Event Comment: A New Comedy of three Acts [by Foote]. By Authority. Open'd by Mr Foote. Most of the performers entirely new. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Doors to be opened at five. Curtain drawn up at seven. [Notice repeated in subsequent bills. Genest, IV, 599, lists Smith as Sir George.

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but Luttrell acquired his copy of the separately-printed Prologue and Epilogue on 18 Aug. 1684. (Bindley Collection, William Andrews Clark@Jr@Library), and the play was probably first performed on that day or in the preceding week. The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 221-23. In the broadside the speaker of the Prologue is identified as Jevon. A sofg, Ah poor Oliver never boast, the verse by a Lady, and the music by R. King, is in A Collection of Twenty-Four Songs, 1685. Another, Damon if you wilt believe me, the verse by a Person of Quality and the music by Alexander Damascene, is in The Banquet of Musick, The Fifth Book, 1691. Two songs, Tell me no more I am deceived, the verse by Sir George Etherege and the music by J. B. Draghi, and Who can resist my Celia's charms, the music by J. B. Drahgi, and the verse by A Person of Quality, are in the printed play. This cast contains the last new role certainly assigned to John Wiltshire, who, according to (Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 84-85), entered the army and was killed in action

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years. Written by George Duke of Buckingham. With Songs, Dances, New Scenes, Machines, Habits and other proper decorations. The Music New-compos'd by Mr Arne. No After Money will be taken. To prevent any interruption in the movement of the machines, 'tis hoped no Persons will take it ill that they cannot be admitted behind the scenes. Receipts: #90

Event Comment: Benefit Beckham, the Prompter. Tickets at Beckham's Toy Shop, in Cornhill; George's Coffeehouse, Temple Bar, Tom's Coffeehouse, Russel St., Covent Garden; Dodsley's Bookseller, at Tulley's Head; and at Gloucester Tavern, Pall Mall. Tickets deliver'd out by Mrs Steel, Mrs E. Hippisley, the two Masters Granier, and Mr Ravenscroft, will be taken...Servants will be allow'd to keep Places upon the Stage, which (for the better Accommodation of the Ladies) will be enclos'd, and form'd into an Amphitheatre

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. At the request of several of the Scotch Nobility. Benefit for Raeburn. Mainpiece: In its original state, as it was written by Allan Ramsay in 1724 [recte 1725]. The Characters to be entirely new dressed. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:00. No persons to be admitted behind the scenes, nor any money returned after the curtain is drawn up. Ladies are requested to send their servants by Five to keep places. Tickets to be had of Raeburn, No. 4, Gloucester-court, St. James's; of Walker, the Globe, Pall-mall; of Mackintosh, the George, East Harding-street, Shoe-lane; of Watson, the Fleece, Little Windmill-street (being the original Scotch house); of Mrs Shaw, the St. Andrew, near the Armitage-bridge, Wapping

Event Comment: Benefit for Powell. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Ladies desired to send servants by 4 o'clock. Tickets deliver'd for Monday the 16th will be taken. [This was a "Clear Benefit" for which Powell receiv'd #178 8s. plus #105 from sale of 420 Box tickets, and was charged nothing for the House, Wardrobe, Drums or Candles.] Receipts: #178 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bland and Mrs Powell. Morning Herald, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bland, St. Alban's-street, Pall-mall; of Mrs Powell, No. 12, Little Russell-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #369 9s. (125.15.0; 52.0.6; 3.5.0; tickets: 188.8.6) (charge: #164 4s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum and Mrs Powell. [Afterpiece in place of The Devil to Pay, advertised on playbill of 23 May.] Morning Herald, 23 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 25, New North-street; of Mrs Powell, No. 22, Henrietta-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #510 1s. (54.13.6; 26.7.6; 3.17.0; tickets: 425.3.0) (charge: #160 5s. 10d.)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill omits Trueman, but "Trueman play'd Trueman for Benson" (Powell).] Powell: Clandestine Marriage rehearsed at 10 (Lovewell's and Fanny's scenes; Miss Tidswell one scene). Receipts: #147 11s. (88/0/0; 55/7/6; 4/3/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Mary Robinson. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (London Chronicle, 1 Dec.). MS: Larpent 1046; not published]: With new Dresses, &c. "The dissatisfaction to the Piece being so great [Mrs Jordan] was so much agitated as to be unable to repeat above one half of the Epilogue, which, from the Opposition of Hisses and Applauses, not scarely three lines of that could be distinctly heard" (Powell). Powell: New Ballet rehearsed at 10; Nobody at 12. Receipts: #334 2s. 6d. (222.13.6; 107.10.6; 3.18.6)

Event Comment: Mainp1ece [1st time; T 5, by Frances D'Arblay. Prologue by the author (see text). Author of Epilogue unknown]. "It did not fail to keep [the audience] in the height of good humour, by frequent irresistible claims on their risible faculties; a particular instance of this was in Elgiva 's dying scene, when a passing stranger, in a fine tragic tone, says, 'Let us carry her to the other side of the hedge.' This hedge, which is supposed to be remotely situated from any dwelling, nevertheless proved to be a very accomodating retreat; for, in a few minutes after, the wounded lady is brought from behind it on an elegant couch, and, after dying in the presence of her husband, is carried off and placed once more 'on the other side of the hedge.' The laughter which this scene occasioned, although supported by the dying words of Mrs Siddons, was inconceivable" (Morning Herald, 23 Mar.). Powell, 20 Mar.: Edwy and Elgiva rehearsed at 10; 21 Mar.: Edwy and Elgiva rehearsed at 10. Receipts: #350 19s. (296.4.6; 51.9.0; 3.5.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Powell. The Last Night of Mrs Siddons's appearing this Season. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1]. Morning Chronicle, 20 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Powell, No. 22, Henrietta-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #544 4s. (179.17.6; 61.9.6; 13.1.6; tickets: 289.15.6) (charge: #231 4s. 4d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Powell. Lodoiska [advertised on playbill of 24 May] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of Suett. True Briton, 16 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Powell, No. 22, Henrietta-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #287 2s. 6d. (91.14.6; 49.7.6; 2.3.6; tickets: 143.17.0) (charge: #220 0s. 8d.)