SELECT * FROM london_stages WHERE MATCH('(@(authnameclean,perftitleclean,commentcclean,commentpclean) "William Shakespear"/1) | (@(roleclean,performerclean) "William Shakespear")') GROUP BY eventid ORDER BY weight() desc, eventdate asc OPTION field_weights=(perftitleclean=100, commentpclean=75, commentcclean=75, roleclean=100, performerclean=100, authnameclean=100), ranker=sph04

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We found 11030 matches on Author, 1683 matches on Performance Comments, 1329 matches on Event Comments, 57 matches on Performance Title, and 0 matches on Roles/Actors.
Event Comment: [Written by Shakespear. With new Scenes and Cloaths. At the Desire of several Persons of Distinction the Pit and Boxes will be put together at 3s. Boxes on the Stage 4s. Gallery 1s. [The Prologue is in The Comedian, No. VII, October 1732, with a long essay on the major theatres of the present season.] Daily Advertiser, 4 Oct.: A very splendid and crowded Audience...testify'd their Approbation both of the Decorations and Performance. The principal Embellishments are as follows: On a large Oval over the Pit is represented the Figure of His Majesty, attended by Peace, Liberty, and Justice, trampling Tyranny and Oppression under his Feet; round it are the Heads of Shakespear, Dryden, Congreve, and Betterton. On the Coving on the Left Hand is painted the Scene of Cato pointing at the dead Body of his Son Marcus; in the Middle, that of Julius Caesar stabb'd in the Senate-House; and on the Right, that of Marc Anthony and Octavia, where the Children are introduc'd in All for Love. On the Sounding-Board over the Stage is an handsome Piece of Painting of Apollo and the Nine Muses. [See also Daily Post, 4 Oct. and Gentleman's Magazine, II (October 1732), 1028.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: King Henry Iv With The Humours Of Sir John Falstaff

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Fops Fortune love Makes A Man

Performance Comment: Facetious Epilogue in Dialogue, will be spoke-Chapman, Morgan[, each Actor, as Shakespear has it, riding on his Ass., each Actor, as Shakespear has it, riding on his Ass.
Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not Acted these Fifty Years. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Written by Shakespear. N.B. The above Play of King Henry IV is the Genuine Play of Shakespear, and not that alter'd by Mr Betterton, and so frequently acted at the other Theatre

Performances

Mainpiece Title: King Henry The Fourth Part Ii

Related Works
Related Work: Henry ye Fourth, Part II Author(s): William Shakespeare

Afterpiece Title: The Royal Chace

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Julius Caesar With The Death Of Brutus And Cassius

Performance Comment: Caesar-Mills; Calphurnia-Mrs Butler; Brutus-Quin; Cassius-Milward; Anthony-Wright; Octavius Caesar-Havard; Caska-Winstone; Trebonius-Ridout; Artemidorous-Shepard; Portia-Mrs Roberts; Citizens-Johnson, Griffin, Macklin, Woodward, Yates, Reed.*a1739 10 10 dl Robin Goodfellow. Robin Goodfellow-Miss Cole; Oberon-Master Ferg; Titania-Miss Wright; Puck-Master Matthews; Cobweb-Master Burgess; Moth-Master Donavan; Mab-Miss Morrison; Mustardseed-Miss Ferg; Peas Blossom-Miss Saunders; Harlequin-Woodward; 1st Colombine-Mrs Walter; 2d Colombine-Mrs Chetwood; Peasants-Davenport, Carney, Rector; Women Peasants-Mrs Vallois, Miss Woodman, Mrs Davenport; Dr Tackem-Taswell; Maid-Mrs Woodward; Old Woman-Ray; Bridemen-Carney, Leigh, Gray; Bridemaids-Mrs Vallois, Mrs Chetwood, Miss Thynne; Father to Colombine-Pelling; Freehold-Yates; Slouch-Penkethman; with a new Grand Ballet-Muilment.*c1739 10 10 dl By particular Desire. Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear.
Event Comment: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George, and the Lady Augusta. Benefit the last Editor of Shakespear. Written Originally by Shakespear. Revised and adapted to the Stage by Mrs Theobald, with the last new Prologue and the Original Epilogue. Receipts: #100. Rylands MS.: Prince up, but did not come

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Double Falshood

Opera: End II and IV: of the Play will be performed an Interlude in two Comick Scenes in Musick. betwixt Signor Capoccio, a Director from the Canary Islands, and Signora Dorinna, a Virtuosa; Capoccio-Waltz; Dorinna-Miss Hillier

Dance: I: Muzette, Tambourine-Mechell, Mlle Mechell; III: Les Niaise-Mechell, Mlle Mechell

Event Comment: Benefit Woodward. Mainpiece: An Historical Play, never acted there before [see 20 March 1738]. At the Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. As written by Shakespear. Containing the wars of Cymbeline with the Romansr, in the reign of Augustus Caesar; the various distresses and Adventures of Imogen the King's Daughter; the noble repulse the Romans met with, on their invading Britain; their defeat, and many other historical passages. Ladies are desired to send their servants early to prevent mistakes. To be Lett, and enter'd upon on Monday next, the 7th instant Commodious Places in the Front and Upper Boxes...for the excellent reviv'd play of Shakespear... For further Particulars enquire of Mr Woodward, at his house near the theatre [in advance bills]

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Cymbeline King Of Britain

Afterpiece Title: The Royal Chace

Dance: BBird Catchers-Cooke, Sga Campioni

Event Comment: Afterpiece An Historical Dramatic Piece of on act (taken from Shakespear) with a representation of the Trials of the Lords for High Treason, in the Reign of King Henry V. The Characters dress'd in the Habits of the times. With proper Scenes and Decorations. On account of the Extraordinary Scenery, &c, and to prevent any interruption in the performance, it's desired no persons will take it ill that they cannot admitted behind the Scenes.--General Advertiser. [This adaption most certainly occasioned by the trial, which began in Westminster Hall on 28 July of Lord Kilmarnock, Lord Cromarty, and Lord Balmerino for participation in the Rebellion of '45! (Hogan, Shakespeare in the Theatre, p. 199).] An Historical Dramatic Piece of one act, taken from Shakespear, will be perform'd, after a play, at Drury Lane; it will be a Representation of the trials of Lord Cambridge, Lord Scroopv, &c for High Treason, in the reign of King Henry the Fifth. The Characters are to [be] dress'd in rich antique Habits of the times.--Daily Advertiser, 31 July. Last night the Dramatick Piece call'd The Conspiracy Discover'd; or French Policy Defeated, with a representation of the Trials of the Lords for High Treason, was acted at dl, with great applause, and will be performed again tomorrow night at the desire of several persons of Distinction.--General Advertiser, 5 Aug

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Busy Body

Afterpiece Title: The Conspiracy Discovered or French Policy Defeated

Related Works
Related Work: Henry V Author(s): William Shakespeare
Event Comment: Gift for ye Sufferers by ye fire in Cornhill (Cross). [A column and a half "Letter to the Author" appeared in the General Advertiser this day, laying historical background for Ford's Lover's Melancholy]. The history of the stage before the Restoration is like a Foreign Land, in which no Englishman had ever travelled; we know there were such things as Playhouses, and one Shakespear a great writer, but the historical traces of them are so imperfect, that the manner in which they existed is less known to us, than that of Eschylus or the theatres of Greece. For this reason, 'tis hoped that the following Gleaning of Theatrical History will readily obtain a place in your paper. 'Tis taken from a Pamphlet written in the reign of Charles I, with this quaint title, "Old Ben's Light Heart made heavy by young John's Melancholly Lover"; and as it contains some historical anecdotes and altercations concerning Ben Johnson, Ford, Shakespear, and the Lover's Melancholy it is imagined that a few extracts from it at this juncture, will not be unentertaining to the Public. [The substance of the remainder retails Jonson's critical cantankerousness and his wounded pride at the failure of the New Inn, quoting some epigrams made at Jonson's expense on his allegation that Ford was a plagiary. This second "puff" for the play, presumably also written by Macklin, formed the basis for a Steevens-Malone controversy late in the century, centering on the existence or nonexistence of the pamphlet referred to by Macklin as "Old Ben's Light Heart made Heavy, &c." A summary account of the evidence appears in the Dramatic Works of John Ford, by Henry Weber (Edinburgh, 1811) I, Intro. XVI, XXXI.] Receipts: #210 (Cross); #208 1s. (Powel)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: King Lear And His Three Daughters

Afterpiece Title: The Double Disappointment

Dance: Cooke, Anne Auretti, Matthews, Mrs Addison

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Dramatic Lecture

Performance Comment: Don Buskin-Socco, Professor of Dramatic Exercises proposes to instruct (upon reasonable Terms, publickly or privately) such young Gentlemen, Ladies, etc., who for amusement, or otherwise, are willing to become Pupils in the Art of Theatrical Speaking and Acting...The Professor also gives Notice, that he intends to go through a Course of fifteen Dramatic Lectures founded on Shakespear's Plays. Each one to consist of three parts, and to be exhibited thrice weekly, as follow: The Heads of the first Lecture are as follow, viz. An Introduction to the Course. An Account of Dramatick Poesy. Aristotle's Definition of Tragedy and Comedy. The Sentiments of the Judicious concerning Shakespear. His Play of Hamlet consider'd, the Fable, Manners, Sentiments, and with Remarks on his Instructions to the Actors.
Event Comment: Taken from a Midsummer Night's Dream written by Shakespear. The Songs from Shakespear, Milton, Waller, Dryden, Lansdown, Hammond. Music-Smith. [First edition Text by John Christopher Smith; see Garrick to James Murphey French, Dec. 1756; H. Walpole to R. Bentley 23 Feb. 1755.] Besides our own Singers, we had Sg Guadagni, Sga Passerini, Miss Potier [i.e., Mrs Vernon], and Savage's Boys. Very great Applause; Sabatini danced after it and fell down, not hurt (Cross). [See A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Hands of Garrick and Colman, G. W. Stone Jr, PMLA (June 1939).] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Fairies

Related Works
Related Work: A Midsummer Night's Dream Author(s): William Shakespeare

Dance: CComic Dance-Sabatini, Sga Sabatini, Sabatini jun, his first time

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Lecture

Performance Comment: A New Dissertation on Various Theatrical Subjects-; in which will be Shakespear's Charge to Momus-; an Examen of the two Lears-; with the prefatory address to the Anti@Gallicans and the trading of the Nation-.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: George Barnwell Or The London Merchant

Afterpiece Title: The Mock Doctor or Dumb Lady Cured

Afterpiece Title: Lincos Travels

Entertainment: Monologue.End: Comic Paraphrase on Shakespear's Seven Ages of Man-Farrel

Performance Comment: End: Comic Paraphrase on Shakespear's Seven Ages of Man-Farrel.
Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Boswell (Restoration Court Stage, p. 282) thinks that this play given on the L. C. lists--see Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346--between 29 Oct. and 6 Nov., may have been acted on this day. See also an order for supplies for the comedians acting at court in Alwin Thaler, Shakespear to Sheridan, p. 290. Pepys, Diary: I to White Hall, where I staid walking up and down till night, and then got almost into the playhouse, having much mind to go and see the play at Court this night; but fearing how I should get nome, because of the bonefires and the lateness of the night to get a coach, I did not stay

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Mustapha

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is stated in Luttrell, A Brief Relation, II, 435, 28 April 1692: On Monday will be acted a new opera, call the Fairy Queen: exceeds former playes: the clothes, scenes, and musick cost 3000#. [According to Some Select Songs As they are Sung in the Fairy Queen (1692) tne singers were Mrs Ayliff, Mrs Dyer, Freeman, Mrs Butler, and Pate. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XII (1903), ii; E. W. White, Early Performances of Purcell's Operas, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958-59 ), 45; and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre, Chapter IV.] Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 42-43: The Fairy Queen, made into an Opera, from a Comedy of Mr Shakespeare s: This in Ornaments was Superior to the other Two [King Arthur and The Prophetess]; especially in Cloaths, for all the Singers and Dancers, Scenes, Machines and Decorations, all most profusely set off; and excellently perform'd, chiedly the Instrumental and Vocal part Compos'd by the said Mr Purcel, and Dances by Mr Priest. The Court and Town were wonderfully satisfy'd with it; but the Expences in setting it out being so great, the Company got very little by it. Gentleman's Journal, May 1692: The Opera of which I have spoke to you in my former hath at last appear'd, and continues to be represented daily: it is call'd, The Fairy Queen. The Drama is originally Shakespears, the Music and Decorations are extraordinary. I have heard the Dances commended, and without doubt the whole is very entertaining. [As the May issue of the Gentleman's Journal was licensed on 14 May, the statement that The Fairy Queen continued to be acted daily may indicate consecutive performances from 2 May to at le ast 14 May 1692.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Fairy Queen

Event Comment: Thomas Brown to George Moult, 12 Sept. 1699: But tho' Bartholomew-Fair is dead and buried for a twelvemonth, yet it is some consolation to us, that it revives in both the play-houses. Poetry is so little regarded there, and the audience is so taken up with show and sight, that an author will not much trouble himself about his thoughts and language, so he is but in fee with the dancing-masters, and has a few luscious songs to lard his dry composition. One would almost swear, that Smithfield had removed into Drury-lane and Lincolns-Inn-Fields, since they set so small a value on good sense, and so great a one on trifles that have no relation to the play. By the by, I am to tell you, that some of their late bills are so very monstrous, that neither we, nor our forefathers, ever knew anything like them: They are as long as the title-pages to some of Mr Prynn's works; nay, you may much sooner dispatch the Gazette, even when it is most crowded with advertisements. And as their bills are so prodigious, so are the entertainments they present us with: For, not to mention the Bohemian women, that first taught us how to dance and swim together; not the famous Mr Clinch of Barnet, with his kit and organ; nor the worthy gentlemen that condescended to dance a Cheshirerounds, at the instance of several persons of quality; nor t'other gentleman that sung like a turky-cock; nor, lastly, that prodigy of a man that mimick'd the harmony of the Essex lions; not to mention these and a hundred other notable curiosities, we have been so unmercifully over-run with an inundation of Monsieurs from Paris, that one would be almost tempted to wish that the war had still continued, if it were for no other reason but because it would have prevented the coming over of these light-heel'd gentlemen, who have been a greater plague to our theatres, than their privateers were to our merchantmen. Shortly, I suppose, we shall be entertain'd here with all sorts of sights and shows, as, jumping thro' a hoop; (for why should not that be as proper as Mr Sympson's vaulting upon the wooden-horses?) dancing upon the high ropes, leaping over eight men's heads, wrestling, boxing, cudgelling, fighting at back-sword, quarter-staff, bear-baiting, and all the other noble exercises that divert the good folk at Hockley; for when once such an infection as this has gain'd ground upon us, who can tell where it will stop? What a wretched pass is this wicked age come to, when Ben. Johnson and Shakespear won't relish without these bagatelles to recommend them, and nothing but farce and grimace will go down? For my part, I wonder they have not incorporated parson Burgess into their society; for after the auditors are stupify'd with a dull scene or so, he would make a shift to relieve them. In short, Mr Collier may save himself the trouble of writing against the theatre; for, if these lewd practices are not laid aside, and sense and wit don't come into play again, a man may easily foretell, without pretending to the gift of prophecy, that the stage will be shortliv'd, and the strong Kentish man will take possession of the two play-houses, as he has already done of that in Dorset-Garden (The Works of Thomas Brown, 4th ed. [London, 1715], I, 216-18)

Performances

Event Comment: A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), commenting upon Betterton's success with I Henry IV (see 9 Jan. 1699@1700) pictures Betterton entering his Closet and praying to Shakespeare for further assistance (p. 25), with the result that "tho' some of those Plays that Batterton Acted were Historical, and consequently highly irregular, yet they never fail'd to please" (p. 26). Sullen adds: Well, this lucky hit of Batterton's put D. Lane in a non-plus! Shakespear's Ghost was rais'd at the New-house, and he seem'd to inhabit it for ever: What's to be done then? Oh, says Rich I'll pray as well as he-What? Shall a Heathen Player have more Religion than a Lawyer? No, it shall never be said--with that Mr R@@ goes up to the Garret (a pair of Stairs higher than his own Apartment) and taking Ben Johnson's Picture with him, he implores. This work implies that Betterton presented Henry VIII in addition to I Henry IV and that Rich revived Volpone, The Alchymist, and The Silent Woman, which had, according to the author of this work, lain unacted for twenty years (p. 26)

Performances

Event Comment: Written by the Immortal Shakespear. With all the Original Flyings and Sinkings

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Mackbeth

Dance: As17100708

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Julius Caesar With The Death Of Brutus And Cassius

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Julius Caesar With The Death Of Brutus And Cassius

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Julius Caesar With The Death Of Brutus And Cassius

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Mackbeth

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Julius Caesar With The Death Of Brutus And Cassius

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Written by Shakespear

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Mackbeth

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Written by Shakespear

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Mackbeth

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Mills and Mrs Cox. Written by Shakespear. This being positively the last time of the Company's Acting this Season

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Mackbeth

Music: With all the Musick by Mr Leveridge-Renton, Mrs Mills, Mrs Willis

Dance: Mrs Santlow, Prince, Mrs Bicknell