Event Comment: The United Company. This play was never published, and the date of its first performance is not known. It is referred to, however, in the Gentleman's Journal, May 1694, with the implication that it preceded The Married Beau and that both had appeared since the previous issue of the Gentleman's Journal

Event Comment: By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Massey. Afterpiece: Never performed in London, written by the author of The Son-In-Law [John O'Keeffe; 1st acted at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 14 Jan. 1767. See also cg, 16 Mar. 1782, when it was acted as The Positive Man]. To begin at 7:00. Tickets delivered for the 4th instant will be taken. Tickets and places for the Boxes to be had of Rice at the Theatre, and of Massey, No.4, St. Martin's-street, Leicester-Fields

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but it was probably this day. A letter dated 26 Jan. 1681@2 speaks of the preceding day's performance as the "poet's day," presumably the third day; it is likely, therefore, that the premiere fell on Monday, 23 Jan. 1681@2. The Prologue and Epilogue, were printed separately in 1682 and reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 50-51. Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) bears his acquisition date of 14 Feb. 1681@2. A note on the Library of Congress copy indicated that Smith spoke the Prologue. A song, Great Augustus like the glorious sun, with music by John Blow, is in A New Collection of Poems and Songs, 1683. Another, Now the Tones all must droop, sung by Bowman, is in the same collection, but without indication of the composer, and a third, Twa bonny lads were Sawney and Jockey, without singer or composer, is in the same collection

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but it followed The Gordian Knot Unty'd, which is mentioned in the Prologue. Edward III was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 2629, 19-22 Jan. 1690@1, and entered in the Term Catalogues, February 1690@1. The authorship is uncertain. The title page bears no author's name, but the Dedication is signed by Will. Mountfort. In addition, on 10 Oct. 1691 Mountfort received a grant of #10 when Edward III was played before the Queen (L. C. 5@150, p. 306, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 357). On tne other hand, the Gentleman's Journal, October 1692, stated that it was written by the author of Henry the Second, which has been attributed to John Bancroft. See Nicoll, Restoration Drama, pp. 388-89, for a summation of the evidence on this problem. Alfred Harbage, Elizabethan-Restoration Palimpsest, Modern Language Review, XXXV (1940), 319, thinks that this is a revision of Robert Davenport's The Politic Queen

Event Comment: A new Comedy (Newspaper clipping Harvard Theatre collection). [Cast from first edition differs from player's names of this night.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Acted but once [on 23 May 1797]. The Music and Overture entirely new, composed by Hook. With appropriate Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. Receipts: #228 0s. 6d. (203.16.0; 24.4.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by Mr Gay, Author of the Beggar's Opera

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@142, p. 81: At the Virtuoso. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. Nell Gwyn also attended this performance; see VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p. 407. The Diary of Robert Hooke, 25 May 1676: Mr Abraham Hill gave J. Hoskins, Aubery and I an account of Vertuoso play. A song, How retched is the slave to love, the music by Francis Forcer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Second Book, 1679. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 37): The Libertine and Virtuoso: Both Wrote by Mr Shadwell; they were both very well Acted, and got the company great Reputation

Event Comment: The King's Company. There is no indication of the date of the first performance, but a licensing date of 6 April 1677 and the large number of minor actors in the cast suggest a Lenten performance. Preface to edition of 1677: I think (without Ostentation) never was House more throng'd;...The first, second, and other times it was Acted, I think lost me no Credit, but...Fortune...Jaded me, robbing me of the Honour of my Plays continuance for that time; by a Mischance which hapned to one, whose Part was too considerable to be quickly studied

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first production is not known, and it may have been acted before this season; hence, it is entered also in the preliminary list in the season of 1676-77. As the play was licensed for printing on 4 Oct. 1677, September 1677 is probably the latest time at which it could have been produced. The play is an alteration of Thomas Middleton's No Wit, No Help, Like a Woman's. It has been attributed to both Mrs Aphra Behn and Thomas Betterton

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known. This is the second of three plays which have been assigned to December 1690 (see Alphonso and The Mistakes). It was entered in the Term Catalogues, Feb. 1690@1, and advertised in the London Gazette, No. 2638, 19-23 Feb. 1690@1

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not precisely known, but by 9 May 1693 it had been acted four times (see Dryden's letter, below); on the other hand, the Gentleman's Journal, February 1692@3 (issued in March) had stated that D'Urfey's new farce would not appear until after Easter. Hence, it may well have been the first new play after Passion Week. A dialogue, Behold, the man with that gigantick might, the music by Henry Purcell and sung by Mr Reading and Mrs Ayliff, is in Orpheus Britannicus, 1690. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XXI (1917), viii-x. A dialogue, By these pigsnes eyes that stars do seem, the music by John Eccles and sung by Dogget and Mrs Bracegirdle, is in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695. Another, Stubborn church division, folly, and ambition, to a Ground of Mr Solomon Eccles, is in Thesaurus Musicus, 1694. And Maiden fresh as a rose, the verse by D'Urfey and sung by Pack, but not printed in the play, is in The Merry Musician, I (1716), 56-57. This last song may have been for a later revival. Gentleman's Journal, April 1693 (issued in May 1693): Since my last we have had a Comedy by Mr Durfey; 'tis called the Richmond Heiress or a Woman once in the right (p. 130). Dryden to Walsh, 9 May 1693: Durfey has brought another farce upon the Stage: but his luck has left him: it was sufferd but foure dayes; and then kickd off for ever. Yet his Second Act, was wonderfully diverting; where the scene was in Bedlam: & Mrs Bracegirdle and Solon [Dogget] were both mad: the Singing was wonderfully good, And the two whom I nam'd, sung better than Redding and Mrs Ayloff, whose trade it was: at least our partiality carryed it for them. The rest was woeful stuff, & concluded with Catcalls; for which the two noble Dukes of Richmond and St@Albans were chief managers (The Letters of John Dryden, pp. 52-53)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not precisely known, but the opera was in preparation on 15 June 1697. In addition, it was advertised in the Post Boy, 22-24 June 1697, that it would be published on 25 June 1697. As it was occasionally the custom of the theatres to have copies of operatic pieces available at the theatre for a performance, it is possible that the premiere occurred at the end of the week of 21-26 June 1697. Furthermore, a certain performance on 1 July 1697, a benefit for the "Undertaker" of it, probably the third performance, similarly suggests a premiere a few days earlier

Event Comment: [By Sandford.] All the Characters being entirely new dress'd. [The Preface gives a long account of the difficulties attendant on the production, particularly the inexperience of the amateur performers.