Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Robinson. Admission as 8 Dec. 1716

Event Comment: Benefit Penkethman, Pack, and Spiller. At Penkethman's Booth near St. George's Church, in Southwark. The Boxes and Pit are laid together, and the Booth will be pull'd down on Thursday. At 6 p.m. Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer, 5 Oct.: Wednesday at the Quarter-Sessions for the Borough of Southwark, Mr Penkethman, Mr Leigh, and other Persons taken out their Booths by the Informing Constables during the Time of the Fair, appear'd upon their Recognizances, and were immediately Discharg'd, there being no Prosecution, upon which Occasion the Recorder severely reprimanded the Constables for presuming to molest such as Acted upon a Lawful Patent, whilst they let others pass undisturb'd, who were really under the Censure of the Act against Strolling, or Vagrant Players

Event Comment: We hear the famous Mr Pinkethman is building a handsome Playhouse at Richmond, for the Diversion of the Nobility and Quality that attend the Court of their Royal Highnesses; and will begin to play there soon after Whitsuntide, and shew the fine musical Picture he has prepar'd of the Royal Family, the like of which has never been seen in England.-Read's Weekly Journal, 31 May. Mr Prince the famous Dancing-Master is lately Deceas'd.-Original Weekly Journal, 31 May

Event Comment: Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer, 12 July: On Thursday last, Mr Quin was try'd at the Old Baily for killing Mr Bowen, the Comedian, and the Jury found it Manslaughter. Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 12 July: Quin the Comedian was burnt in the Hand for killing Bowen

Event Comment: By His Royal Highness's Command. Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer, 30 Aug.: On Saturday when his Royal Highness the Prince was at Mr Penkethman's Theatre...he was plas'd to Enquire what Entertainments he and Mr Bullock had in Southwark Fair. In the meantime Mrs Leigh, Daughter of the late Mrs Minns, is preparing for Bartholomew-Fair; but not Bullock and Leigh as some People imagine

Event Comment: Admission as 9 Dec

Event Comment: Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 30 May: On Saturday last died Mr Francis Leigh, one of the Comedians of Drury-Lane Playhouse, and Partner with Mr Bullock in the Entertainments of Southwark Fair, &c. He was Son of the Celebrated Tony Leigh, so fam'd heretofore for his Mastership in Comick Performances

Event Comment: At Mr Penkethman's and Mr Miller's Booth, at the Horns-Inn at Pye Corner, entering into Smithfield. A Celebrated Droll, Shewing the Pomp and Grandeur she lived in King Edward the IVth's Time, and the Misery she fell into upon Richard Duke of Gloucester's being made Protector. How she was oblig'd to do Penance in a white Sheet, carrying a lighted Torch bare Foot thro' the City, and then turn'd out to Starve; as also how she wandering met with her Husband, and the Tragick End of them Both. With the comical and diverting Humours of Sir Anthony Noodle, a foolish Courtier, and his Man Weezel

Event Comment: By His Royal Highness's Command. Lord Chamberlain's Office, 5@157, p. 287: I do hereby Order and direct that Mr Gay s Pastorall Tragedy be imediately Acted after Mr Hugh's

Event Comment: Not Acted these Ten Years. As it was alter'd from Beaumont and Fletcher, by C. Cibber. Daily Journal, 5 Jan.: Last Night the Rival Fools...was violently hiss'd, upon which Mr Cibber, in a very civil manner, address'd himself to the Audience, and told'em, 'That they did not offer that Play as one of their most polite Entertainments, that they had been reflected on by the Town for not pushing forward their young Actors; that this Play had been revived for no other Purpose, that it was impossible for the old ones to last forever, and therefore he beg'd the Audience to be silent, and give those who were desirous of it the liberty of hearing.' This Speech was interupted by a thundering Clap, and produced a good effect for an Act, and then the hissing began again, and grew so violent towards the latter end, that they were obliged to give the Play out two or three times, and much ado had the ingenious Mr Penkethman to be heard at last. (See also Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 6 Jan.

Event Comment: Written by the late Mr Otway. Receipts: #26 3s. 6d. Weekly Journal or Saturday's Post, 13 Jan.: Mr C. Bullock having a considerable Part in the Play; and being sick in his Bed, chose to rise and perform his Part; rather than disappoint the Audience, but was not able to finish it; therefore his Part in the last Act was read by another

Event Comment: Benefit Bowman Jr and Mrs Orfeur

Event Comment: Benefit Shaw. Daily Journal, 16 April: On Thursday next Mr Wilks acts the Part of Sir Harry Wildair ...for the Benefit of his Son-in-Law, Mr Shaw, the Dancer at that House, and it will be the last Time that he will perform that Part

Event Comment: Mainpiece: [By Mrs Eliza Haywood.] By Reason of the Indisposition of an Actress, the Part of the Wife is to be perform'd by Mrs Haywood, the Author. Afterpiece (Daily Post, 10 Aug.): A new Dramatic Entertainment...design'd by Mr Theo. Cibber, with new Music compos'd and adapt'd by Mr Jones, which proper Judges allow to be the best of the kind now extant

Event Comment: Mainpiece: [By Francis Hawling. The Preface gives a long account of the unhappy preliminaries to the performance and the extremely poor acting by the company.] Afterpiece. The Words by Mr Motteux, and Set to Musick by Mr Eccles

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Written by Shakespear. Mist's 11 Dec.: Mr Shaw, a famous Dancer in Drury-Lane Play-House, and Son-in-Law to Mr Wilks, died last Wednesday

Event Comment: [By Thomas Southerne.] Receipts: #93 10s. 6d. Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 152: I happened to be behind the Scenes the first Night of this Comedy, and was very sorry to find that the Audience did not take the Age, as well as the great Merit of this Author, into their Consideration, and quietly dismiss this last weak Effort to please them. When they were hissing dreadfully in fifth Act, Mr Rich, who was standing by Mr Southern, asked him, if he heard what the Audience were doifg? His Answer was, No, Sir, I am very deaf.

Event Comment: Receipts: #116 10s. Probable attendance: boxes, 191 paid and 12 orders; pit, 262 paid and 5 orders; slips, 25 paid and 2 orders; first gallery, 242 paid and 6 orders; second gallery, 50 paid and 1 order. For an essay on Camilla, see London Journal, 26 Nov. Mrs Pendarves to Anne Granville, 27 Nov.: I was at the opera of Camilla...performed by a Mrs Chambers, Mrs Barbiere, Mrs Fletchere, a Signor Rochetti, Mr Leveridge, Mr Legard. I can't say I was much pleased with it, I liked it for old acquaintance sake, but there is not many of the songs better then ballads.-Mrs Delany@Autobiography, I, 125

Event Comment: UUniversal Spectator, 11 Jan.: Last Wednesday his Highness the Prince went to...Drury-Lane, to see Mr Cibber's new Pastoral....The Actors were for a while prevented from performing, by the great Disturbance some of the Audience made. But on a Speech from Mr Cibber, with a Promise it should not be acted again, the Catcalls, &c. ceased, and they were suffered to go on and end the same. See also Applebee's, 11 Jan.; Egmont, Diary, III, 325; Whincop, p. 198