Event Comment: Publish'd at 3s. The Actor, in One Pocket Volume. A treatise on the art of playing, interspersed with Observations on the performances of Garrick, Quin, Barry, Berry, Macklin, Ryan, Havard, Woodward, Foote, &c; Mrs Cibber, Mrs Pritchard, Mrs Woffington, Mrs Ward, Mrs Elmy, Mrs Green, Mrs Clive, Miss Bellamy, &c. Also some anecdotes of Betterton, Booth and Wilkes and other celebrated performers; together with occasional remarks upon managers and audiences, and upon the principal Tragedies, Comedies, Masques and Farces. Printed for R. Griffiths in Paul's Church-yard. Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: The United Company. There is uncertainty concerning this date; it appears on Luttrell's copy (Huntington Library) of the separately printed Prologue and Epilogue, and the date may represent the time of his purchase rather than a date of performance. The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 141-45. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 39-40): All the preceding Plays, being the chief that were Acted in Dorset-Garden, from November 1671, to the Year 1682; at which time the Patentees of each Company United Patents; and by so Incorporating the Duke's Company were made the King's Company, and immediately remov'd to the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane. Upon this Union, Mr Hart being the Heart of the Company under Mr Killigrew's Patent never Acted more, by reason of his Malady; being Afflicted with the Stone and Gravel, of which he Dy'd some time after: Having a Sallary of 40 Shillings a Week to the Day of his Death. But the Remnant of that Company; as, Major Mohun, Mr Cartwright, Mr Kynaston, Mr Griffin, Mr Goodman, Mr Duke Watson, Mr Powel, Sr, Mr Wiltshire, Mrs Corey, Mrs Bowtell, Mrs Cook, Mrs Montfort. [Joined the new company]. Note, now Mr Monfort and Mr Carlile, were grown to the Maturity of good Actors. The mixt Company then Reviv'd the several old and Modern Plays, that were the Propriety of Mr Killigrew, as Rule a Wife, and have a Wife: Mr Betterton Acting Michael Perez; Don Leon, Mr Smith, Cacofogo, Mr Cartwright: Margaretta, Mrs Barry: Estiphania, Mrs Cook. Next, @The Scornful Lady.@The Plain Dealer.@The Mock Astrologer.@The Jovial Crew.@The Beggars Bush.@Bartholomew-Fair.@The Moor of Venice.@Rollo.@The Humorous Lieutenant.@The Double Marriage.@ With divers others. George Powell, Preface to The Treacherous Brothers (1690): The Time was, upon the uniting of the Two Theatres, that the Reviveing of the old stock of Plays, so ingrost the study of the House, that the Poets lay dorment; and a new Play cou'd hardly get admittance, amongst the more precious pieces of Antiquity, that then waited to walk the Stage. Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 95-96): I shall content myself with telling you that Mohun and Hart now growing old [for, above thirty Years before this Time, they had severally born the King's Commission of Major and Captain in the Civil Wars), and the younger Actors, as Goodman, Clark, and others, being impatient to get into their Parts, and growing intractable, the Audiences too of both Houses then falling off, the Patentees of each, by the King's Advice, which perhaps amounted to a Command, united their Interests and both Companies into one, exclusive of all others in the Year 1682. This Union was, however, so much in favour of the Duke's Company, that Hart left the Stage upon it, and Mohun survived not long after

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: I to the Cockpitt, with much crowding and waiting, where I saw The Valiant Cidd acted, a play I have read with great delight, but is a most dull thing acted, which I never understood before, there being no pleasure in it, though done by Betterton and by Ianthe [Mrs Saunderson], and another fine wench [Mrs Norton] that is come in the room of Roxalana [Mrs Davenport]; nor did the King or Queen once smile all the whole play, nor any of the company seem to take anyPleasure but what was in the greatness and gallantry of the company

Event Comment: John Dryden to Jacob Tonson, ca. August 1684: I desire to know whether the Dukes house are makeing cloaths & putting things in a readiness for the singing opera [The Tempest?], to be playd immediately after Michaelmasse: for the Actors in the two plays, which are to be acted of mine, this winter [All for Love and The Conquest of Granada], I had spoken with Mr Betterton by chance at the Coffee house the afternoon before I came away: & I believe that the persons were all agreed on, to be just the same you mentioned. Only Octavia was to be Mrs Buttler, in case Mrs Cooke were not on the Stage. And I know not whether Mrs Percivall who is a Comedian, will do so well for Benzayda (Letters of John Dryden, ed. Ward, pp. 23-24)

Event Comment: Christopher Rich's Company. The date of the resumption of playing is not certain, for Cibber (see below) beclouds the issue by referring to Easter-Monday in April, whereas the first Monday following Easter fell on 25 March 1694@5. Nevertheless, Monday 1 April 1695 seems the likely date of the resumption of playing, with Rich's Company ready to perform before the seceding company under Thomas Betterton was fully organized. A new song for Abdelazar, Lucinda is bewitching fair, the music by Henry Purcell and sung by "the Boy" (Jemmy? Bowen), is in Thesaurus Musicus, The Fourth Book, 1695. Cibber, Apology, I, 195: [The Patentees] were not able to take the Field till the Easter-Monday in April following. Their first Attempt was a reviv'd Play call'd Abdelazar, or the Moor's Revenge, poorly written, by Mrs Behn. The House was very full, but whether it was the Play or the Actors that were not approved, the next Day's Audience sunk to nothing. However, we assured that let the Audiences be never so low, our Masters would make good all Deficiencies, and so indeed they did, till towards the End of the Season, when Dues to Ballance came too think upon 'em. [See I, 195-96, for Cibber's account of his Prologue.] A Comparison Between the Two Stages, 1702, p. 7: But in my Opinion, 'twas strange that the general defection of the old Actors which left Drury-lane, and the fondness which the better sort shew'd for 'em at the opening of their Newhouse, and indeed the Novelty it self, had not quite destroy'd those few young ones that remain'd behind. The disproportion was so great at parting, that 'twas almost impossible, in Drury-lane, to muster up a sufficient number to take in all the Parts of any Play; and of them so few were tolerable, that a Play must of necessity be damn'd that had not extraordinary favour from the Audience: No fewer than Sixteen (most of the old standing) went away; and with them the very beauty and vigour of the Stage; they who were left behind being for the most part Learners, Boys and Girls, a very unequal match for them who revolted. According to a statement made in litigation, the company in Drury Lane acted 84 times between 25 March 1694@5 and 7 July 1695; and the Young Actors played 68 times from 6 July 1695 to 10 Oct. 1695 to 10 Oct. 1695. See Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 308

Event Comment: See Cibber, Apology, I, 201-2, for his account of the mistake Betterton's Company made in not retaining Williams and Mrs Mountfort-Verbruggen, and of the problems of Rich's Company. In this passage Cibber implies that Hamlet, Othello, and Julius Caesar were acted at Drury Lane soon after the division of the companies

Event Comment: James Brydges, Diary: I set Mr Bullock down at ye Playhouse, & came home (Huntington MS St 26). John Dryden wrote to Mrs Steward on 23 Feb. [1699@1700, but possibly 1698@99, as the letter concerns theatrical affairs of the autumn and winter of 1698-99]: The Poem of The Confederates [see The Island Princess, November 1698] some think to be Mr Walsh: the copies are both lik'd. And there are really two factions of ladyes, for the two play-houses. If you do not understand the names of some persons mention'd I can help you to the knowledge of them. You know, Sir Tho. Skipwith is master of the play-house in Drury-Lane; and my Lord Scarsdale is the patron of Betterton's house, being in love with somebody there [presumably Anne Bracegirdle] (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 133)

Event Comment: John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 26 Nov. 1699: If you come up next Week, you will be entertaind with a New Tragedy; which the Author of it, one Mr Dennis, cryes up at an Excessive rate, & Colonel Codrington, who has seen it, prepares the world to give it loud Applauses. Tis calld Iphigenia, & Imitated from Eurypides, an old Greek poet. This is to be Acted at Betterton's House, & another play of the same name, is very shortly to come on the stage in Drury Lane (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 129)

Event Comment: John Dryden to Mrs Steward, 11 April 1700: Within this Moneth there will be played for my Profit, an old play of Fletcher s, called the Pilgrim, corrected by my good friend Mr Vanbrook; to which I have added A New Masque, & am to write a New Prologue & Epilogue. Southern s tragedy, called the Revolt of Capoua, will be played At Bettertons House within this fortnight. I am out with that Company, & therefore if I can help it, will not read it before tis Acted; though the Authour much disires I shou'd (The Letters of John Dryden, p. 136)

Event Comment: [The Public Advertiser published a long New Historical Epilogue, intended by the Author as a proper sequel to the Tragedy of the Brothers. It speaks of the authentic history in the play, and of the effective moral lesson, closing: @As public woes a Prince's crimes pursue,@So public blessings are his Virtues' due.@Shout Britons, shout!--auspicious Fortune Bless!@And cry, Long live--OUR title to success!@ This was followed by a Letter from Mr Booth in the Shades to Dr Young, on his Tragedy call'd the Brothers (an elaborate puff). In it Booth forgives Young for withdrawing the play from rehearsal thirty years earlier, and thus precluding his playing the part of Demetrius: "And I the more readily pardon you, as you have not disgraced me by giving the part to any of my successors, till this Garrick appeared, whose reputation, I can assure you, is by no means confined to your world, and who, I am told, hath more than supply'd my place, hath rendered the loss even of Betterton himself very supportable." He then lets Young in on a secret that there will be a performance of his play in the shades by all the old actors as soon as Curll can steal a copy of it for them.] We are assured that on Thursday the 22nd instant will be publish'd a Comedy in 2 acts, call'd The Rehearsal; or, Bayes in Petticoats, witten by Mrs Clive, and to be performed that evening, after the Mourning Bride, for her Benefit at Drury Lane. Mr Yates's Benefit will be on Thursday the 5th of April, when the tragedy of the Gamester will be played, being the twelfth day. A new farce will be added to it, the preparing of which has oblig'd Yates to defer his Benefit till the above day. Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: Possibly on this day, Davenant and Killigrew, with a united company, began acting at this theatre. In L. C. 5@137, p. 332 (6 Oct. 1660) is a list of His Majesty's Comedians: Burt, Hart, Mohun, Robert Shatterell, Lacy, Wintershell, Clunne, Cartwright, Edward Shatterell, Baxter, Loveday, Kynaston, Betterton. (See Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 294; Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 204.) Hotson, p. 205, states that the company acted daily from 8 to 16 Oct. 1660

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: Mr Creed and I to White-Fryars, where we saw The Bondman acted most excellently, and though I have seen it often, yet I am every time more and more pleased with Betterton's action

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: I away before to White Hall and into the new play-house there, the first time I ever was there, and the first play I have seen since before the great plague. By and by Mr Pierce comes, bringing my wife and his, and Knipp. By and by the King and Queene, Duke and Duchesse, and all the great ladies of the Court; which, indeed, was a fine sight. But the play being Love in a Tub, a silly play, and though done by the Duke's people, yet having neither Betterton nor his wife, and the whole thing done ill, and being ill also, I had no manner of pleasure in the play. Besides, the House, though very fine, yet bad for the voice, for hearing. The sight of the ladies, indeed, was exceeding noble; and above all, my Lady Castlemayne. The play done by ten o'clock. I carried them all home, and then home myself, and well satisfied with the sight, but not the play

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This play in on the L. C. list, 5@139, p. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346. It is possible that this is a delayed third performance and that the conjectured one for 7 Oct. did not occur. Pepys, Diary: My wife and I and Willet to the Duke of York's house, where, after long stay, the King and Duke of York come, and there saw The Coffee House, the most ridiculous, inspid play that ever I saw in my life, and glad we were that Betterton had no part in it

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's house, thinking as we appointed, to meet my wife there, but she was not; and more, I was vexed to see Young (who is but a bad actor at best) act Macbeth in the room of Betterton, who, poor man! is sick: but, Lord! what a prejudice it wrought in me against the whole play, and everybody else agreed in disliking this fellow. Thence home, and there find my wife gone home; because of this fellow's acting of the part, she went out of the house again

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Duke of York's playhouse; but there Betterton not being yet well, we would not stay, though since I hear that Smith do act his part in The Villaine, which was then acted, as well or better than he, which I do not believe

Event Comment: Pepys' comment implies that he saw the Duke's Company, Pepys, Diary: With my wife to a play, and the girl--Macbeth, which we still like mightily, though mighty short of the content we used to have when Betterton acted, who is still sick

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Jean Chappuzeau, Le Theatre Francois (Paris, 1675), states that he saw a revival of this play in 1668. Pepys, Diary: Sent my wife and Deb. to see Mustapha acted...and so to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw the last act for nothing. Where I never saw such good acting of any creature as Smith's part of Zanger; and I do also, though it was excellently acted by [...], do yet want Betterton mightily