SELECT * FROM london_stages WHERE MATCH('(@(authnameclean,perftitleclean,commentcclean,commentpclean) "Mr Benj May"/1) | (@(roleclean,performerclean) "Mr Benj May")') GROUP BY eventid ORDER BY weight() desc, eventdate asc OPTION field_weights=(perftitleclean=100, commentpclean=75, commentcclean=75, roleclean=100, performerclean=100, authnameclean=100), ranker=sph04

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We found 5678 matches on Event Comments, 1309 matches on Performance Comments, 607 matches on Performance Title, 19 matches on Author, and 0 matches on Roles/Actors.
Event Comment: [The playbill for 22 May had announced Jane Shore and Harlequin's Invasion for this night. Probably no performance.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: King Henry Viii

Afterpiece Title: Harlequin's Invasion

Event Comment: To begin at 7 p.m. Last Night of the Subscription. The Subscription tickets will be admitted after this night at each opera that may be performed this month (Public Advertiser)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: La Didone Abbandonata

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Judgment Of Paris

Song: Several favourite songs consisting of four intervals

Entertainment: Upon the Octagan Square in said Gardens will be displayed the following curious invention in Fireworks, viz. A long pole will be fixed in the middle of the square; at the bottom of which will stand an artificial Harlequin, which with a touch becomes transparent, swarms up the pole and lights up a garland of flowers. N.B. 'Tis humbly desired that the Public will not mistake this gentleman Harlequin for the scoundrel that formerly pretended to go into a bottle. After the above ingenious Fancy will be performed in the theatre the celebrated Masque call'd The Judgment of Paris, composed by Dr Arne, which being finished, upon the canal in the Gardens will be displayed several superb Fireworks called the Chinese Festival, invented and executed by Sg Carlo Genorinij, the famous Roman artificer. He will avoid all common exhibitions, as Rockets &c., which for want of novelty give no entertainment to the Public, and confine himself to works of real ingenuity, so innocent in their nature, that the ladies may stand ever so near, without the least possibility of danger, or being alarmed with uncouth noises. The intended exhibition will be as follows: A light ediface will be fixed near the Chinese Temple, and a boat will sail at the end of the canal, containing several persons performing on musical instruments, the boat moving to the Temple, and giving fire to the ediface, it will display several ingenious conceits; particularly the operations of the fireworks will change to ten different colours. Other fancies are reserved till the perfformance, which, it is hoped, will give general satisfaction to the public

Performance Comment: A long pole will be fixed in the middle of the square; at the bottom of which will stand an artificial Harlequin, which with a touch becomes transparent, swarms up the pole and lights up a garland of flowers. N.B. 'Tis humbly desired that the Public will not mistake this gentleman Harlequin for the scoundrel that formerly pretended to go into a bottle. After the above ingenious Fancy will be performed in the theatre the celebrated Masque call'd The Judgment of Paris, composed by Dr Arne, which being finished, upon the canal in the Gardens will be displayed several superb Fireworks called the Chinese Festival, invented and executed by Sg Carlo Genorinij, the famous Roman artificer. He will avoid all common exhibitions, as Rockets &c., which for want of novelty give no entertainment to the Public, and confine himself to works of real ingenuity, so innocent in their nature, that the ladies may stand ever so near, without the least possibility of danger, or being alarmed with uncouth noises. The intended exhibition will be as follows: A light ediface will be fixed near the Chinese Temple, and a boat will sail at the end of the canal, containing several persons performing on musical instruments, the boat moving to the Temple, and giving fire to the ediface, it will display several ingenious conceits; particularly the operations of the fireworks will change to ten different colours. Other fancies are reserved till the perfformance, which, it is hoped, will give general satisfaction to the public.
Event Comment: The Sixth Night. N.B. The public may be assurred for the future that the performances will be on the days advertised (Public Advertiser)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: All In The Wrong

Afterpiece Title: The Minor

Dance: As17610619

Event Comment: To begin each Day (for the short time of the Fair) at One o'clock, and end at Eleven. At Yates's Great Theatrical Concert Hall, in the Greyhound Inn, West Smithfield. Performed by a company of Comedians from both Theatres. Prices for this droll: Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. First Gallery 1s. Upper Gallery 6d. There is a commodious way to the Boxes and Pit at the upper end of Cow Lane (Public Advertiser). [This may be an advance notice. It appears again on Th., F., S., and Mon. (Sept. 3, 4, 5, 7).

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Fair Bride; Or, The Unexpected Event

Afterpiece Title: The British Tar's Triumph over M Soup-Maigre

Entertainment: of singing and dancing.of singing and dancing

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not perform'd these two Years. [See 26 May 1760.] Income from Boxes #25 15s. Nightly expenses #37 2s. 1d. plus the following items: Chorus singers in the Fair (Dibdin, Warren, Court, Roberts and Whiteaker) at 5s. each-#1 5s.; Two side Drums 10s.; Fife 5s.; Two Fire-eaters 15s.; Merry Andrew 5s.; Fidder 2s. 6d.; Loveman 2s. 6d. Receipts: #131 (Winston Theatrical Record)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Othello

Afterpiece Title: The Fair, A Grotesque Pantomime Entertainment

Event Comment: Income from Boxes #83 10s. Rec'd from Mrs Jansolin deficiency for 8 May last #7. Expenses #46 3s. 8d. Receipts: #225 (Winston Theatrical Record)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: King Henry V

Afterpiece Title: The Coronation

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. [See 12 May 1760.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Love For Love

Afterpiece Title: The Genii

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years. [See 26 April 1758.] Afterpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 6 May 1760.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Florizel And Perdita; Or, The Winter's Tale

Afterpiece Title: Catharine and Petruchio

Song: HHearts of Oak, as17620115

Event Comment: Not acted in 5 years. [See 4 Feb. 1758.] The Drummer was revived at this period at both theatres...to take advantage of the reigning weakness of the people, who went in crowds many days and nights to an Haunted House, by what was called the Cock-Lane Ghost-a delusion set on foot, and very ingeniously carried on by a girl of 12 years of age, daughter of a clerk of St Sepulchre's Church, who resided in Cock Lane near Smithfield. [The Ghost was supposed to be that of one Fanny, a gentleman's mistress buried in the church. By knockings and scratchings she supposedly haunted the girl intimating foul practices concerning her death.] It would be incredible to relate the numbers of persons of distinction that attended this delusion! many of whom treated it as a serious and most important affair...at last the girl's father and three or four others were tried in the King's Bench, found guilty' Pillioried and imprisoned. This most effectively laid the Ghost; and is the best and properest cure for every ghost that may arise hereafter. (Victor, History of the Theatres, III, 18 ff). [The theme exploited again by Garrick in The Farmer's Return from London, dl 20 March.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Drummer; Or, The Haunted House

Afterpiece Title: The Genii

Song: II: Hearts of Oak, as17620115; End: An Occasional Ballad by Way of Epilogue, in the Character of Abigail,-Mrs Clive

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Reviv'd. Not acted these 10 years. [See 4 May 1752.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Pilgrim

Afterpiece Title: Apollo and Daphne; With a New Occasional Scene of Action

Event Comment: Both pieces under the Direction of Dr Arne. Mainpiece: Written by Dryden. Set to Music by Handel. Afterpiece: A Serenata of one Act set to Music by Dr Arne. N.B. Though the nightly expenses attending these performances during the Lent, will be at least equal to any on the like occasion, the Prices will be only Boxes 7s. Pit 5s. First Gallery 3s. and the Upper Gallery 2s. To begin as usual. Subscriptions will continue through the Lent to be taken at Three Guineas, for which the Subscribers shall receive Twelve Box tickets to be used at pleasure, till all are come in, which tickets may be had at Dr Arne's in the Piazza, next the Church, Covent Garden

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Alexander's Feast

Afterpiece Title: Beauty and Virtue

Music: I: Concerto on Violincello-Siprutini; II: Concerto on German Flute-Florio

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these two years. [See 5 May 1760.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Funeral; Or, Grief A-la-mode

Afterpiece Title: The Genii

Song: III: Hearts of Oak-. [See17620209]

Event Comment: Benefit for Noverre and Miss Bride. Afterpiece: By Desire. No Building on Stage. N.B. Burton and Packer have deferr'd their Benefit, which was to have been tomorrow, to Saturday the 15th of May, when The Jealous Wife will be perform'd, Oakly by Garrick

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Cymbeline

Afterpiece Title: The Old Maid

Dance: I: A Minuet (for First Time)-Noverre, Miss Bride; III: A Serious Dance-Miss Rogers; End: A Comic Dance-Miss Rogers

Event Comment: Program By Command of their Majesties. Tickets deliver'd for Macbeth, this night, will be taken on Saturday the 15th of May to The Jealous Wife

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Provoked Wife

Afterpiece Title: The Genii

Event Comment: Benefit for Redman, Lewis, Dibdin. Hussey, Miss Cokayne. Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years. [See 18 May 1757.] Tickets deliver'd by Rawlins, Dufour, and Mrs Gwinn, and others will be accepted

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The City Wives Confederacy

Afterpiece Title: The Devil to Pay

Dance: III: The Pierrots-Hussey, Dufour; End: The Taylors, as17620107

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Orators

Performance Comment: See Comment 18 May.
Event Comment: At Yeates' Theatrical Booth, Greyhound Inn, during the time of Bartholomew Fair. The whole to be decorated with decency, and propriety, together with a grand Band of Music, consisting of French Horns, Violins, Trumpets, Hautboys, &c. N.B. There is a convenient Way to the theatre in Cow Lane for coaches, where Ladies and Gentlemen may have admittance without interruption. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 2s. First Gallery 1s. Upper 6d. [Several persons had provided booths in the Inns at Smithfield to perform Drolls and Interludes, as had been customary for many years, and were preparing to exhibit accordingly; but the City Marshall and other officers, by order of the Lord Mayor oblig'd them to take down their Shew Cloths and decamp (Morley, Memoirs of Bartholemew Fair).

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Trial Scenes Of The Cock Lane Ghost

Afterpiece Title: Tars of Old England

Entertainment: Exhortation of the Little Lilliputian Squire Hum, a child of five years old. TheGrand Hornpipical Balletin the taste and after the manner of Mrs Vernon and Miss Nancy Dawson,-a young lady

Event Comment: Afterpiece: With Alterations. [See 1 May 1762.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Tancred And Sigismunda

Afterpiece Title: Polly Honeycomb

Dance: II: The Bavarian Shoemakers, as17621009; The Italian Robbers, as17621009

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 11 May 1761.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Spanish Fryar; Or, The Double Discovery

Afterpiece Title: The Genii

Event Comment: Farce not played in 4 years. [See 9 May 1760.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Cymbeline

Afterpiece Title: The Male Coquette

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties, an Occasional Oratorio "selected from the most celebrated compositions of the late George Frederick Handel." Pit and Boxes to be put together. No person to be admitted without Tickets which will be deliver'd this day at the Office in the Theatre at half a guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries to be opened at half past Four. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at half after Six. This day Publish'd Price 1s. An Occasional Oratorio, as it is to be performed at Covent Garden...J. and R. Tonson. [The most provocative commentary on Oratorios may be found in [Robert Maddison's] An Examination of the Oratorios performed This Season at Covent Garden, (London, 1763) 63 pages, wherein he seeks to define the genre, then judge the performances in terms of his definition.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Occasional Oratorio

Music: CConcertos on Organ-Stanley; on Violin-Hay

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber. Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 30 March 1761.] Part of Pit will be laid into Boxes. Ladies desired to send servants to keep places by 3 o'clock. That there may be no interruption in the Performance, Mrs Cibber begs leave to assure those Ladies and Gentlemen who shall please to honour her with their company, that there will be no Building upon the Stage, nor any admittance behind the scenes

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Fair Penitent

Afterpiece Title: Catharine and Petruchio

Dance: End of Play: The Cow@Keepers-Grimaldi, Miss Dawson

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. [Both pieces advertised as for the last time this season.] Afterpiece: By particular Desire. N.B. That the Cabin may be convenient, and in regard that he would not be too popular, and too generally visited, the Captain will have No Building upon the stage. [See 13 April 1763. The Prologue is Larpent MS 221, wherein Woodward requests smiles of approval as he takes off himself.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Every Man In His Humour

Afterpiece Title: The Apprentice

Dance: II: The Garland, or the +Milk-Maid's Holiday-Miss Poitier; [see17590421] [in which will be introduced a Hornpipe; End: The Jealous Woodcutter, as17621023

Event Comment: Benefit for Havard. [See Theatrical Review; or, Annals of the Drama, 1 May 1763 for a critique on the afterpiece (pp. 196-99).

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Cymbeline

Afterpiece Title: The Elopement