Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the Gentleman's Journal, February 1692@3 (issued in March) makes clear that it followed Congreve's play: We have had since a Comedy, call'd, The Wary Widow, or Sir Noisy Parrot, by Henry Higden Esq; I send by here the Prologue to it by Sir Charles Sedley, and you are too great an Admirer of Shakespeare, not to assent to the Praises given to the Fruits of his rare Genius (p. 61). The play was announced in the London Gazette, No. 2875, 29 May-June 1693. The music for one song, All hands up aloft, was by Berenclow, and the song appears in D'Urfey, Wit and Mirth, 1699. Dedication, edition of 1693: But now it is forced to beg for your Protection from the malice and severe usage it received from some of my Ill natured Friends, who with a Justice peculiar to themselves, passed sentence upon it unseen or heard and at the representation made it their business to persecute it with a barbarous variety of Noise and Tumult. Gildon, The Life of Mr Thomas Betterton (p. 20): The actors were completely drunk before the end of the third act, and being therefore unable to proceed with this "Pleasant Comedy," they very properly dismissed the audience

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: several Musical Entertainments composed by Henry Purcell. [Monday 10--Saturday 15: PASSION WEEK]

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. And the principal Characters new Dress'd

Event Comment: On this date, James Vernon, writing to Sir Joseph Williamson, reported: Senior Scaramouchio and his band have begged his Majesty's leave to returne, theire affaires requiring their presence att home (Letters to Sir Joseph Williamson at Cologne, Camden Society, I, 179)

Event Comment: A quarrel occurred at the King's Theatre on this day (apparently) between Ravenscroft and Sir George Hewitt. See Letters Adressed from London to Sir Joseph Williamson, Camden Society, VIII (1874), 87

Event Comment: By Desire. At the Lilliputians Theatre, the Old Tennis-Court. 6:30 P.M. Boxes 3s. Pit 2s. Gallery 1s

Event Comment: Benefit for Holman. 2nd piece [1st time; D 5, by Joseph Trapp, adapted from Siri Brahe; oder, Die Neugierigen, by J. A. Gruttschreiber, itself a translation of Siri Brahe, by Gustavus III. Larpent MS 1206; not published. Prologue and Epilogue by John Taylor (Poems, I, 56-57)]: Written by the Late King of Sweden. Times, 28 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Holman, No. 73, New-street, Hanover-square. Receipts: #231 16s. (138.12.0; 4.10.6; tickets: 88.13.6)

Event Comment: [By Joseph Addison.] Never Acted before. G. Berkeley to Sir John Percival, 16 April: On Tuesday last...Cato was acted the first time. I am informed the front boxes were all bespoke for nine days, a fortnight before the play was acted. I was present with Mr Addison, and two or three more friends in a side box, where we had a table and two or three flasks of burgundy and champagne, with which the author (who is a very sober man) thought it necessary to support his spirits in the concern he was then under, and indeed it was a pleasant refreshment to us all between the acts....The actors were at the expence of new habits, which were very magnificent. (Rand, p. 113. See also Victor, II, 29-31, and Cibber, I, 122-23, II, 127-33)