Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Not acted in seven years [see 7 May 47]. Altered from Dryden by Colley Cibber, Esq. Part of Pit laid into boxes. Amphitheatre on Stage. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. This Morning at Ten will be publish'd at 6d. An Epistle from Mr The. Cibber to David Garrick, Esq; to which are prefix'd some occasional verses, Petitions, &c.: @Lowliness is young Ambition's ladder,@Whereto the Climber upwards turns his face;@But when he once attains the upmost Round,@He then unto the ladder turns his back,@Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees@By which he did ascend.@Shakespeare@"Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so we would have it; let them not say, we have swallow'd him up," Ps. XXXV. v.25. Printed for R. Griffiths. [A thirty-five-page apologia, and bitter attack upon Garrick for supposed complicity in prohibiting the license of the Haymarket to him.] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Woffington. Mainpiece: By N. Rowe, Esq. Not acted these 20 Years. [The Young Gentlewoman possibly Miss Condill. See 1 Nov. 1756.] Afterpiece: Taken from Dryden and Colley Cibber, Poets Laureate

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Written by Colley Cibber. [The Old Maid for 8 May 1756 reviewed this performance of Lethe, or possibly the one with the same cast on 30 April. The reviewer was 'particularly diverted with Mrs Clive's Italian Song, in which this truly humorous actress parodys the Air of the Opera, and takes off the action, of the present favorite female at the Hay-Market, with such exquisite ridicule, that the most zealous partisans of both, I think, must have applauded the comic genius of Mrs Clive, however they might be displeased with this application of it." The reviewer is lukewarm in praise of the "New Character"..."What is there new in a Lord's having Gout, loving a bottle, pretending to taste, or being follow'd by a flatterer?"] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: CComus is deferr'd on account of Mrs Cibber's indisposition. Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: Both pieces by Command of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 years [see 8 May 1753]. Written by Beaumont and Fletcher. Afterpiece: Taken from Dryden and Colley Cibber, Poets Laureate. [Lucy was played by Miss Sledge; see 4 Feb. 1757.

Event Comment: CColly Cibber dy'd (Cross). Afterpiece: By Desire. On Monday Next will be publish'd as 1s. Isabella, or the Fatal Marriage. A Play alter'd from Southern, as it is now performing at Drury Lane (Public Advertiser). Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMiss Pritchard did the Lady-Oh! for Mrs Pritchard's Benefit. She advertised Jane Shore, but Mrs Cibber being ill it was changed (Cross). Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Tickets delivered for Jane Shore will be taken. Mainpiece: From Shakespear. Afterpiece: Never acted there. Receipts: #280 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMrs Cibber extremely ill, benefit to have been tomorrow deferred. Her death reported (Winston MS 9) [but see 29 March]

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. Mainpiece: Not acted this season. Afterpiece: A comedy of one act by Mrs Cibber not acted these 12 years. [See 2 May 1753.] None admitted behind Scenes

Event Comment: By Permission. Benefit for Fearon and Kennedy. Mainpiece: A new Comedy. Afterpiece: A farce altered from Cibber['s comedy of same title]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Colley Cibber, Esq. Receipts: #171 8s. (169.9; 1.19)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Mainpiece: Written by R. Cumberland, Esq. Afterpiece: Written by Colley Cibber, with capital Additions by Fielding, Dean Swift, G. A. Stevens, &c. &c. &c. Public Advertiser, 20 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Quick, Broad-court, Bow-street. Receipts: #327 4s. (177.2.6; 9.11.6; tickets: 140.10.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Kemble, being the last Time of her Appearing on the Stage. 1st piece [1st time; T 2, by John Philip Kemble, altered from the same by Philip Massinger. Larpent MS 1040: not published]: In Act I the Triumphal Entry of Domitian into the Capitolv. 2nd piece [1st time; C 3, by John Philip Kemble, altered from The Comical Lovers, by John Dryden and Colley Cibber. Larpent MS 1133: not published. Genest, VII, 243: C. Kemble on being asked, in 1821, if the above cast was right, said that he believed it was, but that he was ill and did not act]. [Address by Bertie Greatheed (European Magazine, June 1796, p. 397).] Morning Herald, 10 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kemble, No. 13, Caroline-street, Bedford-square. Account-Book: Paid H. S. Hargraves, Box No. 95, his Servant being turn'd out by Force, #1 4s. Receipts: #190 9s. 6d. (130.9.0; 59.10.0; 0.10.0; tickets: none listed; odd money: 0.0.6) (charge: #216 17s.)

Event Comment: DDaily Post, 29 May: We are assur'd that there will be no more Plays acted this Season at [dl], and we hear that there was Yesterday no Play acted...as had been advertiz'd for that Day; the Occasion we are inform'd was, that at Midnight on Saturday last several persons arm'd took Possession of the same, by Direction from some of the Patentees, and lock'd up and barricado'd all the Doors and Entrances thereunto, against the whole Company of his Majesty's Comedians, as also against Mr Cibber, Jun. notwithstanding he had paid to one of the Patentees several hundred Pounds for one third Part of the Patent, Cloaths, Scenes, &c. and all Rights and Privileges thereunto annexed, for a certain Term not yet expired. Mr Cibber, Jun. and the rest of the Company of Comedians, and this Morning to wait upon his Grace the Duke of Grafton, Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Houshold, with their humble Petition, and the Representation of their Cast, and to beg his Grace's Favour and Protection

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 30 May: We hear that Mr Cibber, Jun. one of the present Directors of his Majesty's Company of Comedians together with Mr Mills, Sen Mr Johnson, Mr Miller, Mr Harper, Mr Griffin, Mr Mills, jun. Mr Shepard, Mr Hallam, jun. Mrs Horton, Mrs Heron, Mrs Butler, and others of the Company, waited Yesterday on his Grace the Duke of Grafton...to deliver...an humble Petition, and they met with gracious Reception

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but it was very likely this day. Writing on 12 May 1688, Peregrine Bertie states that it had been acted nine days successively. If the ninth performance fell on Friday 12 May, the premiere probably occurred on Wednesday 3 May. The Prologue and Epilogue, printed separately, are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 261-63. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 41): This Play by its Excellent Acting, being often Honour's with the presence of Chancellor Jeffereies, and other great Persons had an Uninterrupted run of 13 Days together. Note, The Poet receided for his third Day in the House in Drury Lane at single Prizes 130 l. which was the greatest Receipt they ever had at that House at single Prizes. Dedication, Edition of 1688: This, I must confess, made me hope for success upon the Stage, which it met with, but so great, as was above my expectation (in this Age which has run mad after Farces) no Comedy, for these many years, having fill'd the Theatre so long together: And I had the great Honour to find so many Friends, that the House was never so full since it was built, as upon the third day of this Play; and vast numbers went away, that could not be admitted. For Leigh as Belfond Sr, see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 147-48; and for Underhill as Lolpoop, I, 154-55. For further comment upon the play, see 12 May 1688

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. [Author of Prologue to 1st piece unknown. 2nd piece: By permission of G. Colman, Esq. [owner of the copyright]. 3rd piece [1st time; F 2 (?)]: Altered from Woman's a Riddle [by Christopher Bullock; alterer unknown. Not in Larpent MS; not published]. Public Advertiser, 2 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 2, Frith-street, Soho. Receipts: #286 11s. (145.16; 14.5; 1.12; tickets: 124.18) (charge: #106 1s. 5d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. Public Advertiser, 22 July: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 29, Bow Street, Covent Garden. 1st piece: In 3 acts, altered from Shakespeare [by Frederick Pilon. Prologue by the alterer (European Magazine, Aug. 1785, p. 150)]. 2nd piece: Acted but once [on 27 Aug. 1783]; with Alterations

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 1st piece [1st time; MF 2. Larpent MS 1210; not published]: Written by Charles? Dibdin, Founded on his Popular Novel under that Title, and enriched with a Selection of his most recent and favourite Songs. Do conclude with a new Finale by Dibdin. The Overture by Dibdin. "[It is a] wretched inanity; without interest, without humour, without character, original only in its dullness and unmatchable absurdity" (Monthly Mirror, May 1798, p. 306). 2nd piece: Compressed into Three Acts. 3rd piece: By permission of the Proprietor of the Theatre Royal Hay-Market. Morning Herald, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 65, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #511 13s. 6d. (251.7.6; 68.7.0; 1.13.0; tickets: 190.6.0) (charge: #212 19s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. In consequence of Edwin's Indisposition, Bannister Jun. is obliged to undertake the character of Mrs Cole. Morning Chronicle, 19 July: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 29, Bow-street, Covent Garden. 1st piece [1st time; F I, author unknown, altered from The Walking Statue; or, The Devil in the Wine Cellar, by Aaron Hill. MS: Larpent 741; not published].3rd piece: Not acted these 7 years [acted 8 Sept. 1780]

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. Mainpiece: By Permission of George Colman Jun., Esq. [Prologue by George Colman Jun. (Kemble Mem.), printed in Henry Angelo,@Reminiscences, 1828, I, 331-32.] Morning Herald, 29 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 2, Frith-street, Soho. Receipts: #538 18s. 6d. (251.19.6; 32.18.0; 3.0.0; tickets: 251.1.0) (charge: #163 9s. 2d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 1st piece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Text 1st published in his Posthumous Dramatic Works, Vol. II (G. and W. Nicol, 1813); it assigns no parts, but adds George Ivey and David Duncan, acted by Caulfield and Packer. Genest erroneously assigns Sir Adam to Wewitzer and Beau Tiffany to R. Palmer. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (True Briton, 9 May). Songs by Michael Kelly, in Act I harmonized by Sir William Parsons.] True Briton, 25 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 65, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #581 15s. (294.18.6; 72.7.0; 3.17.6; tickets: 210.12.0) (charge: #213 6s. 8d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 2nd piece [1st time; C 3, by Thomas Bellamy; on 24 Aug. and thereafter reduced to 2 acts. MS: Larpent MS 841; not published]. Public Advertiser, 4 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 2, Frith-street, Soho

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 2nd piece: By Permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Morning Herald, 23 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 2, Frith-street, Soho