Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Four Acts. The Music by Dr Arne and Giardini. Books of the Lyric Part of the Drama to be had at the Theatre. [Mrs Pollock is identified in European Magazine, Dec. 1792, p. 456. "Candour and impartiality compel us to advise this lady to desist from a pursuit that affords her not the most distant prospect of success. She is deficient in every dramatic requisite, her person alone excepted" (Morning Herald, 26 Nov.).] Receipts: #182 0s. 6d

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; Ball. P 2(?), by James Byrn. Not in Larpent MS; not published. Synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 11 Mar.]: The Music selected from Shield, Haydn, Dibdin, Pleyel, Reeve, and other eminent Composers. The Pantomime composed by Byrn. The Scenery entirely new, by Hodgins, Pugh, Walmsley. With new Dresses and other Decorations. Receipts: #250 12s. 6d

Event Comment: 1st piece: With Alterations; Not acted these 6 years [acted 18 May 1792]. [The playbill announces this performance as "By Command of Their Majesties," but they, "who had been expected here last night, did not arrive; the indisposition of two of the Princesses having detained them at Windsor" (Morning Herald, 16 Apr.). "After the Relief of Williamstadt [which is not listed on the playbill, but which on 13 Apr. is called '8th Time,' and on 16 Apr. '10th Time'], the Irishman in London...was attempted to be performed; but after many unsuccessful apologies, the piece was not suffered to proceed, and the farce originally intended for representation, The Lying Valet, not without considerable difficulty, many of the performers having quit the theatre, was gone through with, to the gratification of a part of the audience who appeared determined rather to exercise their power than adhere to propriety" (Public Advertiser, 16 Apr.).] The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]. Receipts: #345 5s

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Mara. Public Advertiser 22 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mme Mara, No. 25, Queen Anne-street, East. Receipts: #216 4s. 6d. (114.17.6; 28.11.0; 2.18.0; tickets: 69.18.0) (charge: #163 17s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpicce: Not acted these 5 years [acted 19 May 1792). Afterpiece: Not acted these 3 years [acted 24 Apr. 1792). "When next [Miss Jones, who had acted previously at Birmingham, and who is identified in Thespian Magazine, Dec. 1793, p. 359) plays the part she should endeavour to hold her person erect. The crouching attitudes that she adopted in the breeches scenes, took from the captivating impression that her figure might otherwise have produced" (Public Advertiser, 19 Nov.). [Author of Occasional Address unknown.] Receipts: #291 11s. 6d. (287/11/6; 4/0/0)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of THE DUENNA; afterpiece of THE IRISH MAN IN LONDON, both advertised on playbill of 13 Dec. In mainpiece "Mrs Follett was the Lucinda of the third act, in the room of Mrs Mountain, who was suddenly taken ill towards the close of the second" (Public Advertiser, 16 Dec.).) Receipts: #230 6s. (225/9/6; 4/16/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Storace. Mainpiece: By Permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by Prince Hoare, based partly on LE TABLEAU PARLANT, by Louis Anseaume]: The Music by Storace. "The songs are written with taste, and set to very lively and agreeable tunes by Storace's brother...[They are] calculated to afford her a complete opportunity of displaying that mixture of laughable levity, friskiness and merriment which on the stage give her so much attraction" (Public Advertiser, 18 Dec.). Tickets to be had of Sga Storace, No. 36, Howland Street, and of Rice at the Theatre, where Places for the Boxes may be taken

Event Comment: [As 1st piece Public Advertiser announces ALL IN GOOD HUMOUR.]

Event Comment: Benefit Boman and Rogers. [Barton Booth died on this day.

Event Comment: No paper for this day. But all advance notices listed this play and commented that it would be the last time of acting this season

Event Comment: PPhillips and Hussey's Company. 2s. 6d., 1s. 6d., 6d. [Concert formula used.] To begin at 12 and end at 10 p.m. Mainpiece: [first announced on 26th and 29th as The Careful Father; or, The Extravagant Son. Notice of performance repeated 2,3,6 (but Cushing as Drunken Peasant), 6,7 (but Phillips as Drunken Peasant), 12, 13, 14, and 15 May. Probably acted every day of May Fair.

Event Comment: Benefit Reinhold and Mrs Furnival (General Advertiser). This day agreement was signed between Lacy and Garrick as new partners in the patent for Drury Lane theatre. The total present liabilities of the theatre, including the mortgage to Green and Amber, the mortgage to Hutchinson Meure, with the arrears due to actors and tradesmen, were calculated at about #12,000. It was besides burdened with an annuity to Calthorpe of #300, and another of #500 to Fleetwood. Of this #12,000 Garrick, helped by his friends found eight. Each party was to draw #500 a year as manager, and Garrick was to received besides #500 a year salary for his acting; but was restrained from playing at any other house, except on terms of dividing profits with his fellow manager.--Fitzgerald, Life of Garrick, p. 112

Event Comment: Charles II to Madame, 10 Dec. 1663: I am just now going to see a new play (C. H. Hartmann, Charles II and Madame[1934], p. 89). The Duke's Company. W. J. Lawrence, in a review of Boswell, The Restoration Court Stage, in Modern Language Review, XXVIII (1933), 103, suggests that it was The Step-Mother which was given on this occasion. The edition of 1664 lists: The Prologue to the King at the Cockpit at White-Hall. The Epilogue to the King

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 King's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 116. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 345. There is some uncertainty as to whether this is the premiere, but another performance on 15 Jan. 1674@5 and its entry in the Stationers' Register 13 Jan. 1674@5 suggest that this was probably the first performance

Event Comment: The King's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 215. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 345. There is no certainty that this is the premiere, but it or the preceding Saturday may well be, since Sophonisba seems to have dominated the preceding week

Event Comment: The King's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 359: Augustus Caesar. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346. The music for a song in act I, scene I, was composed by Nicholas Staggins, and printed in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Second Book, 1679. There is no certainty that this was the premiere, but it may well have been. The play was entered in the Term Catalogues, May 1676

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@142, p. 81: At the Man of Mode. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. Nell Gwyn also attended this performance. See VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p. 407. It is uncertain whether this is the premiere, but the licensing date of 3 June 1676 suggests that the first production may have occurred at this time. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 36): This Comedy being well Cloath'd and well Acted, got a great deal of Money. One song, As Amoret with Phyllis sat, the words by Sir Car Scroope and the music by Nicholas Staggins, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Second Book, 1679; another, When first Amintas charmed my heart, the music by Staggins, is in the same collection, Fifth Book, 1684. John Dennis: I remember very well that upon the first acting this Comedy, it was generally believed to be an agreeable Representation of the Persons of Condition of both both Sexes, both in Court and Town; and that all the World was charm'd with Dorimont (A Defence of Sir Fopling Flutter, 1722, p. 18). For the full text of Dennis' discussion of this play, see The Critical Works of John Dennis, ed. E. N. Hooker (Baltimore, 1943), II, 241-50

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@145, p. 120. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 349. There is no certainty that this is the first performance, but a licensing date of 28 Jan. 1677@8 and Mrs Behn's statement in the Preface that she hurried the play into print suggest a premiere not far from this date. Edition of 1678: To the Reader: I Printed this Play with all the impatient haste one ought to do, who would be vindicated from the most unjust and silly aspersion, Woman could invent to cast on Woman; and which only my being a Woman has procured me, That it was Bawdy, the least and most Excusable fault in the Men Writers, to whose Plays they all crowd, as if they came to no other end then to hear what they condemn in this: but from a Woman it was unnaturall. One song, Sitting by yonder river side, with music by Thomas? Farmer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Second Book, 1679