Event Comment: We hear that the play
Venice Preserv'd is in Rehearsal at the Theatre Royal in
Covent Garden,
and is to be perform'd on Friday next;
and that the part of
Pierre will be attempted by a Gentleman who never appear'd on any stage before (
General Advertiser). [This month was published
A Letter to a certain Patentee, in which the Conduct of Managers is impartially considered,
and a few Periods bestowed on those darlings of the Publick, Mr G k, Mr F te,
Mrs P d, &c." Addressed to Rich it is criticism of his personnel policies as manager, with side comments on his morals,
and some on his performances: of his
Orpheus and Eurydice, the author agrees that three flaming scenes of Hell, now left out, should have been omitted from the beginning. The Serpent, however, generally behaves himself so well, that "I have had more real pleasure in his appearance than if he had been a living one." Dislikes his replacing
Ryan with
Hallam, dislikes his abuse of
Mrs Pritchard, criticizes his casting
Hippisley as
Polonius, since Polonius requires more than Hippisley can give, the latter being able to act only in the comic way.