Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, June 1670, and the Prologue refers to the arrival of French royalty at Dover (May 1670); hence, it is likely that the play was first produced in the late spring. Edition of 1670: Written in French by Moliere; and rendered into English with much Addition and Advantage By Mr Medbourne, Servant to His Royal Highness

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@142, p. 81, a last, undated entry in a series of plays acted from 28 May 1675 to 12 May 1677. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. A performance, dated 12 May 1677, is on the L. C. lists at Harvard; see VanLennep, Plays on the English Stage, 1669-1672, p. 12. Downes (pp. 36-37): All the Musick was set by Mr Banister, and being well Perform'd, it answer'd the Expectation of the Company. Two of the songs, with the music by Bannister, are in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Second Book, 1679. The Songs in Circe, published separately in 1677, bears a licensing date of 7 May 1677. The play was licensed 18 June 1677, and entered in the Stationers' Register, 19 June 1677

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the fact that Narcissus Luttrell purchased a copy on 22 March 1679@80 suggests that the premiere occurred not later than February. A copy, with Luttrell's date of purchase, is in the Ohio State University Library. (I am indebted to Professor J. H. Wilson for this information.

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 26-28 July 1698, suggests that the premiere occurred probably in mid-June or late June 1698. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: Damn'd

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: Betterton's Company. This performance was probably the first day of this revival, for Matthew Prior wrote to Abraham Stanyan, 8 Jan. 1699@1700: To-morrow night Betterton acts Falstaff, and to encourage that poor house the Kit Katters have taken one side-box and the Knights of the Toast have taken the other (HMC, Bath MSS. [London, 1908], III, 394). See also 28 Jan. 1699@1700. The play was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3601, 13-16 May 1700, and the title page states: Reviv'd, with Alterations. Written Originally by Mr Shakespear

Event Comment: [By Lewis Theobald.] With new Scenes and Habits

Event Comment: [By Aaron Hill.] On Shakespear's Foundation. With several Sets of Scenes entirely new and properWto the Play. [In an advance notice in Daily Journal, 6 Nov., the scenes are reported to be designed by Signior Angelo, an Italian.

Event Comment: [By James Moore Smythe.]All the Characters new dress'd

Event Comment: Not Acted these Forty Years. Written by Shakespear. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: [Cast taken from 1st edn. The bill merely lists actors and notes "With proper Music, Scenes, and Decorations. Never acted before." It mentions no Prologue or Epilogue.] This Masque was wrote about eleven years ago, by Mr Malet & Mr Thomson, & play'd in the Garden at Clifden before the P. of Wales &c.--Mr Malet has now alter'd it, & it was play'd with great Applause, only some of the Dances, being too long were dislik'd, & some of the Songs had ye same reception (Cross). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Dressed in habits of the time

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy [by Charlotte Lennox]. Never Performed. Prologue by Colman. Epilogue by Goldsmith. Treated so badly by the audience this first night that Mrs Lennox withdrew it. Burgoyne's The Heiress [dl, 14 Jan. 1784] draws upon it (Genest, V, 242). Receipts: #234 5s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 16 years. [See 19 April 1751.] New Scenes, Machines, Decorations &c. The Characters dress'd in The Habits of the times. This Masque is very well got up with New Scenes & Decorations particularly a Representation of the Grand Naval Review design'd by Mons DeLoutherberg & vastly well Executed had great Applause the piece is very dull (Hopkins Diary). [Macmillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Paid five day's salary at #86 13s. 10d. per diem, #433 9s. 2d.; Miss Younge 6 days not on the list #1; Mr Courtney 3 days not on list 7s. 6d.; Mr J. French on Act #10 (Treasurer's Book). The Songs, Chorusses, &c. in the Masque (in the order they are now performed) to be had at the Theatre. The Music by Dr Arne and other masters (playbill). Receipts: #158 12s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Reynolds. [Afterpiece usually acted as The Man of Quality.

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by John Home. Prologue by the author (London Chronicle, 16 Feb.). Epilogue by David Garrick (ibid.)]: New Scenes, Dresses, &c. Account-Book, 26 Jan.: Paid Wild for [obtaining] license for Alfred #2 2s. Public Advertiser, 14 Feb. 1778: This Day is published Alfred (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #246 (241.17.6; 4.2.6)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mr and Mrs Massey. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Tickets to be had of Massey, No. 17, Portugal-street, Lincoln's inn fields. Care has been taken to have the House well aired

Event Comment: Benefit for Booth, Fearon & L'Estrange. Mainpiece: Never perform'd here.[Afterpiece in place of The Englishman in Paris, announced on playbill of 14 May.] Receipts: !173 16s. 6d. (60.14.6; tickets: 113.2.0) [charge: #105)

Event Comment: [This was the last performance ever held in this theatre. On 27 June the Morning Chronicle published the playbill for that same evening: Love in a Village and Comical Courtship, but on 29 June the same newspaper reported that on "Friday [26 June] (soon after the performances of the evening were finished at China Hall, Rotherhithe) the theatre was discovered to be on fire. The flames increased so rapidly that in a short time the whole building, with all the scenes, stage, cloaths, &c. were consumed...There is no doubt but the theatre was wilfully set on fire." During the course of the summer it was rebuilt, but "Yesterday morning the play-house at China-hall, Rotherhithe, was blown down by the violence of the wind. The said play-house was burnt down last summer, but it being insured was rebuilt by contract, and the tiling of it completely finished last week" (Gazetteer, 26 Nov. 1778). And see 30 July.