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: 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)

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Doors open at 5 o'clock. Play to begin at 6 o'clock. Prices: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places to be had of Mr Johnston at the Stage door. [Customary note, repeated.] Rec'd Mrs Groath's one year's rent to Xmas last #3; Paid Renters #8 (Treasurer's Book). This regular expenditure was made nightly for the 189 acting nights of the season, as well as for the 11 nights on which Oratorio's were given in the Spring. The total amount came to #1600. No further note will be made of this item this season. The Westminster Magazine this month, reiterated its doleful cry "that the stage is on its decline." In a long article on "Stage Effect, or Dramatic Cookery," it concluded that our "Theatrical managers and even our Theatrical Critics seem to have resolved all the merit of dramatic composition into stage trick, and rest their criterion of Dramatic Genius on the knowledge of what they are pleased to call Stage effect." The "Theatre" article for the month remarked upon the boldness of Garrick's opening with the Beggar's Opera, "notwithstanding he was requested by the Bench of Justices at Bow-Street, to suppress it, as they were of opinion it had done a great deal of mischief among the low class of people." Lloyd's Evening Post, 17 Sept., included extracts from letters against playing the Beggar's Opera, "because every performance makes from one two twenty thieves." Sir John Fielding and his associates had addressed a letter to Garrick requesting him not to perform the opera for the same reason. The Morning Chronicle, 23 Sept., praised Garrick for not complying with the Justices' request. Wm Augustus Miles published a Letter to Sir John Fielding occasioned by his extraordinary Request to Mr Garrick for the suppression of the Beggar's Opera (44 pp.). In this he vindicated the moral effect of the opera.] Receipts: #158 (Treasurer's Book). [Note: For perform ance at hay 18 and 20 September, see Season of 1772-1773, p. 1740

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Separate Maintenance, announced on playbill of 3 Sept.] Afterpiece [1st time: MF 2]: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. The new Scenes painted by Rooker. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [Larpent MS 568; text 1st published (authorized), Cumberland's British Theatre, XXXI.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Never performed here. Written by [John] O'Keeffe; As it was performed at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket [beginning with 4 Sept.], with the greatest Applause. The Overture and new Music composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #205 7s. 6d.(203/6/6; 2/1/0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. "The same person who, in the play, performed the school-fellow of the Nabob with a great deal of nature, and original humour, here acted the part of the school-master; his name is Edwin, and he is, without doubt, one of the best actors of all that I have seen ... [He], in all his comic characters, still preserves something so inexpressibly good tempered in his countenance, that notwithstanding all his burlesques, and even grotesque buffoonery, you cannot but be pleased with him . . . Nothing could equal the tone and countenance of self-satisfaction, with which he answered one who asked him whether he was a scholar? 'Why, I was a master of scholars.' A Mrs Webb represented a cheesmonger, and played the part of a woman of the lower class, so naturally, as I have no where else ever seen equalled. Her huge, fat, and lusty carcase, and the whole of her external appearance seemed quite to be cut out for it" (Carl Philipp Moritz, Travels in England in 1782, London, 1924, pp. 73-74)

Event Comment: [Prologue by George Colman, the elder (Colman, Prose, 10,239).] Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice at the Theatre. [No playbill this season lists the various prices of admission; they were probably, as usual: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s.] The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. On 24 May Colman inserted the following in Public Advertiser: The Theatre Royal in the Haymarket will open next Saturday. In order to avoid unnecessary' Repetitions during the Season, the Public are desired, once for all, to take Notice that every Performance at this Theatre will be exhibited to most brilliant, crouded and OVERFLOWING audiences; and received with loud and universal Bursts of most UNBOUNDED and UNCOMMON Applause

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. 2nd piece [1st time; INT I, probably by Richard Wilson. MS: Larpent 667; not published]. 3rd piece: Never perform'd here. [Prologue and Epilogue by John Gay.]

Event Comment: 1st piece: Written by the Author of The Agreeable Surprise, Son-in-Law.&c. [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Airs composed by Dr Arnold. 2nd piece: Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; F 1, by John Rose; in Town and Country Magazine, Aug. 1788, p. 374, said to be translated from a French farce]. "Edwin was too ill to sing, but went through the part [in Peeping Tom; see 16 Aug.]" (Public Advertiser, 4 Aug.)