Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters (Folger Shakespeare Library), 22 Oct. 1687: There are to be 5 Pageants on the Ld Mayors day one representing Liberty by a Beautifull young Lady attended with Riches Plenty and ffreedom &c. (transcribed by Professor John Harold Wilson). Luttrell (A Brief Relation, I, 418): The 29th was the anniversary of the lord mayors show, the new one, sir John Shorter, now entring on his office; the shew was splendid and the entertainment great, according to custome: his majestie, with the prince of Denmark, did the citty the honour to dine with them at Guildhall, as also the nobility, foreign ministers, amongst which was the popes nuncio (who was invited particularly by some of the aldermen): the streets were new gravell'd all that morning on one side of the way, from Charing-crosse to the citty, for his majesties passage. His majestie was well satisfied with the whole entertainment. The Duke of Beaufort to the Duchess, 29 Oct. 1687 [a summary, apparently]: Has just come from the greatest entertainment he ever saw at a Lord Mayor's feast in the city, and the best ordered, though there was the greatest concourse there and in the streets that was ever known, and the greatest acclamations, all through the city as the King passed. The Queen did not dare venture, remembering that the Bristol entertainment had put her out of order, but all the nobility in town, and the foreign ministers were there. The Pope's Nuncio in particular was invited by the Lord Mayor and nobly entertained (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Beaufort MSS., Part IX, pp. 90-91)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known; It is one of several plays which may have been acted in or near December, for three were entered in the Term Catalogues at approximately the same time. Of the three, The Mistakes was given first near Christmas 1690; the other two may have come earlier in the month. A song, When Sylvia was kind, the music composed by John Eccles, is in Joyful Cuckoldom, ca. 1695. In the text of the play is a song, Corinna in the bloom of youth, sung by Mrs Botoler

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that it was advertised in the Post Boy, 27-29 Feb. 1695@6 and entered in the Term Catalogues, February 1695@6, suggests that it was probably acted not later than January 1695@6. It may have appeared around the turn of the year. One song, While Phillis does drink, set by John Eccles and sung by Coper; and another, So well Corinna likes the joy, the composer not named but sung by Young Laroch, a Boy of seven, are in Deliciae Musicae, The First Book of the Second Volume, 1696. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 45: A Comedy, wrote by Mr George Greenvil, when he was very Young; Extraordinary Witty, and well Acted; but offending the Ears of some Ladies who set up for Chastity, it made its Exit. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: And a good Comedy, tho it had the Misfortune to be ill receiv'd

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 16-18 April 1700, suggests that the first production came before Easter, March 31. A song, Delia tired Strephon with her flame, with music by John Eccles and sung by Bowman, is in Wit and Mirth, 1706

Event Comment: Benefit Griffin. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Benefit Taylor, Beaw, Cooper, Widow Cook (Boxkeeper). Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Afterpiece: Set to Musick by Mr T. Arne Jr

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A new Tragedy. [By John Hewitt.]

Event Comment: Three Brothers of ye Delavals play'd ye Eldest Othello, ye next Iago, ye next Cassio--+Brabantio & Lodovico Mr Pine Roderigo-Cap. Stevens and Wife Emelia $Mrs Quan did Desdemona, the performance was very decent & met with great applause the Audience from ye Boxes to the upper Gallery were fill'd with people of ye first rank & make a most brilliant appearance. & ye greatest Crowd at ye Doors I ever saw. their Agreement for ye House was a receipt of one of the Alfred Houses upon an Averidge. they had all new cloaths, & very nicely ornamented with Diamonds (Cross). [See eulogy and criticism in some detail concerning the acting, by John Hill, Inspector No 3.] All Gentlemen and Ladies who intend going in coaches this evening to Drury Lane Theatre, are desired to order their coachmen to drive thro' Covent Garden, and stop at Bridges St. Door, and as soon as they have set down the company to drive off directly towards the Strand.--Those who go in chairs, are requested to order the men to the New Door in Russel St., and to prevent the avenues being stopt up no person will be admitted to either passage without first showing their tickets at the outward door (General Advertiser). Tickets Lost. If any person has found three tickets (numbers forgot) for the private play this night at Drury Lane, and will be so kind as to bring them to the Bar of the Rainbow Coffee House, Ironmonger Lane, shall receive 15s. for the whole, or in proportion for one or two of them (General Advertiser). Tomorrow Morning at 8 o'clock will be published' (price 6d.) by Thomas Carnan, at Mr Newberry's, at the Bible and Sun in St Paul's Churchyard; An Occasional Prologue and Epilogue to Othello, as it will this night be acted at the theatre-Royal in Drury Lane, by Persons of distinction, for their diversion. Written by Christopher Smart, A.M., Fellow of Pembroke Hall in the University of Cambridge. To be had at the place above mentioned, and at the pamphlet shops at the Royal Exchange and Charing Cross. This Prologue and Epilogue will be entered in the Hall Book of the Company of Stationers, and whoever presumes to pyrate them, or any part of them, will be persecuted as the Law directs (General Advertiser). [Both pieces by Christopher Smart, according to the Daily Advertiser. See two exceedingly favorable critical comments and one derogatory reprinted in the Gentleman's Magazine, March 1751 (pp. 119-22): "The greatest part of the play was much better performed than it ever was on any stage before. In the whole, there was a face of nature that no theatrical piece, acted by common players ever came up to." Macklin was Delaval's dramatic coach, according to one of these articles.

Event Comment: Receipts: #58 4s. Paid for sundries for Mr Ross, viz.: a hat at #1 1s. and a pair of shoes at 14 shillings for Essex; a pair of black shoes at 14 shillings and a pair of black shammy shoes at 10s. 6d. for Hamlet (Account Book). [See Hamlet in Shammy Shoes, by John Yoklavitch, Shakespear Quarterly, III (1952), pp. 209-18.

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Mainpiece: Not acted in 20 years. [See 27 Jan. 1744.] With the Humours of Sir John Falstaff. Pit and Boxes laid together, and the Stage formed into a commodious amphitheatre. Boxes, pit, and Stage 5s. Ladies send servants by 3 o'clock; otherwise, Woodward cannot be responsible for any mistake. Places with tickets to be had of Woodward at his house in the Piazza, cg. This Day Publish'd, The Dramatic Execution of Agis. Price 6d. Receipts: #300 (Cross)

Event Comment: The Doors to be opened at Five o'clock. To Begin exactly at Six o'clock. [Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s.] Vivant Rex et Regina. [Customary footnote for each succeeding Bill. Only significant variations will be noted further. Criticism: For contemporary comment on performances and plays this season see John Potter's Theatrical Review, or New Companion to the Playhouse. 2 vols. London, 1772, a day by day account of Plays and actors at Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres for the season 1771-72. He is rather severe in his comments on most of the actors at cg. The four relatively constant expenditures set up for each night this season include music: averaging #7 5s.; wardrobe charges of from 1 to #3; properties 7s. to #1; and renters, paid to Garton, the treasurer, #10. Extras, when they occur, which is almost nightly, for such things as kettle drum, side drum, bagpipes, chorus singers, supernumeraries, together with all repair bills paid advances to actors, &c. are duly recorded. I include only what appear to be significant ones which illustrate the theatre as a show business.] Receipts: #186 4s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years. No joke ever raised such loud and repeated mirth, in the galleries, as Sir John 's labour in getting the body of Hotspur on his back...At length this upper-gallery merriment was done away [with] by the difficulties which Henderson encountered in getting Smith on his shoulders. So much time was consumed in this pick-a-pack business that the spectators grew tired, or rather, disgusted. It was thought best, for the future, that some of Falstaff 's ragamuffins should bear off the dead body" (Davies, I, 273-75). [For Henderson as Falstaff see hay, 24 July 1777.] Receipts: #207 10s. 6d. (185.6.0; 20.7.0; 1.17.6)

Event Comment: [Prologue by John Peter Roberdeau (European Magazine, Aug. 1791, p. 141).] "Of Palmer Sen.'s? acting the chief fault is...a manner by far too juvenile. He has very much the turn of countenance and mode of speech suitable to Falstaff, but his gait has no appearance of debility or infirmity, and is such as any man might use, incumbered by the same dress" (Gazetteer, 21 June)

Event Comment: Powell: [In afterpiece] Sir John Buck Cooke, Phillimore Ill; Classic Benson, Packer Ill. Beggar's Opera rehearsed at 10; New Ballet at 10 and at 12. Receipts: #148 3s. 6d. (103.5.0; 40.6.6; 4.12.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for R. Palmer. 2nd piece [1st time; SAT 1, by John Peter Roberdeau. Larpent MS 1080; not published]. "This piece found the audience in so ill a humour that it was soon put an end to by a general condemnation of it" (European Magazine, June 1795, p. 414). [3rd piece: Prologue by the elder George Colman.] Morning Chronicle, 20 May: Tickets to be had of R. Palmer, No. 28, Eaton-street, Pimlico. Receipts: #334 17s. 6d. (111.17.0; 44.10.0; 23.19.0; tickets: 154.11.6) (charge: #212 1s. 7d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Holman. Afterpiece : Not acted these 8 years [not acted since 16 sar. 1786]. Oracle, 16 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Holman, No. 14, John-street, Adelphi. Receipts: #318 19s. (205.3.6; 5.11.0; tickets: 108.4.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [altered by John Philip Kemble]. Receipts: #427 19s. (360.8.6; 66.5.6; 1.5.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Prince Hoare. Prologue by Richard Cumberland; Epilogue by John Taylor (see text)]. Receipts: #220 16s. 6d. (163.9.0; 56.6.6; 1.1.0)

Event Comment: Benefit R. Williams. Mainpiece: Not Acted these Twenty Years. On this day the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen of the City presented a petition to the King seeking the suppression of the theatre in Goodman's Fields. Thomas Odell, Master of the Theatre, also appeared before His Majesty and sought royal leave to continue acting.--See Grub St. Journal, 7 May, for a summary of the events, but see also Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer and London Journal, 2 May

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, author unknown. MS: Larpent 651; not published]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice at the Theatre; and Tickets to be had of Mrs Williams, the Artificial Flower Warehouse, Store-street, Bedford-square. [Mrs Williams is identified in Morning Post, 11 Feb.]

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Johnston & Miss Williams. Mainpiece: Written by R. Cumberland, Esq., and perform'd at the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane, with great Applause. Never acted there. Tickets to be had of Mr and Mrs Johnston & Miss Williams at the Windsor Castle [Inn], Plough and Harrow, Angel, Cock and Magpie, Salutation; and of Waldron, No. 17, Dorville's Row, where places for the Boxes may be taken

Event Comment: The Lord Mayor's Show. London Intelligencer, 31 Oct.: London, Octob. 29. This day the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of the City of London (Sir John Lawrence) was sworn into the said Office...After which...he return'd into the City, where the Solemnity of the day was perform'd with great Magnificence and in exceldent Order. Evelyn, Diary: Was the most magnificent triumph by Water & Land of the Ld: Major

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but John Harold Wilson, Six Restoration Play-Dates, Notes and Queries, June 1962, p. 221, has argued, primarily on references in the Epilogue, that the play was probably produced before the opening of the new Theatre Royal in Drury Lane and following two unsuccessful plays: The Mall and The Amorous Old Woman. The Prologue is in New Songs and Poems a la Mode, 1677. Preface to the edition of 1675: This play was left in Mr Dryden's hands many years since. The Author of it was unknown to him, and return'd not to claim it