Event Comment: [As afterpiece the playbill announces Richard Coeur de Lion, but "On acct. of Mrs Jordan's Indisposition [it] was put off and The Humourist substituted in its stead" (MS annotation on Kemble playbill). Kemble Mem. lists The Humourist, and notes "Mrs Jordan sent word she cd not act in Coeur de Lion, and forced me to change the Farce."] Receipts: #198 9s. (155.6; 36.19; 6.4)

Event Comment: Benefit for Whitfield and Mrs Ward. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by-Fernside, for whose authorship see Kemble Mem., based partly on Love's Cure; or, The Martial Maid, probably by Philip Massinger. Incidental music by Richard Suett]. Public Advertiser, 15 May: Tickets to be had of Whitfield, under the Great Piazza; of Mrs Ward; No. 6, York-street, Covent-Garden. Morning Herald, 12 June 1793: This day is published The Female Duellist (1s.). Receipts: #469 13s. 6d. (51.4.0; 33.9.0; 8.4.0; tickets: 376.16.6) (charge: #158 17s. 2d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Relief of the Widows and Orphans of the brave Men who fell in the late Glorious Actions [on 1 June 1794], under Earl Howe. The Whole Receipt of the Night to be applied to the above Fund. Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence. The Tickets for the Boxes at Half-a-Guinea each, are issued under the Direction of a Committee consisting of the following Noblemen and Gentlemen, who have obligingly undertaken to attend to the arrangements of the Evening: The Duke of Leeds, The Duke of Bedford, The Earl of Lauderdale, Lord Mulgrave, Lord William Russel, The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor [Paul Le Mesurier], Mr Alderman Coombe, Hon. Thos. Erskine, J. Nesbit Esq., I. B. Church Esq., W. Devaynes Esq., J. Taylor Vaughan Esq., J. J. Angerstein Esq., R. B. Sheridan Esq. Tickets and Places for the Boxes, not disposed of by the Committee, to be had of Fosbrook, at the Box-Office, Little Russel-Street. Tickets also to be had at the Bar of Lloyd's Coffee House. Afterpiece [1st time; ENT 2, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan and James Cobb; with songs written by the Duke of Leeds, the Earl of Mulgrave, Mary Robinson, Joseph Richardson, &c. In 1797 altered as CAPE ST. VINCENT. Prologue by Joseph Richardson (London Chronicle, 4 July). Epilogue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]: The Music composed and selected by Storace [with one song each by Reeve. Linley Sen., Michael Kelly]. The Dresses, Scenery and Machinery entirely New. "This piece is a sort of continuation of No Song No Supper...hastily put together for the occasion" (European Magazine, July 1794, p. 60). "The Theatre this Evening was crowded in every Part, the receipt amounting to something better than 1300 Guineas" (Powell). Powell, 1 July: Country Girl rehearsed at 10; Glorious First at 12 and at night. 2 July: Glorious First rehearsed at 10. Receipts: #1,526 11s. (450/6/0; 41/13/0; 0/12/6; tickets in boxes: 954/0/0; tickets in pit: 80/0/0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: "The represention announced for last night at this Theatre was Twelfth Night; but as Mrs Jordan found herself too ill to perform, new bills were issued, and the substitute was to be The Siege of Belgrade. About the middle of the day, however, Mrs Jordan found herself well enough to perform, and the other bills were circulated, importing that the play was to be Twelfth Night. But, in the afternoon, Mrs Jordan found herself too ill to perform, and a message was sent again to the theatre, signifying the melancholy disappointment. It was then too late to make any other change, and Twelfth Night was represented, Mrs Goodall reading the part of Viola. There was considerable difficulty in collecting the performers, after these repeated changes. Barrymore could not be found, and Caulfield dressed for Orsino; but when he was ready to appear Barrymore arrived, and took the part. It was then discovered that Phillimore was absent, and Caulfield was doomed to dress once more, for Phillimore's character; but soon after Phillimore came to the house. Mrs Kemble being indisposed, Miss Mellon undertook her part of Maria ...The Audience (a large one) indeed grumbled a little at this kind of dramatic hocus pocus, but on the whole, were not churlish in their testimonies of satisfaction" (True Briton, 13 Jan.). Receipts: #222 19s. (160.4.0; 58.11.6; 4.3.6)

Event Comment: [There are two Kemble playbills for this night. The first announces No Song No Supper and The Child of Nature (with Mrs Jordan as Amanthis) and The Spoil'd Child (with Mrs Jordan as Little Pickle). The second carries the notice: The Publick are most respectfully informed that, on account of the sudden Indisposition of Mrs Jordan, Miss Mellon will undertake the character of Amanthis, and humbly solicits their indulgence. The Entertainments this Evening will be [as above].] Receipts: #265 2s. (173.0.6; 81.6.0; 10.15.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Powell. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, author unknown. MS not in Larpent MS; not published]: Founded on a recent fortunate Event [the escape of Sir William Sidney Smith from The Temple, Paris, on 24 Apr. 1798 (European Magazine, June 1798, p. 395)]. With appropriate Scenery, and Machinery. [3rd piece in place of The Children in the Wood, advertised on playbill of 19 May.] Times, 15 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Powell, No. 43, Craven-street, Strand. Receipts: #548 17s. (233.4.6; 61.4.6; 0.17.0; tickets: 253.11.0) (charge: #214 12s. 1d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss DeCamp. Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Maria Theresa DeCamp. Larpent MS 1254; not published; synopsis of plot in Monthly Visitor, May 1799, pp. 70-71. Author of Prologue unknown]. Morning Chronicle, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Miss DeCamp, No. 14, Tottenham Court-road. Receipts: #447 8s. (151.7; 87.8; odd and after-money: 4.9; tickets: 204.4) (charge: #211 7s. 9d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 2nd piece [1st time; MF 2, by Prince Hoare, Larpent MS 1289; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Herald, 29 Apr, Author of Prologue unknown]: The new Musick composed by Kelly. Morning Chronicle, 16 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 65, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #360 8s. 6d. (272.17.6; 80.9.6; 7.1.6; tickets: none listed) (charge: #213 3s. 7d.)

Event Comment: This performance was recorded by Count Dona of Sweden (Seaton, Literary Relationships, pp. 337-38). Evelyn, Diary: This Evening I saw the Trajedie of Horace (written by the virtuous Mrs Philips) acted before their Majesties: 'twixt each act a Masque & Antique: daunced: The excessive galantry of the Ladies was infinite, Those especially on that...Castlemaine esteemed at 40,000 pounds & more: & far out shining the Queene &c. BM Add. Mss. 36916, folio 62: This night there is a play Acted at court by the Dutchess of Monmouth Countess of Castlemain and others. The Countess is adorned with Jewells to the Value of #200,000 the Crowne Jewells being taken from the Tower for her. There are none but the Nobility admitted to see it. The play is Madam Phillips translation of Corneiles Horace, finished by Sr John Denham

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, and the play is one of a large group commonly assigned to September-December 1690. As the Prologue implies an autumn production, it has been placed at late September, although the premiere may have been October. It was advertised in the London Gazette, 18-22 Dec. 1690, and entered in the Term Catalogues, Feb. 1690@1. The music was composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell, Works, Purcell Society, XXI (Dramatic Music, III, 1917), xii-xiv. Dedication: So visibly promoting my Interest on those days chiefly (the Third and the Sixth) when I had the tenderest relation to the welfare of my Play [i.e. Southerne had two benefits]. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, 1691, Appendix): This Play was acted with extraordinary Applause, the Part of Sir Anthony Love being most Masterly play'd by Mr Montfort: and certainly, who ever reads it, will find it fraught with true Wit and Humour. Gentleman's Journal, January 1691@2: [The Wives' Excuse, newly performed] was written by Mr Southern, who made that call'd Sir Anthony Love, which you and all the Town have lik'd so well

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the Gentleman's Journal, January 1691@2, suggests that it was first given in December 1691, although the tendency of this journal to be dated one month and appear in the next month makes the interpretation of its information difficult: We have had a new Comedy this last Month, call'd The Wives Execuse; or Cuckolds make themselves: It was written by Mr Southern, who made that call'd Sir Anthony Love, which you and all the Town lik'd so well. I will send you The Wives Excuse, as soon as it comes out in Print, which will be very speedily: And tho' the Town hath not been so kind to this last, as to the former, I do not doubt but you will own that it will bear a Reading; which some that meet with a better Fate too often do not; some that must be granted to be good Judges commend the Purity of its Language (pp. 51-52). Henry Purcell composed the music for this work. One song, Corinna I excuse thy face, the words (according to the Edition of 1692) by Tho. Cheek, the music by Henry Purcell, but without the singer's name, is in The Banquet of Musick, The Sixth and Last Book, 1692 (licensed 17 Feb. 1691@2). Say, cruel Amoret, sung by Mountfort; Hang this whining way, sung by Mrs Butler; and Ingrateful lover, the words by Major General Sackville, are in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695. See also Purcell, Works, Purcell Society, XXI (1917), xxvi-xxix