Event Comment: The United Company. Constatijn Huygens, 16 Jan. 1692@2 O. S. [translation]: In the afternoon I went with Preswitz to the comedy, by Covent Garden, where there was a play about Henry II, but I could not very well understand the comedians, neither what they said. Mrs Barry played the King's wife and Mrs Bracegirdle his mistress, who let the King be poisoned in her presence. Sayer came and sat with us. The best places were for the English crown (Journaal van Constantijn Huygens, Publication of the Dutch Historical Society, New Series, XXV [Utrecht, 1877], 168)

Event Comment: MMrs Cibber to Garrick, late Jan.: It is surprising that dl goes on acting; one night with another, to be sure, they have not received above 40 pounds; the actors are paid only three nights a week; though they play every night. But the top stroke of all was Macklin's play! It was entirely new-dressed, and no expense saved in the clothes. I shall say nothing of the piece, because you may read it; but be as vain as you will about your playing Bayes, you never made an audience laugh more than Henry VII has done. There for the first time I saw your rival, Mr Goodfellow; I should have said the rival Mr Lacy wants to make you; do not be quite dispirited about it, for Perkin Warbeck is much below anything I ever yet saw. Here I must ask Mr Stevens's pardon, to whom I have done injustice, for I think he may dispute the pass downstairs with Perkin, and as his head seems to be the heaviest of the two, I think he has the best right to it.--Boaden, Private Correspondence of Garrick, I, 49

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; co 2, by Henry Bate (later Sir Henry Bate Dudley). Music by William Shield]. Books for both Pieces to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 15 June 1779: This Day is published The Flitch of Bacon (1s.)

Event Comment: The date of this amateur performance is not known, but the date generally accepted is December 1689. See Alfred Loewenberg, The Annals of Opera, Second Edition, Columns 85-86; and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre (Cambridge, Mass., 1961), pp. 38-69. The Epilogue is in New Poems (1690)

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.

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the Gentleman's Journal, February 1692@3 (issued in March) makes clear that it followed Congreve's play: We have had since a Comedy, call'd, The Wary Widow, or Sir Noisy Parrot, by Henry Higden Esq; I send by here the Prologue to it by Sir Charles Sedley, and you are too great an Admirer of Shakespeare, not to assent to the Praises given to the Fruits of his rare Genius (p. 61). The play was announced in the London Gazette, No. 2875, 29 May-June 1693. The music for one song, All hands up aloft, was by Berenclow, and the song appears in D'Urfey, Wit and Mirth, 1699. Dedication, edition of 1693: But now it is forced to beg for your Protection from the malice and severe usage it received from some of my Ill natured Friends, who with a Justice peculiar to themselves, passed sentence upon it unseen or heard and at the representation made it their business to persecute it with a barbarous variety of Noise and Tumult. Gildon, The Life of Mr Thomas Betterton (p. 20): The actors were completely drunk before the end of the third act, and being therefore unable to proceed with this "Pleasant Comedy," they very properly dismissed the audience

Event Comment: Aeneas and Dido compos'd by the late Mr Henry Purcell. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: several Musical Entertainments composed by Henry Purcell. [Monday 10--Saturday 15: PASSION WEEK]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Beaumont and Fletcher, and since Revis'd. Afterpiece: [By Henry Carey.] A New Farce

Event Comment: [By Henry Fielding.] Never Acted before

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. First Piece. [By Henry Carey.] Not play'd these Fourteen Years. Second Piece: Not play'd these Six Years

Event Comment: [By Henry Fielding.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: [By Henry Fielding.] For a comment on the performance, see Egmont, Diary, I, 97

Event Comment: Never Acted before. Written by the Author of Tom Thumb [Henry Fielding]. With New Scenes and other Decorations

Event Comment: Third piece: an entire New Act [introduced into Tom Thumb, By T. Cooke]. Daily Journal, 30 Nov.: Whereas it hath been advertised, that an entire New Act, called, The Battle of the Poets, is introduced into the Tragedy of Tom Thumb; This is to assure the Town, that I have never seen this additional Act, nor in any ways concerned therein. Henry Fielding

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. Afterpiece: Never perform'd before. [By Henry Fielding.

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [By Henry Fielding.]5s., 3s., 2s., 1s

Event Comment: Never Acted before. [Both plays by Henry Fielding. For a discussion of recent plays, see The Comedian, No. 3, June 1731.

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: A New Farce. [By Henry Fielding.] Alter'd from the French of Moliere

Event Comment: A New English Opera after the Italian Manner. [Text by Henry Carey. Set to Musick by John Christopher Smith.] Pit and Boxes put together at 5s. First Gallery 3s. Upper Gallery 2s. 6 p.m. Receipts: For Mr Arne

Event Comment: Afterpiece: [By Henry Carey. Not printed.

Event Comment: A New Ballad Opera. [By Henry Potter.

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Raftor. At the desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: A Farce of one Act. [By Henry Fielding. Apparently not published.

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several eminent Merchants and Persons of Distinction. Afterpiece: a new Pastoral Epithalamium. [Edition of 1733 lists no cast, states that it was written by a Gentleman, and prints the Prologue, which was written by Havard. A song, The Wedding Day, written by Henry Carcy, was sung in it by Master Osborne.]