Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Written by Sir George Etheridge

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Moore. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Receipts: money #15 5s. and tickets #35

Event Comment: Taken from a Midsummer Night's Dream written by Shakespear. The Songs from Shakespear, Milton, Waller, Dryden, Lansdown, Hammond. Music-Smith. [First edition Text by John Christopher Smith; see Garrick to James Murphey French, Dec. 1756; H. Walpole to R. Bentley 23 Feb. 1755.] Besides our own Singers, we had Sg Guadagni, Sga Passerini, Miss Potier [i.e., Mrs Vernon], and Savage's Boys. Very great Applause; Sabatini danced after it and fell down, not hurt (Cross). [See A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Hands of Garrick and Colman, G. W. Stone Jr, PMLA (June 1939).] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) of the play bears the date of acquisition 3 June [1690, apparently], and the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 2566, 12-16 June 1690. See Fredson Bowers, A Bibliographical History of the Fletcher-Betterton Play, The Prophetess, 1690, The Library, 5th Series, XVI (1961), 169-75. It seems likely that the opera was first given early in June 1690. An edition of The Vocal and Instrumental Musick of The Prophetess appeared in 1691. See Works of Henry Purcell, Purcell Society, IX. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 42): The Prophetess, or Dioclesian an Opera, Wrote by Mr Betterton; being set out with Coastly Scenes, Machines and Cloaths: The Vocal and Instrumental Musick, done by Mr Purcel; and Dances by Mr Priest; it gratify'd the Expectation of Court and City; and got the Author great Reputation. [See also R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theater (Cambridge, Mass., 1961), Chapter V; and E. W. White, Early Theatrical Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59), 44.] The Muses' Mercury (January 1707, pp. 4-5): This prologue was forbidden to be spoken the second Night of the Representation of the Prophetess. Mrs Shadwell was the occasion of its being taken notice of by the Ministry in the last Reign: He happen'd to be at the House on the first Night, and taking the beginning of the Prologue to have a double meaning, and that Meaning to reflect on the Revolution, he told a Gentleman, He would immediately Put a stop to it. When that Gentleman ask'd, Why he wou'd do the Author such a Disservice? He said, Because while Mr Dryden was Poet Laureat, he wou'd never let any Play of his be Acted. Mr Shadwell informed the Secretary of State of it, and representing it in its worst Colours, the Prologue was never Spoken afterwards, and is not printed in Mr Dryden's Works, or his Miscellanies. Cibber, Apology (ed. Lowe, II, 13-14): A Prologue (by Dryden) to the Prophetess was forbid by the Lord Dorset after the first War in Ireland. It must be confess'd that this Prologue had some familiar, metaphorical Sneers at the Revolution itself; and as the Poetry of it was good, the Offence of it was less pardonable

Event Comment: Benefit Griffin. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Benefit Taylor, Beaw, Cooper, Widow Cook (Boxkeeper). Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Afterpiece: Set to Musick by Mr T. Arne Jr

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 Wilson. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. By the Author of the Duenna. Acted but once this season. Tickets deliver'd for the Lady's Last Stake will be Admitted. x Doors open half past 5. To begin at half past 6 o'clock

Event Comment: [Playbill of 2 Dec. states, correctly, that mainpiece was "2nd time these 16 years." In it the playbill assigns Sir John Melvil to Farren, but "Macready was the substitute for Farren" (World, 28 Nov.).] Receipts: #192 8s. 6d. (189.12.6; 2.16.0)

Event Comment: Powell: [In afterpiece] Sir John Buck Cooke, Phillimore Ill; Classic Benson, Packer Ill. Beggar's Opera rehearsed at 10; New Ballet at 10 and at 12. Receipts: #148 3s. 6d. (103.5.0; 40.6.6; 4.12.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by John O'Keeffe. Prologue by John Taylor (see text). Address by John Wolcot (Pocket Magazine, supra)]: With new Dresses and Decorations. [Mrs Lee was from the Salisbury theatre.] Morning Chronicle, 11 May 1795: This Day is published Life's Vagaries (2s.). Receipts: #268 3s. 6d. (259.19.6; 8.4.0)

Event Comment: By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Massey. Afterpiece: Never performed in London, written by the author of The Son-In-Law [John O'Keeffe; 1st acted at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 14 Jan. 1767. See also cg, 16 Mar. 1782, when it was acted as The Positive Man]. To begin at 7:00. Tickets delivered for the 4th instant will be taken. Tickets and places for the Boxes to be had of Rice at the Theatre, and of Massey, No.4, St. Martin's-street, Leicester-Fields

Event Comment: Benefit John Roberts, now Confin'd in the Fleet Prison. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Afterpiece: [By John Gay.] Never Acted before

Event Comment: [By John Leigh.] Never Acted before

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author of the Prologue, Epilogue and Pastoral Dialogue. Mainpiece: Written by Mr Addison. A New Pastoral Dialogue for the benefit of ye Author of ye Dialogue, Cook ye Poet (Cross). [The Prologue was on comic poetry (spoken by Ryan); the Epilogue was on the Comic Characters of Women (spoken by Mrs Bland). See published version (London, 1753 "to which is prefixed an Ode to John Rich, Esq:"--British Museum 11795 K 31).

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Clive. Part of the Pit railed into Boxes and Stage will be formed into Amphitheatre, where servants will be admitted to keep places. Afterpiece: Farce of Two Acts never before acted. [MacMillan lists the characters from the Larpent MS and points out that no indication of assignment appeared: Sir John Bayfield , Sir Charles Freelove , Sir James Trueman , Mr Lovenight , Captain Squander , Lady Bayfield , Miss Croston , Lady Di Clatter , Miss Gibberish , Mrs Lovenight , Miss Prue , Mrs Goodfellow , and servants . Two deputy licensers seem to have been operating at this time, for Garrick sends his plays to Edward Capel, and Rich his to Chetwyn.

Event Comment: New Overture and Pieces of Music Between the Acts. Music by Barthelemon. New Scenes, Habits and Decorations. The Scenes designed by DeLoutherberg, and painted by Messrs French, Royer, and Greenwood. Books of the songs and Chorusses to be had at the Theatre. This piece is got up in a most Superb manner. The Scenery is beyond description fine -& the whole Performance tho' the most complicated upon the stage went off with uncommon Applause. Mrs Abington played finely--Mr Slingsby & Sga Hidou danc'd for the first time & were Amazingly well Rec'ed. The Ballets are very Grand (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Rec'd stopages #17 18s.; Paid salary list #567 16s.; J. French on Acct #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Mainpiece: Never performed before, by John Burgoyne. [The review in the Westminster Magazine, Nov. 1774, tells the plot, and concludes: "After some superb exhibitions of transparent scenery, several characteristic airs, and elegant dances, Mr Oldworth...proclaims Maria his only daughter and gives her to Sir Harry. After a dance of Cupids, Hymen, &c....offering them eternal wreaths, the Druid of the Oaks, freed by the present powers of Beauty from that sequestered habitation to which by mystic spells he had long been doomed, appears to ratify their union, and astonishes the spectators by his magic influence, in a glorious vision of that felicity the virtues of the happy pair had so justly insured. An admirable vaudeville, and a grand dance, conclude the dramatic entertainment....Had it not appeared obvious that the whole was intended as a mere vehicle for the splendid spectacle, we do not suppose, in spite of the managers Orders and Puffs, that the author's labors would have been tolerated. The very excellent scenery, however, of the ingenious Mr Loutherbourg preserved this piece from that damnation, which as a dramatic production, it justly merited."] Receipts: #263 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters (Folger Shakespeare Library), 22 Oct. 1687: There are to be 5 Pageants on the Ld Mayors day one representing Liberty by a Beautifull young Lady attended with Riches Plenty and ffreedom &c. (transcribed by Professor John Harold Wilson). Luttrell (A Brief Relation, I, 418): The 29th was the anniversary of the lord mayors show, the new one, sir John Shorter, now entring on his office; the shew was splendid and the entertainment great, according to custome: his majestie, with the prince of Denmark, did the citty the honour to dine with them at Guildhall, as also the nobility, foreign ministers, amongst which was the popes nuncio (who was invited particularly by some of the aldermen): the streets were new gravell'd all that morning on one side of the way, from Charing-crosse to the citty, for his majesties passage. His majestie was well satisfied with the whole entertainment. The Duke of Beaufort to the Duchess, 29 Oct. 1687 [a summary, apparently]: Has just come from the greatest entertainment he ever saw at a Lord Mayor's feast in the city, and the best ordered, though there was the greatest concourse there and in the streets that was ever known, and the greatest acclamations, all through the city as the King passed. The Queen did not dare venture, remembering that the Bristol entertainment had put her out of order, but all the nobility in town, and the foreign ministers were there. The Pope's Nuncio in particular was invited by the Lord Mayor and nobly entertained (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Beaufort MSS., Part IX, pp. 90-91)