Event Comment: Benefit Chapman. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. N.B. The afore-nam'd Gentlemen attempt those Characters for their own Diversion (as other Gentlemen have done before 'em) and Mr Chapman's Profit only

Event Comment: Benefit Chapman. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. N.B. The afore-nam'd Gentlemen attempt those Characters for their own Diversion (as other Gentlemen have done before 'em) and Mr Chapman's Profit only

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. Wilson (Six Restoration Play-Dates, pp. 222-23) argues from a number of references (principally in the Epilogue) to events of early 1681 which point to a premiere near May 1681: to the dissolution of Parliament, 28 March 1681; to the comet which appeared in November 1680 and disappeared in January 1680@1; to the Hatfield Maid; to William Lilly, the astrologer, who is referred to as though alive, thus suggesting a premiere before his death, 9 June 1681. It is possible that the premiere may have been earlier than this. In 1681 was published Poeta de Tristibus; or, The Poet's Complaint, whose author had obviously read the Prologue and Epilogue to The Unhappy Favourite. He represents himself as a disappointed dramatist whose tragedy has been rejected by both houses because "their Summer-store@Will all this Winter last." With the work entered in the Term Catalogues in 1682 and a copy purchased by Narcissus Luttrell with his note "4d 1681 12 Nov" (see A Bibliography of John Dryden, ed. Macdonald, pp. 235-36), his quotations from the Epilogue to The Unhappy Favourite and references to the Prologue would offer no difficulties if it were not that the "Author's Epistle" in which the references are made is dated "at Dover the Tenth day of January 1680@1," thus suggesting that he had seen the Prologue and Epilogue before that date. Nevertheless, some of the references in the Epilogue (to Heraclitus Ridens, beginning on 1 Feb. 1680@1, and Democritus Ridens, beginning on 14 March 1680@1) preclude a January premiere for the Prologue and Epilogue. Possibly the dating of the "Author's Epistle" is in error

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. 2nd piece [1st time; C 3, by John O'Keeffe. Not in Larpent MS; not published. This is an unusual instance of the playbill containing, on the 1st night of a new play, the full cast]: Taken from Mrs Centlivre's Gamester. Receipts: #345 13s. (256.2.6; 4.3.6; tickets: 85.7.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by John O'Keeffe. In 1797 altered by the author as The Rival Soldiers]: With new Music, new Scenes and Dresses. The Music composed and selected [from Handel and Anfossi (BUC, 969)] by Shield. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 25 May 1793: This Day is Published Sprigs of Laurel (1s). Receipts: #210 16s

Event Comment: Benefit for Munden. [Mrs Litchfield is identified in Thespian Dictionary, 1805; as Miss Hay she had acted at cg on 27 May 1796.] 2nd piece [1st time; MF 1, by John O'Keeffe. MS not in Larpent MS; not published]: Altered [by the author] from Sprigs of Laurel. True Briton, 1 May: Tickets to be had of Munden, No. 16, Clement's-Inn. Receipts: #418 8s. 6d. (122.8.6; 9.19.6; tickets: 286.0.6)

Event Comment: The King's Company. This day marks the resumption of acting by the King's Company after the disastrous fire at Bridges Street, Drury Lane; the players turned to the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields which the Duke's Company had recently left. The Prologue was printed in Covent Garden Drollery, 1672. Sloane MS. 4455 folio 26 verso: The Prologue of a Play entitled Witt without Money-Spoken at the Dukes old Theatre (after the Kings was burnt) by the King's players, Feb. 26 1671. The Curtaine being drawne up all the Actors were discover'd on the stage in Melancholick postures, & Moone [Mohun] advancing before the rest speaks as follows, addressing chiefly to ye King then [present]. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, p. 216): Wit Without Money: a Comedy which I have seen acted at the Old House in little Lincolns-Inn-Fields with very great Applause: the part of Valentine being Play'd by that compleat Actor Major Mohun deceas'd. This was the first Play that was acted after the Burning the King's House in Drury-lane: a New Prologue being writ for them by Mr Dryden

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by John O'Keeffe. Prologue by John Taylor (see text). Address by John Wolcot (Pocket Magazine, supra)]: With new Dresses and Decorations. [Mrs Lee was from the Salisbury theatre.] Morning Chronicle, 11 May 1795: This Day is published Life's Vagaries (2s.). Receipts: #268 3s. 6d. (259.19.6; 8.4.0)

Event Comment: The King's Company. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 16) refers to Hart's acting Don John. Wilson (All the King's Ladies, p. 170) lists Rebecca Marshall as possibly play1ng First Constantia. The Works of Beaumont and Fletcher (1711), p. ix: Mr Hart played the Part of Don John to the highest Satisfaction of the Audience, the Play had a great run, and ever since has been follow'd as one of the best Entertainments of the Stage. Pepys, Diary: And took them [Mrs Pepys and Betty Michell] against my vowes, but I will make good my forfeit, to the King's house, to show them a play, The Chances. A good play I find it, and the actors most good in it; and pretty to hear Knipp sing in the play very properly, All night I weepe; and sung it admirably. The whole play pleases me well; and most of all, the sight of many fine ladies--among others, my Lady Castlemayne and Mrs Middleton

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the Songs were advertised in the Flying Post, 6-8 Dec. 1698, and the play in the London Gazette, 19-22 Dec. 1698; hence, the premiere was certainly not later than early December and was probably not later than November. In fact, on 5 Dec. 1698 Dr. William Aglionby wrote Matthew Prior, referring to Dennis, "a poor poet who has made us a fine entertainment of Rinaldo and Armida" (quoted in The Works of John Dennis, II, 489). In a dialogue written by John Oldmixon (Reflections on the Stage [London, 1699], p. 101) Savage, referring to Rinaldo and Armida, states: I have seen it 3 or 4 times already, but the Musick is so fine, and the Play pleases me so well, that I shall not think it a burthen [to see it again] (in The Works of John Dennis, I, 479). The Musical Entertainments in the Tragedy of Rinaldo and Armida (1699) is reprinted, with an introduction by Herbert Davis, in Theatre Miscellany (Luttrell Society Reprints, No 14, Oxford, 1953), pp. 103-15. One song, Ah queen, ah wretched queen, give o'er, sung by Gouge, is in Mercurius Musicus, 1699; and another, Jolly breeze that comes whistling, sung by Gouge, is in Twelve New Songs, 1699. A Comparison between the Two Stages (1702), p. 22: Critick: At last, (as you say) the old Stagers moulded a piece of Pastry work of their own, and made a kind of Lenten Feast with their Rinaldo and Armida; this surpriz'd not only Drury-lane, but indeed all the Town, no body ever dreaming of an Opera there; 'tis true they had heard of Homer's Illiads in a Nut-shel, and Jack in a Box, and what not?...Sullen: Well, with this Vagary they tug'd a while, and The Jolly-Jolly breeze-came whistling thro'-all the Town, and not a Fop but ran to see the Celebrated Virgin in a Machine; there she shin'd in a full Zodiack, the brightest Constellation there; 'twas a pleasant Reflection all this time to see her scituated among the Bulls, Capricorns, Sagittaries, and yet the Virgo still remain itacta....Critick: But this merry Time lasted not always; every thing has an end, and at length down goes Rinaldo's inchanted Mountain; it sunk as a Mole-hill seen on't: What a severity was this? that the Labour of such a gigantick Poet, nay Critick, shou'd give up the Ghost so soon: The renown'd Author thought himself immortal in that Work, and that the World was to last no longer than his Rinaldo; and tho' he stole every thing from the Italian, yet he said, what the Italian did was but Grub-street to his. See also 5 Jan. 1698@9 for a letter written by Mrs Barry, in part concerning Rinaldo and Armida

Event Comment: [By Sir John Vanbrugh and Colley Cibber.] All the Characters new drest. Mist's 13 Jan.: On Wednesday last a most horrid, barbarous, and cruel Murder was committed...upon a posthumous Child of the late Sir John Vanbroog, by one who, for some Time past, has gone by the Name of Keyber. It was a fine Child born, and would certainly have lived long, had it not fallen into such cruel Hands. Davies (Dramatic Miscellanies, III, 260-61): In all the tumults and isturbances of the theatre on the first night of a new play, which was formerly a time of more dangerous service, to the actors, than it has been of late, Mrs Oldfield was entirely mistress of herself; she thought it her duty, amidst the most violent opposition and uproar, to exert the utmost of her abilities to serve the author. In the comedy of uproar, to exert the utmost of her abilities to serve the author. In the comedy of the Provoked Husband, Cibber's enemies tried all their power to get the play condemned. The reconciliation scene wrought so effectually upon the sensible and generous part of the audience, that the conclusion was greatly and generously approved. Amidst a thousand applauses, Mrs Oldfield came forward to speak the epilogue; but when she had pronounced the first line,-Methinks I hear some powder'd critic say-a man, of no distinguished appearance, from the seat next to tne orchestra, saluted her with a hiss. She fixed her eye upon him immediately, made a very short pause, and spoke the words poor creature! loud enough to be heard by the audience, with such a look of mingled scorn, pit, and contempt, that the most uncommon applause justified her conduct in this particular, and the poor reptile sunk down with fear and trembling. See also Cibber, Apology, I, 310-11; Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 105

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Sir John Vanburgh [sic], with Alterations [by John Philip Kemble]. [Afterpiece in place of Arthur and Emmeline, advertised on playbill of 22 Oct.] Receipts: #176 1s. (140.1.0; 31.9.6; 4.10.6)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but according to the Gentleman's Journal, May 1694, it followed Have at All: the other call'd The married Beau, or the Curious Impertinent, by Mr Crown, already acted many times (p. 134). The manuscript of a song composed by John Eccles and sung by Doggett is in Bodleian, School of Music Collection, c. 95, f 102. One by Henry Purcell, See, where repenting Celia lyes, sung by Mrs Ayliff, is in Thesaurus Musicus, 1695. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), xvii-xviii

Event Comment: [By John Vanbrugh. Date of premiere unknown. Published 10 Feb.

Event Comment: Written by Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: #15 2s. 6d

Event Comment: Not Acted these Ten Years. Written by Sir John Vanbrug. Receipts: #22 9s

Event Comment: Benefit Quin. Written by Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: money #48 4s.; tickets #93 9s

Event Comment: Benefit Lesac and Miss Latour. Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: money #12 10s. 6d.; tickets #54 2s

Event Comment: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Benefit Rowland and Widow Atkins. Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: money #9 9s.; tickets #108 8s. Probable attendance: boxes, 13 by money and 200 by tickets; stage, 2 by money; pit, 8 by money and 256 by tickets; first gallery, 15 by money and 200 by tickets; second gallery, 19 by money

Event Comment: Written by Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: #18 10s. Probable attendance: boxes, 6 paid and 9 orders; pit, 58 paid and 32 orders; slips, 11 paid and 7 orders; first gallery, 75 paid and 23 orders; second gallery, 46 paid and 4 orders

Event Comment: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: #100 19s. Probable attendance: boxes, 49 paid and 29 orders; pit, 259 paid and 14 orders; slips, 28 paid and 4 orders; first gallery, 252 paid and 7 orders; second gallery, 183 paid. [This is the last entry in the Harvard Manuscript which lists the receipts in various sections of the theater.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: #53 12s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh