Event Comment: Benefit Smith, Cook, Mrs Scot. [At this performance] a Gentleman sitting in a Side-Box pointed at a young Gentlewoman, which another Gentleman perceiving, and she being one of his Acquaintance, he went to him and challenged him: They made some passes at each other, which put the Play-House in an Uproar, but they were parted, and neither was killed.-Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 3 May

Event Comment: As 7 May

Event Comment: Not Acted these Twelve Years [but see 2 May 1709]. Written by the late Mr Dryden. All the Habits being entirely new. With Decorations proper to the Play. Steele wrote a Prologue for this play, possibly for this run; it was not used but appeared in The Theatre, 2 Feb. 1720. See also The Works of John Dennis, Hooker, ed., II, 162-65. Cibber states that #600 was expended on the habits, scenes, and decorations

Event Comment: Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 30 May: On Saturday last died Mr Francis Leigh, one of the Comedians of Drury-Lane Playhouse, and Partner with Mr Bullock in the Entertainments of Southwark Fair, &c. He was Son of the Celebrated Tony Leigh, so fam'd heretofore for his Mastership in Comick Performances

Event Comment: [By Mrs Aubert.] Never Acted before. In Daily Courant, 26 May: Never acted before, being unfortunately prevented on Friday last, by the unexpected Arrest of the Person who was to have played the Doctor

Event Comment: John Vanbrugh to Jacob Tonson (Vanbrugh, Works, IV, 125): The Opera will begin about the 10th of March under the Academy of Musick. It will be a very good one this year, and a better the next. They having engag'd the best Singers in Italy, at a great Price. Such as I believe will bring the Expences to about twice as much as the Receipts. But the fund Subscribed being about #20000, may probably Support it, till Musick takes such root, as to Subsist with less aid. The King gives a #1000 a year to it

Event Comment: [Text by N. F. Haym. Music by G. F. Handel.] By Command Pit and Boxes at half a guinea. Gallery 5s. At 6:30 p.m. When the Tickets are dispos'd of, No Persons will be admitted for Money. The Diary of Mary Countess Cowper, p. 154: At Night, Radamistus, a fine Opera of Handel's Making. The King there with his Ladies. The Prince in the Stage-box. Great Crowd. Mainwaring, Handel, pp. 98-99: If the persons who are now living, and who were present at that performance may be credited, the applause it received was almost as extravagant as his Agrippina had excited; the crowds and tumults of the house at Venice were hardly equal to those at London. In so splendid and fashionable an assembly of Ladies (to the excellence of their taste we must impute it) there was no shadow of form, or ceremony, scarce inoeed any appearance of order or regularity, politeness, or decency. Many, who had forc'd their way into the house with an impetuosity but ill-suited to their rank and sex, actually Fainted through the heat and closeness of it. Several Gentlemen were turned back, who had offered forty shillings for a seat in the gallery, after having despaired of getting any in the pit or boxes

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Written by the famous Molliere. Daily Courant, 2 May: Monsieur deGrimbergue, Director of the French Comedians, hereby gives Notice, that he is extreamly sorry he could not give on Friday last all the Entertainment he had promised in his Publick Bills, by reason that Signora Violenta unluckily fell sick that very day; and Mons Dangeville refused to Dance, being puft up by the Applause he had the good Fortune to meet with; fancying he hath a Right to do so whenever he pleases

Event Comment: Admission as 19 April. Original Weekly Journal, 14 May: His Majesty, the Prince and Princess, and a prodigious Number of the Nobility were at the Opera

Event Comment: Admission as 14 May

Event Comment: Admission as 14 May. To be admitted on the Stage One Guinea. [The Princess of Wales and Princess Anne present.

Event Comment: Admission as 30 May

Event Comment: Admission as 14 May, with Stage a guinea

Event Comment: Admission as 14 May, with Stage one guinea

Event Comment: Admission as 14 May, with Stage one guinea

Event Comment: Admission as 14 May, with Stage one guinea

Event Comment: Admission as 14 May

Event Comment: Admission as 14 May, with Stage one guinea

Event Comment: Benefit Widow Leigh and May

Event Comment: London Journal, 12 May: Was acted at Mr Newcomb's School, formerly Mr Morland's School, at Clapton, near Hackney, the late Mr Hugh's Play...with great Applause, they having the proper Habits and Decorations. Tis said, the Lad that acted the Lady was adorned with Jewels to the Value of Six Thousand Pounds; there was a great Number of Gentry to see the Performance

Event Comment: Benefit Symmons and May

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Admission as 25 May. The reason of this Delay is occasion'd by the changing some of the Parts, as well as by the illness of two of the Chief Characters in the Play

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Brett and Mrs Campbell. Written by Mr Shadwell, late Poet Laureat. Daily Journal, 25 May: Yesterday Morning died Mrs Bicknell (an eminent Actress in the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane) of a Consumption. Her Parts will be very well supply'd by her Sister Mrs Younger, a Person of a very promising Genius