Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: And so to Salisbury Court, where the house as full as could be; and it seems it was a new play, The Queen's Maske, wherein there are some good humours: among others, a good jeer to the old story of the Siege of Troy, making it to be a common country tale. But above all it was strange to see so little a boy as that was to act Cupid, which is one of the greatest parts in it

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: And then out to the red bull (where I had not been since plays come up again)...where I was led by a seaman that knew me, but is here as a servant, up to the tireing-room, where strange the confusion and disorder that there is among them in fitting themselves, especially here, where the clothes are very poor, and the actors but common fellows. At last into the pitt, where I think there was not above ten more than myself, and not one hundred in the whole house. And the play, which is called All's lost by Lust, poorly done; and with so much disorder, among others, that in the musique-room the boy that was to sing a song, not singing it right, his master fell about his ears and beat him so, that it put the whole house in an uprore. Nicoll (Restoration Drama, p. 309) argues that George Jolly probably occupied the red bull in St John's Street, Clerkenwell. When Richard Walden saw the red bull players at Oxford in July 1661, Anne Gibbs acted Dionysia in All's Lost by Lust. It is possible that she played that role on this day. See Walden's Io Ruminans, 1662

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: I went to the Theatre, and there I saw Claracilla (the first time I ever saw it), well acted. But strange to see this house, that used to be so thronged, now empty since the Opera begun; and so will continue for a while, I believe

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: My wife and I to the fair, and I showed her the Italians dancing the ropes, and the women that do strange tumbling tricks

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and I...to the Theatre, where we seated ourselves close by the King, and Duke of York, and Madame Palmer, which was great content; and, indeed, I can never enough admire her beauty. And here was Bartholomew Fayre, with the puppet-show, acted to-day, which had not been these forty years (it being so satyricall against Puritanism, they durst not till now, which is strange they should already dare to do it, and the King to countenance it), but I do never a whit like it the better for the puppets, but rather the worse

Event Comment: [The edition of 1662 suggests that this was a ballet, the text offering description or synopses of the entries. Edition of 1662: Being part of that Magnificent Entertainment by the Noble Prince, DelaGrange, Lord Lieutenant of Lincolns Inn. Presented to the High and Mighty Charles II, Monarch of Great Britain, France and Ireland. On Friday 3 of January 1662. Evelyn, Diary: After Prayers I went to Lond: invited to the solemn foolerie of the Prince de la Grange at Lincolne Inn: where came also the King, Duke, &c.: beginning with a grand Masquev and a formal Pleading before the mock-princes (Grandes), Nobles & Knights of the Sunn: He had his L. Chancelor, Chamberlaine, Treasurer, & other royal officers gloriously clad & attended, which ended in a magnificent Banquet: one Mr John? Lort, being the young spark, who maintained the Pageantrie. Pepys, Diary: While I was there, comes by the King's life-guard, he being gone to Lincoln's Inn this afternoon to see the Revells there; there being, according to an old custom, a prince and all his nobles and other matters of sport and charge. John Ward (notebooks, 6 Jan.): I saw a Leopard and the same day as strange a sight which was the mock prince of Lincolnes' Inne his Nobels his Knights of the Garter and his other officers (Shakespeare Quarterly, XI [1960], 494)

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: And so carried her [Mrs Pepys] to the fayre [bf], and showed her the monkeys dancing on the ropes, which was strange, but such dirty sport that I was not pleased with it. There was also a horse with hoofs like rams hornes, a goose with four feet, and a cock with three. Thence to another place, and saw some German Clocke works, the Salutation of the Virgin Maryv, and several Scriptural stories; but above all there was at last represented the sea, with Neptune, Venus, mermaids, and Ayrid on a dolphin, the sea rocking, so well done, that had it been in a gaudy manner and place, and at a little distance, it had been admirable

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: By coach to White Hall, thinking to have met at a Committee of Tangier, but nobody being there but my Lord Rutherford, he would needs carry me and another Scotch Lord to a play, and so we saw, coming late, part of The Generall, my Lord Orrery's (Broghill) second play; but, Lord! to see how no more either in words, sense, or design, it is to his Harry the 5th is not imaginable, and so poorly acted, though in finer clothes, is strange. And here I must confess breach of a vowe in appearance, but I not desiring it, but against my will, and my oathe being to go neither at my own charge nor at another's, as I had done by becoming liable to give them another, as I am to Sir W. Pen and Mr Creed; but here I neither know which of them paid for me, nor, If I did, am I obliged ever to return the like

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke's house, and saw Macbeth, which, though I saw it lately, aet appears a most excellent play in all respects, but especially in divertisement, though it be a deep tragedy; which is a strange perfection in a tragedy, it being most proper here, and suitable. So home, it being the last play now I am to see till a fortnight hence, I being from the last night entered into my vowes for the year coming on

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: All alone to the King's playhouse, and there did happen to sit just before Mrs Pierce, Mrs Knepp, who pulled me by the hair; and so I addressed myself to them, and talked to them all the intervals of the play, and did give them fruit. The play is Brenoralt, which I do find but little in, for my part. Here was many fine ladies--among others, the German Baron, with his lady, who is envoye from the Emperour, and their fine daughter, which hath travelled all Europe over with them, it seems; and is accordingly accomplished, and indeed, is a wonderful pretty woman. Here Sir Philip Frowde, who sat next to me, did tell me how Sir H. Belasses is dead, and that the quarrel between him and Tom Porter, who is fled, did arise in the ridiculous fashion that I was first told it, which is a strange thing between two so good friends. The play being done, I took the women, and Mrs Corbett, who was with them, by coach, it raining, to Mrs Manuel's, the Jew's wife, formerly a player, who we heard sing with one of the Italians that was there; and, indeed, she sings mightily well, and just after the Italian manner, but yet do not please me like one of Mrs Knepp's songs, to a good English tune, the manner their ayre not pleasing me so well as the fashion of our own, nor so natural

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, and there saw The English Monsieur; sitting for privacy sake in an upper box: the play hath much mirth in it as to that particular humour. After the play done, I down to Knipp, and did stay her undressing herself; and there saw the several players, men and women go by; and pretty to see how strange they are all, one to another, after the play is done. Here I saw a wonderful pretty maid of her own, that come to undress her, and one so pretty that she says she intends not to keep her, for fear of her being undone in her service, by coming to the playhouse. Here I hear Sir W. Davenant is just now dead; and so who will succeed him in the mastership of the house is not yet known. The eldest Davenport is, it seems, gone from this house to be kept by somebody; which I am glad of, she being a very bad actor.... [Mrs Knepp] tells me mighty news, that my Lady Castlemayne is mightily in love with Hart of their house; and he is much with her in private, and she goes to him, and do give him many Presents; and that the thing is most certain, and Becke Marshall only privy to it, and the means of bringing them together, which is a very odd thing; and by this means she is even with the King's love to Mrs Davis

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. There is considerable uncertainty as to when the first performance occurred, but it appears to have been acted first at court. See Boswell, Restoration Court Stage, pp. 131-34. The first Prologue, written by Lord Mulgrove, and the second, written by Lord Rochester, are in A Collection of Poems Written upon several Occasions by several Persons (1673). Roger North: And now we turne to the Publik theatres. It had bin strange if they had not observed this promiscuous tendency to musick, and not have taken it into their scenes and profited by it. The first proffer of theirs, as I take it, was in a play of the thick-sculd-poetaster Elkanah Settle, called The Empress of Morocco; which had a sort of masque poem of Orfeus and Euridice, set by Mr M. Lock, but scandalously performed. It begins The Groans of Ghosts, &c. and may be had in print (Roger North on Music, ed. John Wilson [London, 1959], p. 306)

Event Comment: The Diary of Robert Hooke: With John? Oliver saw tigre in Bartholomew fair 2d. Saw the child doe strange tricks

Event Comment: The Diary of Robert Hooke: Saw the Dutch woeman in Bartholomew fair, very strange

Event Comment: The United Company. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 6 March 1685@6: To day is acted Jevarns' new farse; Thursday was the first day. I must confess it is the strangest thinge I ever saw; 'twas mighty full the last time, and to day there is noe getting in (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, Vol. II, p. 106). [Since Friday 5 March was a Friday in Lent, it is possible that the farce was not given on that day.

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of this production is determined by a letter (see below). For a discussion of the origin and development of this play, see Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, pp. 274-76. A song, Why shou'd the world mistake, the music composed by John Eccles and sung by Mrs Hudson, is in Thesaurus Musicus, 1695. An unidentified letter, 22 March 1693@4: We had another new play yesterday, called The Ambitious Slave, or a Generous Revenge. Elkanah Settle is the author of it, and the success is answerable to his reputation. I never saw a piece so wretched, nor worse contrived. He pretends 'tis a Persian story, but not one body in the whole audience could make any thing of it; 'tis a mere babel, and will sink for ever. The poor poet, seeing the house would not act it for him, and give him the benefit of the third day, made a present of it to the women in tie house, who act it, but without profit or incouragement (Edmond Malone, An Historical Account of the Stage in Plays and Poems of William Shakespeare [London, 1821], III, 163-64). Gentleman's Journal, March 1694: 'Tis not altogether strange for a Play to be less kindly receiv'd, immediately after one that has deservedly ingross'd all the Applause which the Town can well bestow in some time on new Dramatic Entertainments. Perhaps Mr Settle may partly impute to this, the want of success of a new Tragedy of his which was lately acted, 'tis called, The Ambitious Slave; or, The Generous Revenge. [This play followed Southerne's The Fatal Marriage.

Event Comment: Christopher Rich's Company. The date of the resumption of playing is not certain, for Cibber (see below) beclouds the issue by referring to Easter-Monday in April, whereas the first Monday following Easter fell on 25 March 1694@5. Nevertheless, Monday 1 April 1695 seems the likely date of the resumption of playing, with Rich's Company ready to perform before the seceding company under Thomas Betterton was fully organized. A new song for Abdelazar, Lucinda is bewitching fair, the music by Henry Purcell and sung by "the Boy" (Jemmy? Bowen), is in Thesaurus Musicus, The Fourth Book, 1695. Cibber, Apology, I, 195: [The Patentees] were not able to take the Field till the Easter-Monday in April following. Their first Attempt was a reviv'd Play call'd Abdelazar, or the Moor's Revenge, poorly written, by Mrs Behn. The House was very full, but whether it was the Play or the Actors that were not approved, the next Day's Audience sunk to nothing. However, we assured that let the Audiences be never so low, our Masters would make good all Deficiencies, and so indeed they did, till towards the End of the Season, when Dues to Ballance came too think upon 'em. [See I, 195-96, for Cibber's account of his Prologue.] A Comparison Between the Two Stages, 1702, p. 7: But in my Opinion, 'twas strange that the general defection of the old Actors which left Drury-lane, and the fondness which the better sort shew'd for 'em at the opening of their Newhouse, and indeed the Novelty it self, had not quite destroy'd those few young ones that remain'd behind. The disproportion was so great at parting, that 'twas almost impossible, in Drury-lane, to muster up a sufficient number to take in all the Parts of any Play; and of them so few were tolerable, that a Play must of necessity be damn'd that had not extraordinary favour from the Audience: No fewer than Sixteen (most of the old standing) went away; and with them the very beauty and vigour of the Stage; they who were left behind being for the most part Learners, Boys and Girls, a very unequal match for them who revolted. According to a statement made in litigation, the company in Drury Lane acted 84 times between 25 March 1694@5 and 7 July 1695; and the Young Actors played 68 times from 6 July 1695 to 10 Oct. 1695 to 10 Oct. 1695. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308

Event Comment: Post Man, No 515, 15-17 Sept. 1698: At Mr Barnes's and Mr Appleby's Booth in the Coachyard near St Georges Church, Southwark, during the space of 14 days, is to be seen the most famous Rope Dancers of Europe, viz. the English, High German, Dutch, and Morocco Companies, who perform strange and wonderful things on the Rope, the German Maiden outdoing all Men and Women, that ever danc'd before her, both for high leaping and fine Dancing, and whatever has been done by any person on the Ground, as side, upright, cross or back Capers, is performed by her on the Dancing Rope, and rises to that prodigious height, as will startle all that see her

Event Comment: [ByJohn Dennis. Premiere.] Preface: This Play was so unfortunate as to find the Town out of Humour with it, whether it proceeded from the Calamities which attended the Rehearsal, which were so numerous as never before had befal'n any Play in my Memory, or from the Malice, and the strange Prejudices with which many came prepossess'd. The first day it was well Acted in most of its Parts, but was not suffer'd to be heard

Event Comment: [By Thomas Moore.] With Musick Vocal and Instrumental, Dances, and other Decorations proper to the same. Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 144: Three or four Years after the Performance of this famous Tragedy, I had the following account from several of the Actors who performed in it: That Sir Thomas gave them many good Dinners and Suppers during the Rehearsals of the Play, which they all laugh'd at as ridiculous; but as the Company was, at that Time, composed chiefly of young Actors, and got but small Encouragement from the Public; it may be justly said, their Necessities compelled them to perform this strange Tragedy, which stood some chance to divert from its Absurdities

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Pit and Boxes laid together, and Stage, for better accommodation of the Ladies, will be form'd into Front and Side Boxes. Tickets to be had of Barry at the corner of Bow St., and of Hobson at the Stage Door. [This month was printd The Town, a Satire by Wm. Kenrick, with especial attack upon Garrick and Garrick's plays. In Miss in her Teens, he boasts the strange pretense, To satire Coxcombs, while he murders sense." Kenrick is one of the few who criticizes Garrick (p. 21) for playing a low character Abel Drugger, rather than a king. He yields indirect praise to Janeton Auretti by blaming the town for cheering her dance, while neglecting the players: @Yet if Janeton shakes her slender feet@How loud the thunder clatters through the Pit.@ Prologue intended to have been spoken on the Revival of The Distress'd Mother, for the Benefit of Mr Barry, but omitted through some misunderstanding. Written by Mr Rolt, printed in Gentleman's Magazine, March 1748, p. 134.] Receipts: #270 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel); cash, #80 3s. 6d.; tickets, #118 5s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: [M$Mrs Barrington, formerly Mrs Hale.] To the Author of the General Advertiser, &c. Sir: I am far from being of the opinion of too many of my countrymen, who exclaim against the performances of foreigners be they ever so extraordinary: on the contrary whenever I hear of a person who merits Encouragement from the Publick, I use all my interest in his favour; and will always continue so to do, though he should come from the extremity of the globe--Nor am I of the opinion of another class, who imagine no man can by a great performer unless he comes from a strange land. I am convinced we have an artist at present among us, as excellent in his way as ever was seen in Britain. He is an Englishman, and citizen of London; and without any instruction (as I am inform'd) performs all the surprizing Equilibres on the Slack Rope that were exhibited by the famous Turk. I have seem his performances once already and they gave me infinite pleasure. Tomorrow evening I intend to see them again, at the Theatre in the Haymarket, and heartily wish him the success he deserves, Yours, &c A. B. [See 23 Dec. 1749 note about Rich's engaging Caratha@the@Turk, and note, 28 Oct. 1749.] Receipts: #67 9s

Event Comment: BBarry's Occasional Prologue printed in the General Advertiser.@ When Vice or Folly over-runs a State@Weak Politicians lay the blame on Fate.@When Rulers useful subjects cease to prize,@'And damn for arts that caus'd themselves to rise:'@When jealousies and fears possess the throne,@And kings allow no merit--but their own,@Can it be strange that men for flight prepare,@And strive to raise a Colony elsewhere?@This custom has prevail'd in every Age,@And has been sometime practis'd on the Stage.@ For--Entre Nous--these Managers of Merit,@Who fearless arm,--"and take the Field with Spirit,"@Have curb'd as Monarchs with their haughty Mien,@And Herod--have out Heroded--within (Pointing to the Green Room)@O! they can torture twenty-thousand ways:@Make bouncing Bajazet retreat from Bayes.@The Ladies too with every power to charm@Whose face and fire an anchorite might warm@Have felt the fury of the Tyrant's arm.@By selfish arts expell'd our ancient Seat,@In search of Candour--and in search of Meat,@We, from your favour, hope for this retreat.@If Shakespear's passion, or if Johnson's art@Can fire the Fancy, or can warm the heart,@That task be ours;--But if you damn their scenes@And heroes must give way to Harlequins,@We too, can have recourse to mime and dance,@Nay, there I think, we have the better chance,@And should the Town grow weary of the Mute,@Why--we'll produce a Child upon the flute.@But be the food as 'twill, 'tis you that treat!@Long have they feasted--permit us now to eat!

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 4 years. Full prices. [See 10 March 1750.] Mr Maddox ye Ballance Master perform'd [on the rope] in it. Great Expectations not answer'd (Cross). [See ridicule of this afterpiece at dl 6 Nov. and the summary account of the disturbance it produced, as recorded in the Gentleman's Magazine (Nov. 1752, p. 535): The Town had been allured to Covent Garden by a wire dancer and some strange animals, which the manager brought together from Sadler's Wells and the Fair. Mr Garrick ridiculed this perversion of theatrical entertainment, by exhibiting a mock entertainment of the same kind. At this the town was offened, and a party went one evening determind to damn it; a person of some distinction [Fitzpatrick] who was very busy in this laudable attempt threw an apple at Woodward and hit him. Woodward resented the blow by some words, which, by the gentleman's account, implied a challenge, but by Woodward's no such thing. Woodward's account is confirm'd by the affidavits of many; that of the gentleman only by his own, though the box in which he sat was full. The Inspector espoused the cause of the Gentleman; and the Covent Garden Journalist of the comedian.'

Event Comment: At Cleopatra's Cataract between the several acts of her concert, will be pour'd upon the Town a cataract of Originals and Amazing Geniusses, brought by that antient Soverign from Anamamboo, Upper Egypt, and the renown'd Kingdom of Abyssinia. These being an entire new set of performers will exhibit that evening in a new manner sever strange and surprising Feats of an Egyptian Broomstick, the Ghosts, Witches, Imps, modern Saints, Ballad Singer, Conjuror, and Elizabeth Canning. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. To begin at 6 p.m. [A cryptic "puff" in the Daily Advertiser suggests that Mrs Midnight has abdicated in favour of Cleopatra, who will now take over the Haymarket.