. (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: Mainpiece containing the Distresses and death of King Henry VIv; The Artful Acquistion of the Crown by King Richardv; The Murder of Prince Edward and his Brother in the Towerv; the Landing of the Earl of Richmondv, and Death of King Richardv in the memorable Battle of Bosworth Fieldv, being the last that was fought between the houses of York and Lancaster

Event Comment: Richard the Third [announced on playbill of 20 Oct.] is obliged to be postponed on account of the sudden Indisposition of Henderson. Receipts: #124 16s. (123/2; 1/14)

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: As 27 Nov. 1738. Mainpiece: Alter'd from Shakespear. Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 48: In the Year 1738, having, as he [Colley Cibber] said, Health and Strength enough to be as useful as ever, he came to Terms with Mr Fleetwood for his performing Richard, Fondlewife, Sir John Brute, &c. All his Comedy Parts he was right in, but in Richard he found his Mistake; his usual Strength and Spirit failed him most unhappily. I went behind the Scenes in the third Act, and asking him how he fared? He whispered me in the Ear, "That he wou'd give fifty Guineas to be then sitting in his easy Chair by his own Fireside.

Event Comment: Descriptive passage as at cg 13 Oct. London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 20 Oct.: Last Night was perform'd, gratis, the Tragedy of Richard the Third, at the late Theatre in Goodman's Fields, when the Character of Richard was perform'd by a Gentleman who never appear'd before, whose Reception was the most extraordinary and great that was ever known upon such an Occasion; and we hear he obliges the Town this Evening with the same Performance