Event Comment: [Words by P. A. Motteux.] Never perform'd before. The Dances, Choruses, and other Entertainments being properly introduc'd as on Foreign Stages. Admission to pit and boxes by tickets only (not to exceed 400) at half a guinea; stage boxes, half a guinea; first gallery 5s., upper gallery 2s. 6d. Receipts: #240 6s. 9d

Event Comment: Lady Wentworth, writing on 10 Dec., said: Yesterday I had lyke to have been ketched in a trap, your Brother Wentworth had almost parswaded me to have gon last night to hear the fyne muisick, the famous Etallion sing att the rehersall of the Operer, which he assured me it was soe dark none could see me. Indeed musick was the greatist temtation I could have, but I was afraid he deceaved me, soe Betty only went with his wife and him; and I rejoysed I did not, for thear was a vast deal of company and good light--but the Dutchis of Molbery had got the Etallian to sing and he sent an excuse, but the Dutchis of Shrosberry made him com, brought him in her coach but Mrs Taufs huft and would not sing because he had first put it ofe; though she was thear yet she would not, but went away. I wish the house would al joyne to humble her and not receav her again. This man out dus Sefashoe, they say that has hard both (Wentworth, p. 66)

Event Comment: Benefit Cavaliero Nicolini Grimaldi. And (at the Desire of several Persons of Quality) the Boxes are to be open'd to the Pit, and none to be admitted but by printed Tickets, which are deliver'd by him. [Ch. Dering, writing to John Percival, stated that Nicolini got 800 guineas.-Egmont MS, p. 246.

Event Comment: Benefit Husband and Mrs Willis. [Hogan, p. 246, identifies the gentlewoman as Miss Willis.

Event Comment: Benefit Cibber. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. London in 1710 (p. 96): It was a fine piece, and on that account had a large audience

Event Comment: Receipts: #128 18s. 6d. [According to Deutsch, p. 30, Francesca Vanini-Boschi introduced a Handel aria into this opera on this day.

Event Comment: Admission by ticket only at half a guinea. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 2s. At 6 p.m. Letter by Peter Wentworth, 11 Jan.: Wednesday was the Opera and there he [Prince Eugene] brought a great crowd, so much that Operas are to be perform'd thrice a week whilst he stays here (Wentworth Papers, p. 246)

Event Comment: [Text by N. F. Haym. Music by G. F. Handel.] Colman's Opera Register: Mr O. Swiny ye Manager of ye Theatre was now setting out a New Opera, Heroick. all ye Habits new & richer than ye former with 4 New Scenes, & other Decorations & Machines. Ye Tragick Opera was called Theseus. Ye Musick composed by Mr Handel....ye Opera being thus prepared Mr Swiny would have got a Subscription for Six times, but could not.--he then did give out Tickets at half a Guinea each, for two Nights ye Boxes lay'd open to ye Pit, ye House was very full these two Nights

Event Comment: Benefit Valentino Urbani. Admission as 21 March. [He received #75 8s. 5d. See the Heidegger Memoranda in Deutsch, p. 59.

Event Comment: [By Joseph Addison.] Never Acted before. G. Berkeley to Sir John Percival, 16 April: On Tuesday last...Cato was acted the first time. I am informed the front boxes were all bespoke for nine days, a fortnight before the play was acted. I was present with Mr Addison, and two or three more friends in a side box, where we had a table and two or three flasks of burgundy and champagne, with which the author (who is a very sober man) thought it necessary to support his spirits in the concern he was then under, and indeed it was a pleasant refreshment to us all between the acts....The actors were at the expence of new habits, which were very magnificent. (Rand, p. 113. See also Victor, II, 29-31, and Cibber, I, 122-23, II, 127-33)

Event Comment: G. Berkeley to Sir John Percival: Mr Addison's play has taken wonderfully, they have acted it now almost a month, and would I belive act it a month longer were it not that Mrs Oldfield cannot hold out any longer, having had for several nights past, as I am informed, a midwife behind the scenes (Rand, p. 115)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Barbier. With all the proper Scenes and Machines. [Mrs Barbier received #15. See Deutsch, p. 58.

Event Comment: Benefit Handel. [Admission as 2 March.] In all its former Perfection, viz. As Scenes, Flights, and Decorations. [Handel received #73 10s. 11d. See Deutsch, p. 59.

Event Comment: Ryder (p. 101): We first went into Norris's booth and then into Penkethman and Bullock booth. They are both of them very mean and fit only to make us laugh. The farces are made up out of several very comical parts of other plays which are collected together. Penkethman and Bullock are a mere farce to look at them only; they have both of them so very simple a look, but yet in a very different kind. There was the Duke of Montague and some compnay of fashion. There was rope dancing and tumbling at Penkethman and Bullock. It was very low life represented. There were now and then some good humorous turns came in that made us laugh with a just pleasure

Event Comment: Ryder (p. 181): It is a very good play and well acted. I observed that most of the clappings were upon party accounts. There happened to be some reflections upon the priests which the Whigs clapped extremely and the Tories made a faint hiss