Event Comment: Rich's Company.
The date of
the first performance is not known, but
the fact that
the play was advertised in
the London Gazette, No. 3140, 12-16 Dec. 1695, to be published 17 Dec. 1695, suggests that its first appearance was not
later than November 1695. According to
the Edition of 1695,
the music was set by
the late Henry Purcell,
Courteville,
Samuel? Aykerod, and o
ther composers. For Purcell's music, see
Purcell's Works,
Purcell Society, XVI (1906), xxix-xxxi.
The songs were sung by
Miss Cross and
Mrs Verbruggen. Preface, Edition of 1696: I must inform
the Reader, that this Third Part before it came upon
the Stage was acknowledg'd and believ'd by all that saw it, and were concern'd (as well those that heard it read, as those that were Actors, who certainly, every one must own, are in
their Affairs skilful enough to know
the value of things of this Nature) to be much
the best of all
the Three Parts;...tho prepar'd by my indefatigable Diligence, Care, Pains, nay,
the variety which I thought could not possibly miss
the expected Success, yet by some Accidents happening in
the Presentment, was disliked and explored;
The Songish part which I used to succeed so well in, by
the indifferent performance
the first day, and
the hurrying it on so soon, being streightned in time through ill management--(tho extreamly well set to Musick, and I'm sure
the just Critick will say not ill Writ) yet being imperfectly performed, was consequently not pleasing; and
the Dances too, for want of some good Performers, also disliked; all which, tho impossible for me to avoid, and not reasonably to be attributed any way to a fault in me, yet
the noisy Party endeavour'd to use me as ill as if it were, till
the generous Opposition of my Friends gave me as much reason to thank
them for
their Justice, as to despise
the o
thers Malice.... As to
the Poppet Shew in
the Fourth Act,
the Accident of its being plac'd so far from
the Audience, which hindred
them from hearing what ei
ther
they or
the Prolocutor said, was
the main and only reason of its diverting no better.
A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702) p. 17:
Sullen:
The third Part of
Don Quixote.
Ramble: Oh
the ever-running Streams of
Helicon! by all that's Poetical, my Friend
Durfey; good lack! I thought I shou'd meet with him before we got half way: Well, in
the name of Impudence, what luck?
Sullen: Damn'd, Damn'd to all intents and purposes. Ramble: His first and second Part did well