Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: With my wife and Deb. to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw The Slighted Maid, but a mean play; and thence home, there being little pleasure now in a play, the company being but little. Here we saw Gosnell, who is become very homely, and sings meanly, I think

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, and there saw The Faithful Shepherdess again, that we might hear the French Eunuch sing, which we did, to our great content; though I do admire his action as much as his singing, being both beyond all I ever saw or heard

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: [Mrs Pepys] and I to the King's playhouse, and there saw The Island Princesse, the first time I ever saw it; and it is a pretty good play, many good things being in it, and a good scene of a town on fire. We sat in an upper box, and the jade Nell come and sat in the next box; a bold merry slut, who lay laughing there upon people; and with a comrade of hers of the Duke's house, that come in to see the play

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's house, and saw Twelfth Night, as it is now revived; but, I think, one of the weakest plays that ever I saw on the stage

Event Comment: The Diary of Robert Hooke: With John? Oliver saw tigre in Bartholomew fair 2d. Saw the child doe strange tricks

Event Comment: "Mrs Siddons, in most of the Parts she plays, is the best Actress we ever saw. Miss Kemble, in all the Parts she plays, is the very worst Actress we ever saw" {Public Advertiser, 5 May). [Afterpiece in place of The Adventures of a Night, announced on playbill of 2 May.] The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]. Receipts: #263 5s. 6d. (253/11/0; 8/9/6; 1/5/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act I The Cardinal's Banquet. In Act II The Court for the Trial of Queen Katharine. In Act V a Grand Procession to the Christening of Princess Elizabeth. Paid Charles Smith on Acct. of Upholders Work at Drury Lane Theatre #400. Powell: Henry VIII rehearsed at 10 (for Packer, lame, and Mrs Siddons); Siege of Belgrade music at 12 (for Storace, Bannister Jun., Crouch, Davis, Danby). The Iron Curtain being finish'd was this Evening exhibited for the first Time with the Epilogue [and see 21 Apr.]. "On the 24th February, 1809, this theatre was burnt down . . . Every care had been taken to guard against such a calamity. Two large reservoirs for water, on the top of the house, happened, unfortunately, at this crisis to be empty; and an iron curtain, intended to separate the auditory from the stage, for the purpose of saving a part of the edifice in case of conflagration, was, with its machinery, so much out of order as to be useless; it was, in fact, utterly immoveable" (Brayley, p. 8). Receipts: #451 8s. 6d. (389/4/0; 56/5/0; 4/6/6; tickets not come in: 1/13/0)

Event Comment: Rugge's Diurnal, BM Add. Mss. 10117, folio 179: Acted at Whitehall atcourt a play witt wt'out mony before King and nobility. Pepys, Diary, 15 Oct.: But she [Lady Carteret] cries out of the vices of the Court, and how they are going to set up plays already; and how, the next day after the late great fast, the Duchesse of York did give the King and Queene a play. Nay, she told me that they nave heretofore had plays at court the very nights before the fast for the death of the late King [i.e., on the night preceding 30 Jan.]

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. This performance may well be the premiere. In the Preface the author states that the play was asked for on Shrove Tuesday and he wrote it within a week; a premiere, then, before this date would allow very little time for rehearsal. This play is certainly a "Lenten" performance, for it was acted on a Wednesday in Lent and was referred to in the Prologue as a "Lenten Play." See the discussion under The Spanish Rogue (March 1673) and Gray, pp. 785-86. See also J. G. McManaway, The Copy for The Careless Lovers," MLN, XLVI (1931), 406-9. Preface to the edition of 1673: [This play] was written at the Desire of the Young Men of the Stage, and given them for a Lenten-Play, they ask't it not above a Week before Shrove-Tuesday

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is known from testimony in the trial of Charles Lord Mohun for the attack on William Mountfort on 9 Dec. 1692. The evidence given by Brereton at the trial stated: I had not seen my Lord Mohun for two or three days before this Fact was committed;...but the Friday before, the Play of Alexander the Great was Acted, and my Lord Mohun and I were talking of the Play, and he said it was a good Play, and he commended Mr Mountford's Acting extreamly (The Tryal of Charles Lord Mohun [London, 1693], p. 26)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 11-13 May 1697, suggests that it was first acted about mid-April, a month before publication. For an account of the history of the play before its production, see Cibber, Apology, I, 217-18

Event Comment: Not Acted these Thirty Years. Written originally in French by Moliere. Original Weekly Journal, 28 June: On Friday 7-Night one Mr Kelley, an Irish Gentleman, was kill'd by Mr Ryan, one of the Actors of Lincolns-Inn-Fields Theatre; the Accident happen'd thus: Mr Ryan being at the Sun-Eating House in Long Acre at Supper; Mr Kelley, who before had terrified several Companions by drawing his Sword upon Persons whom he did not know, came up into the Room drunk, and abused Mr Ryan, who returned him very civil Usage, and desired his Absence: This did not satisfie Mr Kelley, who drew his Sword, made three Passes at Mr Ryan, before he could get his own Sword, which lay by in the Window; at last finding his own Life in Danger, He drew and ran Mr Kelley in the left Side, who fell down and immediately died

Event Comment: For discussion of the Licensing Act, see Craftsman, 4 June, and Common Sense, 4 June. London Evening Post, 4 June: We hear that by the Bill now in the House of Peers against Players of Interludes, &c. all Copies of Plays, Farces, or any Thing wrote in the Dramatick Way, are to lie fourteen Days before his Grace the Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Household for the Time being, for his Grace's Perusal and Approbation, before they shall be exhibited on the Stage

Event Comment: This is a farce of Macklin's Writing, it went off very greatly-he play'd Shylock too (Cross). Receipts: #190 (Cross). [Garrick and Lacy had contracted with Macklin for this Farce two weeks before this performance, according to the following document (BM Add. MS 27925): Memorandum of an Agreement relating to Mr Macklin's Farce and his Playing & performing in the said Farce, with such plays as shall be performed on which the said Farce shall be acted as aforesaid as follows: Imprimis: The said Farce to be publicly performed before Christmas, otherwise not this season on account of the Managers other engagements. Item: Mr Macklin to have for his performing in the said plays and Farce a Fifth part of the profits of the first five nights after deducting sixty-three pounds for the charges of each night during the said five nights-and the sixth night to be for the Benefit of Mr Macklin, he paying the usual charges of sixty-three pounds. Item: The Managers to have it in their power to stop the performances of the said Farce at the end of Six nights on account of their other engagements,-and in case the Receipt of any one night of the said nights on which the said Farce shall be performed as aforesaid shall fall short of One Hundred pounds. Then the Managers to have it in their power to stop the performance of said Farce as the Receipt does not amount to One Hundred pounds. Item: The said Six nights for the said Farce & plays in which Mr Macklin shall perform as aforesaid not to be played immediately succeeding one another, but alternately with such plays as the Managers shall think Convenient. Lastly: That if the said Farce shall meet with the disapprobation of the Publick, that then it shall be in the Power of Discretion of the Managers to stop the performance thereof. Dated this 28th day of November, 1759. S@ James Lacy, D. Garrick. Witness: R. Cross, Geo. Garrick.

Event Comment: Being the last time of Garrick's appearing in character of Sir John Brute . When the Song Encor'd Mr Garrick said Come Col. give us that Song again for two very good Reasons, the first because your friends desire it-and Secondly because I believe I shall never be in such good company again. House Mr and Mrs Davies (Sold) (Hopkins Diary). Paid Mr Davies in lieu of Bt #60. Rec'd of Mr Davis on acct #30. Receipts: #281 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 12 years [not acted since 4 Nov. 1780]. "Mrs Siddons's manner of receiving the death ofMoneses, and the struggle that ended in her own, was one of the best efforts of the art we ever beheld. This effort, however, was too much for her powers; for after her fall, her groans were so audible that the curtain was properly dropped [in the middle of Act V], and it was some moments before she could be removed from the stage. [The curtain was raised again, and] on the conclusion of the tragedy the audience would not suffer the farce to begin until Whitfield came forward, and assured them that she was perfectly recovered" (True Briton, 4 Feb.). Receipts: #257 13s. 6d. (181.18.0; 73.5.6; 2.10.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. To prevent confusion Ladies are desired to send their Servants by half past Four o'clock. Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years [acted 15 May 1782]. Afterpiece: Not acted these 5 years [not acted since 25 Mar. 1775]. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Banquo to Bensley, but "Poor Bensley's illness last night took him off; but on another night he will give and take in the triumph" {Public Advertiser, 4 Feb.). In afterpiece he is assigned to The Guardian. On the Kemble playbill in both cases his name is deleted and MS annotations substitute Hull's.] "Macbeth at Drury-lane will. . . gag the drivellers who, on the failure of Constance [in King John], ventured a sweeping prophecy of condemnation that 'the Siddons never could play Shakespeare.' Would it not have been better to have borrowed Farren, rather than Hull, for Banquo?" (Public Advertiser, 4 Feb.). "'Why,'say some of the critics, 'should Mrs Siddons wear a white dress in her last scene of Lady Macbeth? She is supposed to be asleep, not mad.' What reason except custom can be given for a mad heroine appearing in white we know not [and see DL, 20 Dec. 1782]. Yet there is an obvious reason why a person walking in their sleep should wear a white dress of the loose kind worn by Mrs Siddons ... It [is] the nearest resemblance which theatrical effect will admit, to the common sort of night-dresses" (Public Advertiser, 7 Feb.). Receipts: #346 16s. (198/10/0; 7/2/6; 0/8/6; tickets: 140/15/0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years [acted 31 Dec. 1783. Pope had acted Beverley in Edinburgh in the summer of 1786 (Morning Post, 26 Sept.). The playbill assigns Stukeley to Aickin, but he "having had the misfortune to lose his wife, Stukeley was played by Inchbald" (Morning Chronicle, 26 Sept.), from the York theatre, 1st appearance on this stage (see 4 Oct.)]. Afterpiece: Never acted there. Paid Properties the 22nd Instant 6s. 8d.; Wardrobe #6 2s. 6d.; Guard [master carpenter] for Scenemen #10 18s. 6d.; Supernumeraries #4 7s. 6d. Receipts: #194 16s. (193.0.6; 1.15.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. With new Dresses and Decorations. The Characters dressed in the Habits of the Times. [Palmer Jun. was from the hay.] "It is necessary to remind both Macbeth and his Lady that there is a measured declamation, of which the natural utterance of passion knows nothing, and that words and syllables may be divided and subdivided till the fatigue of the ear overcome every other feeling...Between the first and second acts Ca ira was loudly called for from the pit and gallery. The clamour, after preventing the first part of the second act from being heard, subsided as unaccountably as it rose. The performers, in compliance with an admonition from the pit, began the act again, and proceeded without further interruption" (Morning Chronicle, 20 Feb.). "In Macbeth there was too much that was not Shakespeare, too much bad taste and shabbiness in the costumes of the witches, and all in all too much claptrap. He found it insufferable that Banquo should take the part of his own ghost and felt that the audience should behold the specter only in Macbeth's terror, as was the case with the banquet guests. 'Mr Kemble has desired on several occasions to suppress the ghost,' Meister says, 'but has never had the courage to do so.'" (J. H. Meister quoted in J. A. Kelly, 134). For Kemble's eventual courage in this matter see dl, 21 Apr. 1794.] Receipts: #425 6s. (383.2; 40.4; 2.0)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's house, the house full of ordinary citizens. The play was Women Pleased, which we had never seen before; and, though but indifferent, yet there is a good design for a good play

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 742, 26-30 Dec. 1672: These are to give Notice, that at Mr John Banister's House, now called the Musick School, over against the George Tavern in White Fryers this present Monday, will be Musick performed by Excellent Masters, beginning precisely at four of the Clock in the afternoon, and every afternoon for the future, precisely at the same hour. Roger North on Music: But how and by what stepps Musick shot up in to such request, as to croud out from the stage even comedy itself, and to sit downe in her place and become of such mighty value and price as wee now know it to be, is worth inquiring after. The first attempt was low: a project of old Banister, who was a good violin, and a theatricall composer. He opened an obscure room in a publik house in White fryars; filled it with tables and seats, and made a side box with curtaines for the musick. 1s. a peice, call for what you please, pay the reckoning, and Welcome gentlemen. Here came most of the shack [vagabond] performers to towne, and much company to hear; and divers musicall curiositys were presented, as, for instance, Banister himself, upon a flageolett in consort, which was never heard before nor since, unless imitated by the high manner upon the violin. But this lasted not long, nor another meeting of like kind neer Paul's (headed by one Ben. Wallington) for voices to an organ, where who would, that was gifted, might performe, and no payment, but the reckoning (ed. John Wilson [London, 1959], pp. 302-3)

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 961, 1-4 Feb. 1674@5: A Rare Concert of four Trumpets Marine, never heard before in England. If any Persons desire to come and hear it, they may repair to the Fleece Tavern, near St James's, about two of the clock in the Afternoon every day in the Week (except Sundays). Every Concert shall continue one hour, and so to begin again; the best places are one shilling, the other six pence

Event Comment: The United Company. This play may have been revived during this month or earlier. A song, Come Jug my honey let's to bed, the music by Thomas Farmer, sung by Reading and Mrs Norris, was printed in Choice New Songs never before Printed [by Thomas D'Urfey, 1684]. Luttrell purchased a copy of this collection on 8 Jan. 1684@5 (Bindley Collection, William Andrews Clark@Jr@Library)

Event Comment: Luttrell, A Brief Relation, IV, 268, 24 Aug. 1697: The lord mayor has published an order forbidding all unlawfull gameing, excesse in drinking, swearing, cursing in Bartholomew fair. The only notice of a performance is an advance one, Post Boy, 12-14 Aug. 1697: At Mr Barns's Booth, between the Crown Tavern, and the Hospital-Gate, over against the Cross-Daggers in West-Smithfield Rounds, during the time of Bartholomew Fair, is to be seen the famous Rope-Dancers of Europe, being four Companies join'd in one, viz. the English, High-German, French and Morocco Companies of Rope-Dancers, by whom will be presented a Variety of Agility of Body, as Danceing, Tumbling, Walking, and Vaulting, the like was never seen before