Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Booth

Event Comment: Benefit Charke and Mrs Charke. Mainpiece: Written by the late Duke of Buckingham. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Horton. At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Butler. [Some uncertainty exists as to whether this performance was given, for Rich's Register does not list it; it is , however, recorded in BM Egerton 2320 .

Event Comment: Benefit Phillips (LeBrun) and Mrs Mullart. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Written by the late Mrs Centlivre

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Mrs Centlivre

Event Comment: Benefit Boman and Mrs Moore. At the Desire of several Perosns of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Horton. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Benefit Boman and Mrs Walter. By Command of his Royal Highness. Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Benefit for Author of Padlock--"who was author of Love in a Village and Maid of the Mill" (playbill) [i.e., Isaac Bickerstaffe]

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Mills and Mrs Mills. Last time of performing the Mainpiece this season. By Desire 3 rows of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Servants will be allow'd to keep places on the stage. Mr and Mrs Mills take but one benefit this year that they may not be troublesome to their friends. Receipts: #210 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel); cash, #49 8s.; tickets, #153 10s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Weekly. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Written by Beaumont and Fletcher

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Porter. By Their Royal Highnesses' Command. The Pit and Boxes to be laid together by printed tickets at 5s

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 28-30 April 1698, suggests a first performance in late March. The Songs, published separately, include: Come all ye shepherds, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Freeman. Let every shepherd bring his lass, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Magnus. Life is but a little span, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Young Bowin and Mrs Campion. Fond shepherd, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Pate. To pensive years resign your pining, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Young Bowen. Look down, set by Daniel Purcell and sung by Pate. Dedication, edition of 1698: I have no Reason to complain of the Success it had on the Stage. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: Damn'd

Event Comment: Benefit William Mills and the Prompter. Mainpiece: As it was alter'd by the late Duke of Buckingham

Event Comment: Benefit W. Mills. Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Congreve

Event Comment: Benefit for Yates. House Charges #65 5s. [Profit to Yates #118 16s. 6d.] Not performed for 20 years. Revived with alterations. Paid B. Johnson's Head Bill #2 5s. 6d. Paid #2 2s. for licensing Dido (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #184 6d. (Treasurer's Book). About 5 went into the Pit at Drury Lane to see the False Friend reviv'd with alterations, for the benefit of Yates. It engages the attention, but was very well performed. Don John by Holland; Don Pedro by Powell; Lopez by Mr Yates, the drinking Servant by Baddeley; Leonora by Mrs Barry (whom I never saw before); Isabella by Miss Plym and Jacintha by Mrs Yates. I think an Abigail an odd character for her, but no doubt she was willing to play anything for her husband's benefit. After the dance of the Vintage, Mr Yates spoke by way of Interlude a new piece on his being in France called the "Modern Traveller," containing some strokes on the affectation of French Fashions, &c. We had the Farce of High Life Below Stairs with minuet by Mrs Yates and a French Valet, which I do not remenber to have seen when I saw this Farce (before) (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: The Jubilee consists of Dialogue Singing & Dancing. This Entertainment was written & compil'd by Mr G.-and it was receiv'd with bursts of Applause the Procession of Shakespear's Characters &c. is the most Superb that ever was Exhibited or I believe ever will. There never was an Entertainment produc'd that gave so much pleasure to all Degrees Boxes pit and Gallery (Hopkins Diary). The Music by Dibdin. With New Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. [On all subsequent bills, though some are shortened, the PAGEANT is advertised in large capitals. Larpent MS 298, includes descriptive notes and stage directions, p. 24: "Here follows the Pageant, with Bells ringing, Fifes playing, Drums beating, and Cannons firing. In The Procession every scene in the different plays represents some capital part of it in action...The last Scene is a magnificent Transparent one in which the Capital characters of Shakespeare are exhibited at full length with Shakespeare's Statue in the middle crowned by Tragedy and Comedy, fairies and Cupids surrounding him and all the banners waving at the upper end. Then enter the dancers." The Pageant appeared at the top of the stage and came forward, Reviewed in Freeholder's Magazine, Oct.

Event Comment: Comedy from Moliere and Cibber. Hopkins Diary: This comedy [Hypocrite] is the Non Juror altered, and two new characters introduced,--went off very well,--some few hisses,--but the play will do.--The alterations are by Mr Bickerstaffe. [Full account of the mainpiece, but without critical observation, appeared in the Lloyd's Evening Post, Nov. 18-21.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Egerton. Rec'd from Mr Dodd on Acct #15; from Mr Clutterbuck's [acc't] #200; Stopages #18 2s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #105 6s. Charges: #65 8s. Profits to Mrs Egerton: #39 18s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs H. Johnston. 1st piece: Not acted these 2 years. 3rd piece: Not acted here these 10 years [never previously acted at this theatre]. Morning Chronicle, 16 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mr and Mrs Johnston, No. 24, Bedford-street, Covent Garden. The Doors to be opened at 5:30, and to begin at 6:30, and so continue for the remainder of the Season. Receipts: #380 11s. 6d. (168.5.6; 17.1.0; tickets: 195.5.0)

Event Comment: [Extra night] By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Mrs Jewell. The Out-standing Tickets of Mr Jewell [from his benefit on 3 Sept.], and those issued for King Richard III will be admitted