Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: And my wife, and by coach to the King's playhouse, and meeting Creed took him up, and there saw The Scornfull Lady well acted; Doll Common [Mrs Corey] doing Abigail most excellently, and Knipp the widow very well, and will be an excellent actor, I think. In other parts the play not so well done as used to be, by the old actors. Anon to White Hall by coach, thinking to have seen a play there to-night, but found it a mistake, so back again

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke's house, and there saw Macbeth most excellently acted, and a most excellent play for variety

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and I and Sir W. Pen to the King's playhouse, where the house extraordinary full; and there was the King and Duke of York to see the new play, Queen Elizabeth's Troubles, and the History of Eighty Eight. I confess I have sucked in so much of the sad story of Queen Elizabeth, for my cradle, that I was ready to weep for her sometimes; but the play is the most ridiculous that sure ever come upon the stage; and, indeed, is merely a shew, only shews the true garbe of the Queen in those days, just as we see Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth painted; but the play is merely a puppet play, acted by living puppets. Neither the design nor language better; and one stands by and tells us the meaning of things: only I was pleased to see Knipp dance among the milkmaids, and to hear her sing a song to Queen Elizabeth; and too see her come out in her night-gowne with no lockes on, but her bare face and hair only tied up in a knot behind; which is the comeliest dress that ever I saw her in to her advantage

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: With my Lord Bruncker to the Duke's playhouse (telling my wife so at the 'Change, where I left her), and there saw Sir Martin Marr-all again, which I have now seen three times, and it hath been acted but four times, and still find it a very ingenious play, and full of variety

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's play house, and there saw Mustapha, which, the more I see, the more I like; and is a most admirable poem, and bravely acted; only both Betterton and Harris could not contain from laughing in the midst of a most serious part, from the ridiculous mistake of one of the men upon the stage; which I did not like

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's House, and there went in for nothing into the pit, at the last act, to see Sir Martin Marr-all, and met my wife, who was there, and my brother, and W. Hewer and Willett, and carried them home, still being pleased with the humour of the play, almost above all that ever I saw

Event Comment: Pepys' comment implies that he saw the Duke's Company, Pepys, Diary: With my wife to a play, and the girl--Macbeth, which we still like mightily, though mighty short of the content we used to have when Betterton acted, who is still sick

Event Comment: The King's Company. This is a Friday in Lent, when frequently the playhouses did not act. Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, and there saw a piece of Love in a Maze, a dull, silly play, I think: and after the play, home with W. Pen and his son Lowther, whom we met there

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: To the Nursery, where I was yesterday, and there saw them act a comedy, a pastorall, The Faythful Shepherd, having the curiosity to see whether they did a comedy better than a tragedy; but they do it both alike, in the meanest manner, that I was sick of it, but only for to satisfy myself once in seeing the manner of it, but I shall see them no more, I believe

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: [Creed] and I to the Duke of York's playhouse; and there coming late, he and I up to the balcony-box, where we find my Lady Castlemayne and several great ladies; and there we sat with them, and I saw The Impertinents once more, now three times, and the three only days it hath been acted. And to see the folly how the house do this day cry up the play more than yesterday! and I for that reason like it, I find, the better, too: by Sir Positive At-all, I understand, is meant Sir Robert Howard. My Lady [Castlemayne] pretty well pleased with it

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: [Creed] and I to the King's playhouse, and saw an act or two of the new play again, but like it not. Calling this day at Herringman's, he tells me Dryden do himself call it but a fifth-rate play

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's house, and there saw Cupid's Revenge, under the new name of Love Despised, that hath something very good in it, though I like not the whole body of it. This day the first time acted here

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: Knepp's maid comes to me, to tell me that the women's day at the playhouse is to-day, and that therefore I must be there, to encrease their profit....I by coach toward the King's playhouse, and meeting W. Howe took him with me, and there saw The City Match; not acted these thirty years, and but a silly play: the King and Court there; the house, for the women's sake, mighty full

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: With my wife to the King's playhouse, and there saw The Joviall Crew; but ill acted to what it was heretofore, in Clun's time, and when Lacy could dance

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: Carried The. and my wife to the Duke of York's house, to Macbeth,...and I to the Duke of York's house and saw the last two acts.... This day The. Turner shewed me at the play my Lady Portman, who has grown out of my knowledge

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, and there saw The Island Princesse, which I like mighty well, as an excellent play; and here we find Kinaston to be well enough to act again, which he do very well, after his beating by Sir Charles Sedley's appointment

Event Comment: Evelyn does not name the theatre or company, but previous offerings of Horace were given by the King's Company. Evelyn, Diary: I saw Mrs Philips's Horace acted againe

Event Comment: Evelyn, Diary: I saw the Italian Comedie act at the Court this afternoone

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 31 Dec. 1685: Yesterday was acted The Committee. The King and Queen were there and all the whole Court went to see it, but coming a little after it was begun [I] could not get any roome (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, Vol. II, p. 100). Bridget Noel to the Countess of Rutland, ca. 6 Jan. 1685@6: [Last Wednesday] my Lady Exeter engaged us to goe to a play with her...which was a Commity. The King and Queen was at it, and the house as full as ever I saw it (ibid.)

Event Comment: Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 11 Feb. 1685@6: To-day was the French opera. The King and Queen were there, the musicke was indeed very fine, but all the dresses the most wretched I ever saw; 'twas acted by none but French. A Saturday the Court goes to another play, to take their leaves of those vanitys till after Lent (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, Vol. II, p. 104). [This performance is on the L. C. list 5@147, p. 125: The King & Queene & a Box for ye Maydes of honor at ye French Opera [the charge for the royal box was increased from #20 to #25 on this occasion]. W. J. Lawrence conjectured that this French opera was Cadmus et Hermione and that Jacques Rousseau, a scene painter of Paris, provided the decor. See W. J. Lawrence, The French opera in London; A Riddle of 1686, TLS, 28 March 1936, p. 268

Event Comment: The United Company. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 6 March 1685@6: To day is acted Jevarns' new farse; Thursday was the first day. I must confess it is the strangest thinge I ever saw; 'twas mighty full the last time, and to day there is noe getting in (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, Vol. II, p. 106). [Since Friday 5 March was a Friday in Lent, it is possible that the farce was not given on that day.

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The evidence for this date as the premiere of The Relapse is Jennens' report on 19 Nov. 1696 that Drury Lane expected to produce a new play on this date, coupled with the fact that Lady Morley saw this play on 25 Nov. 1696. The play was advertised in the Post Boy, 26-29 Dec. 1696. Preface, Edition of 1697: One word more about the Bawdy, and I have done. I own the first Night this thing was acted, some indecencies had like to have happen'd, but 'twas not my Fault. The fine Gentleman of the Play, drinking his Mistress's Health in Nants Brandy, from six in the Morning, to the time he wadled upon the Stage in the Evening, had toasted himself up, to such a pitch of Vigor, I confess I once gave Amanda for gone, and am since (with all due Respect to Mrs Rogers) very sorry she scap'd; for I am confident a certain Lady (let no one take it to herself that is handsome) who highly blames the Play, for the barenness of the conclusion, wou'd then have allowed it, a very natural Close. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 145: This Play was received with mighty applause. Cibber, Apology, I, 216: This Play (the Relapse) from its new and easy Turn of Wit, had great Success, and gave me, as a Comedian, a second Flight of Reputation along with it

Event Comment: On this date the Czar of Muscovy attended an opera, but the title is not given. Lady Newton, Lyme Letter, 1660-1760, p. 209: On Saturday last the Czar of Muscovy, attended by the Marquis of Carmarthen, and some of his Bayers, was at the King's Playhouse in Drury Lane, and saw 3 acts of the Opera. Luttrell, A Brief Relation, IV, 343, 12 Feb. 1697@8: This evening the czar was at the playhouse in Drury Lane to see an opera

Event Comment: James Brydges, Diary: I went & din'd at ye fountain, after wch I went to ye Playhouse in Lincolns Inn fields, & saw my Cozen Hussys & Coz. Roberts there. I staid an act (Huntington MS St 26)

Event Comment: [By George Farquhar. Date of premiere unknown. Published 5 March.] Preface: As to the Success of it...the French were prepossess'd, and the charms of Gallick Heels were too hard for an English Brain....There were some Gentlemen in the Pit the first Night, that took the Hint from the Prologue to damn the Play; but they made such a noise in the execution, that the People took the outcry for a reprieve....There is a Gentleman of the first Understanding, and a very good Critick, who said of Mr Wilks, that in this Part he out-acted himself, and all Men that he ever saw