Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets for Merope will be taken. Benefit for Mr Holland. Tickets at Holland's lodgings, a Peruke-Maker's, opposite Cecil St., Strand. While he was speaking his first Speech to the Ghost, an Ignorant man took up his hat & clapt it upon his head, Holland unconcern'd play'd with it so, & went off wth it, (great Prudence) (Cross). Receipts: #270 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Waldron from Edinburgh made his first appearance upon this Stage in Scrub he is a mean figure a small Impediment in his speaking and wants power he met with some applause (Hopkins Diary)

Event Comment: [W+Winston MS 10 notes that O. Smith suggests Miss Spencer. Winston suggests Mrs Greville. The Town and Country Magazine (From Theatre No XIII): "Mrs Gladeau...has appeared as Rosetta in Love in a Village." Comments that she does not know much about music but "has a pleasing voice and an agreeable figure and will probably be a valuable acquisition to the stage. Received with applause."] Receipts: #217 16s. 6d

Event Comment: The Characters [of the mainpiece] New Dressed according to the habits of the times. [At foot of the bill first appears the customary notice: Places for the Boxes to be taken only of Mr Sarjant at the Stage Door. The Doors to be opened at 5 o'clock. To begin at 6 o'clock. Vivant Rex & Regina."] Paid Church & Militia tax for theatre #8 15s. and for House in Bow Passage 6s. 3d. (Account Book). Receipts: #232 14s. 6d

Event Comment: Mrs Smith Polly (first time) very well (Hopkins Diary). Paid Salary list #513 17s. 6d.; Miss Mansell and Mr Dimon 5 guineas each per order, #10 10s.; Mr Clinch ditt, #5 5s.; Rec'd stopages #20 13s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #141 2s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Musical Entertainment in 2 Acts [by Theodosius Forrest] never pebformed. With a New Overture by Dr Arnold. The Airs chiefly selected from the most eminent masters. [Larpent MS 392 confirms the character names and adds a Country Lad and a Country Lass. The Westminster Magazine for Oct. condemned the Weathercock: "To speak of this piece as a literary compostiion, it was throughout a dull, uninteresting narrative, told in duller numbers. Considered in a dramatic light, it was still less defensible....The overture by Dr Arnold was trite, except the last movement, which had great merit, and was universally admired....We expected in spite of the numerous Orders sent in by the Author and Managers, that it would have met with its deserved fate on the first representation, it was, however, somehow carried through that and a second night's hearing-on the third evening, however, it received a formal damnation."

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not precisely known, but a broadside copy of the Epilogue, in the Bodleian Library, has a licensing date of 20 Aug. 1685, a MS date of 24 Aug. 1685. The play was licensed on 11 Sept. 1685. These dates suggest a premiere in mid-to late-August 1685. For Anne Bracegirdle as Clita and speaker of the Epilogue, see Lucyle Hook, Anne Bracegirdle's First Appearance, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1959), 135. The Prologue and Epilogue, separately printed, are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 239-41. The broadside Prologue has a more detailed heading than that in the edition of 1686: Prologue To A Commonwealth of Women, Spoke by Mr Haynes, Habited like a Whig, Captain of the Scyth-men in the West, a Scythe in his Hand. Two songs, set by Samuel Ackroyde, are in The Theater of Musick, The Third Book, 1686

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 25-27 Aug. 1696, suggests that it was first acted not later than July 1696 and possibly in June 1696. In the edition of 1696 are two dialogues, set by Clarke, the words by Haynes, and sung by Bowen and Mrs Cross. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Cornish Comedy: No matter whose, 'twas Damn'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 Man, 8-10 June 1697, suggests a first performance in late May or the beginning of June. Preface: I [Motteux] write the Masque of Hercules, and Mr Eccles, having set it with his usual Success, and yet more masterly than my Mars and Venus, if possible, I prevail'd with the ingenious Mr J. Oldmixon to give me a short Pastoral, while I scribbled over a Farce after the Italian Manner, and an Imitation of part of a diverting French Comedy of one Act (for such Plays are very common in Foreign Parts). Then I wanted nothing but a Tragedy....At last I bethought myself of one already studied, called The Unnatural Brother, written by an ingenious Gentleman and acted 6 Months ago, tho not with the success it deserv'd. Yet the latter Part was extremely applauded: So I was persuaded to make bold with it, as I do....I could easily contract the most moving Part of the Story into the Compass of one Act, with some Additions....All this was done in a very short time, the warm Season threatening me with your Absence....The foregoing Lines were published as a Preface to that Masque, some few copies of which were printed for the use of the Audience, the first day of the Novelty's being Acted. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: Every Word stolen, and then Damn'd

Event Comment: [By Aaron Hill.] Never Acted before

Event Comment: Benefit Robinson, Wright, Hobson. Mainpiece: Taken from the French of Moliere. [Tickets for Gillibrand, Fulwood, Lee also taken.

Event Comment: Benefit for Blakes and Miss Haughton. Tickets of Blakes in Duke's Court, Bow Street, and of Varney at the Stage Door, where tickets and places for Miss Haughton may be had. Afterpiece: By Desire. Receipts: #140 (Cross)