Event Comment: Benefit for Miles, Mrs Green, and Miss Miller. No Building on Stage

Event Comment: By Permission. Benefit for Williams, Mrs Weston

Event Comment: [Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Brandon, Hill, Mrs Masters, Gillet, Mrs Norton, Finley, Ashwin, Simmons will be admitted.] Receipts: #447 4s. (55.7.6; 6.16.0; tickets: 385.0.6)

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for the Fund, established for the Relief of those Performers who, through Infirmity, shall be obliged to retire from the Stage. The Theatrical Fund was established in 1765, under the auspices of the late Mr Beard and Mrs Rich; and received the sanction of Parliament in 1776. There are now, and have been for more than 20 years, several Annuitants supported by it, chiefly families and widows. Yet notwithstanding it has been so long set on foot, the interest arising from the Funded Capital has never been equal to defraying one half of the annual disbursements. The deficiencies have been continually supplied by progressive weekly contributions from the performers. When this is considered, it is respectfully presumed the generosity of a British Public will be exerted this night in favour of so liberal and beneficial an institution. Thomas Hull, Treasurer. Tickets to be had of Hull, Treasurer to the Institution, No. 7, Duke's-Court, near Dean's Yard, Westminster. Receipts: none listed

Event Comment: [This was Parsons's last appearance on the stage. He died on 3 Feb. 1795.] Powell: Miss DeCamp absent [from afterpiece], Miss Stageldoir Italian Girl. Inconstant rehearsed at 11; New Ballet at 12. Receipts: #262 14s. 6d. (185.16.6; 72.2.6; 2.15.6)

Event Comment: A masque of music composed by Henry Purcell. Benefit Mrs Lucas. Mainpiece: Revis'd with large Alterations

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb. Text: T. N. Longman and O. Rees, 1800. Miss Waters is identified in the Songs]: The Scenes, Music, Machinery, Dresses, and Decorations are all entirely new. The Music composed by Mazzinghi and Reeve. The Scenery painted by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Backmore, &c. [based on drawings of Indian scenery by Thomas Daniell]. The Machinery and Decorations by Cresswell, Sloper, Goostree, &c. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs, also describing the Scenes and Spectacle of the Return from the Tiger Hunt, to be had at the Theatre, price six pence. "The whole [forms] an exhibition of the utmost grandeur...The expense attending the decoration must have been immense...The dailogue is certainly not of the first description of writing, but it forms, on the whole, a very safe vehicle for some of the best music the English stage has for some time been able to boast"(Morning Herald, 13 Nov.). Account-Book, 27 Dec.: Paid Cuthbert for Wheels, &c. for the Elephants #13 18s. Receipts: #364 7s. 6d. (363.19.6; 0.8.0)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the fact that it was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3122, 10-14 Oct. 1695, indicates that it was probably acted not later than September 1695. Three songs were published separately: O how you protest, possibly set by Henry Purcell and sung by Mrs Knight; 'Twas within a Furlong, the words by Thomas D'Urfey, set by Henry Purcell, and sung by the Girl [Miss Cross]; and Man is for the woman made, the words by Pierre Motteux and set by Henry Purcell, are in Deliciae Musicae, The Third Book, 1696. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), xix-xx. Preface, Edition of 1696: Notwithstanding the many Accidents that concurr'd to the Ruin of this Play, it succeeded above my Expectations: And I must own my self infinitely oblig'd to the Town, in receiving so favourably, what I at first never design'd for the Stage. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 121: This particular Play met with pretty good Success, for the Season of the Year, considering it the first Essay by a Young Writer, unacquainted with the Town. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 18: Sullen: Mock-Marriage, a young Fellows of the Town, a Retainer, and kind of Pensioner to the Stage. Ramble: What was it's Fate? Sullen: Damn'd, Damn'd

Event Comment: MMr Foote play'd Buck & Miss Macklin Lucinda, --went off tol: ye Girl was lik'd-she sung in ye Character Aly Croky--fine, --& danc'd a Minuet--well (Cross). [Foote was engaged as an actor for a certain number of nights and made his 1st appearance on this evening-he spoke a Prologue written by Garrick which was encored every night Genest, IV, 380). The Prologue was printed in the Public Advertiser on 29 Oct. suggesting the many sources of laughter on stage as they appealed to various parts of the House, pointing fun at Foote, and closing with his mock, humble statement: @"Many my passions are, tho' one my view@They all concenter--in the pleasing you.'@ It also contained information about a specialty performer on the Cello, Monsieur Cervetti, and his reception by the upper galleries: @"...In like extremes your laughing humour shows@Have ye not roar'd from Pit to upper Rows@And all the jest was, What? a Fiddler's nose..."@ The person here meant is M Cervetti, who has been a standing joke with the upper gallery for a long time past, on account of the length of his nose: but as I am inform'd, that no feature of his Mind is out of proportion, unless it be that his good qualities are extraordinary, I take this opportunity to mention that it is cruel to render him uneasy in the Business, in which he is eminent, and by which he must gain his livlihood." See identical comment in Gray's Inn Journal, 27 Oct. A puff for Miss Macklin appeared in Gray's Inn Journal, 20 Oct.] Receipts: #190 [Cross)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not precisely known, but it seems likely to have been in mid-January. See the discussion under 10 Jan. 1693@4 and Evelyn's remarks on 11 Jan. 1693@4. Part of the music for the play was composed by John Eccles: Young I am and yet unskill'd, sung by a girl, in Gentleman's Journal, January@February 1693@4, and Thesaurus Musicus, 1694: What state of life can be so blest, -Mrs Hudson, in Thesaurus Musicus, 1694. One song was set by Henry Purcell, How happy's the husband, the words by Congreve and sung by Mrs Ayliff, in Thesaurus Musicus, 1694: see also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XX (1916), xiii-xiv

Event Comment: Benefit for Austin and Wood. Wood, Sub Treasurer (Winston MS 8). No Building on Stage. Receipts: #140 (Cross). [The Prologue was The Night's Adventure of a Buck, Larpent MS 147. The mid-portion shows the Buck at the playhouse]: @First to the Playhouse,--not to hear the play--@I went to pass an hour or so away,@For what to me are Shakespears, Otways, Rowes,@Their, Jaffiers, Bajazets, andRomeos?@Such mouthing rascals give no joy to me@I get behind the scenes, and there d'ye see,@I strut, and ogle, pull the girls about@Stand in the way, and put the actors out.@These, these are joys, which only Bucks can know,@And all the pleasures playhouses bestow...

Event Comment: I slept [sic. q: step?] in at Drury Lane before the Play began, which was the first time of being in the Play House this season. Miss Allen was there & Pocock with some girls (Hailey, Brietzcke Diary, N & Q, Vol, 199, p. 260)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 18-21 Dec. 1697, suggests that the premiere occurred not later than late November. This play was originally given to the company in Drury Lane, but withdrawn. See G. Thorn-Drury, An Unrecorded Play Title, Review of English Studies, VI (1930), 316-18. Edition of 1698: A Dialogue in the fourth Act, between Mr Bowman and Mrs Bracegirdle; The words by Mr Durfey and set by Mr Eccles: When will Stella kind and tendre. A Dialogue in the fifth Act, between a Boy and a Girl, and an Old Man, Written by Mr Motteux, set to the Musick by Mr J. Eccles. Preface: I look upon those that endeavour'd to discountenance this Play as Enemys to me

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister. Public Advertiser, 10 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bannister, No. 29, Bow-street, Covent Garden

Event Comment: Powell: Mountaineers rehearsed at 10; Country Girl at 12; Wedding Day at 1:30. Receipts: #328 1s. (263.3; 61.11; 3.7)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: So resolved to take my wife to a play at court to-night, and the rather because it is my birthday....While my wife dressed herself, Creed and I walked out to see what play was acted to-day, and we find it The Slighted Mayde. But, Lord! to see that though I did know myself to be out of danger, yet I durst not go through the street, but round by the garden into Tower Street. By and by took coach, and to the Duke's house, where we saw it well acted, thought the play hath little good in it, being most pleased to see the little girl [Moll Davis] dance in boy's apparel, she having very fine legs, only bends in the hams, as I perceive all women do

Event Comment: New dance damn'd. Aged 4y 2m My dear Fann dy'd poor Girl (Cross). [The extra chorus singers in Chaplet this season received 5s. per night each. Three seem customarily to have been used. Payments during the run to Mr Norton (in charge of music) "3 Chorus 15s." (Treasurer's Book).] Paid salary List #305 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #120 (Cross); #112 4s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mortimer, Tomlinson, West, Lings. House charges #84. [Deficit to actors #60 4s.] Received Mr Evans and Miss Roger's deficiency #28 18s. 6d. Paid Ann Collett for a gold brocaided silk #10 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #23 16s. (Treasurer's Book). Went into ye Pit...Vernon is an excellent MacHeath. I don't like Yates as Peachum so well as Shuter, and Parsons is not so good a Filch as Holborn. Bransby ye Lockit and Mrs Abington Lucy pretty well...Polly-$Mrs Vincent, who is now too old for ye character, and I think wants feeling...One Tomlinson, who had a 4th of the Benefit, spoke an Epilogue in the character of a Beggar, but by one party hissing and a greater clapping, could not hear it.--At Covent Garden a Hurdy-Gurdy man and girl play in the whore's scene, and as the Highwaymen march out, one returns and kisses MacHeath, and Shuter says some things Yates did not, but perhaps they are additions of his own (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: "The great powers of Mrs Jordan cannot be better displayed than in the wonderful contrast of her Country Girl and Viola. In one all archness and vivacity; in the other serious, gentle, tender and sentimental" (Public Advertiser, 16 Nov.). [In afterpiece the playbill retains Parsons as Sir Anthony Halfwit, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted and a MS annotation substitutes Wilson's. "Parsons was taken suddenly ill & J. Wilson read his part" (MS annotation on British Museum playbill, in Harris, 11).] Receipts: #108 12s. (79/11/0; 28/13/6; 0/7/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mattocks. 1st piece [1st time; INT 1, by John Cartwright Cross. Larpent MS 1213; not published]. Genest, VII 365, states that the Epilogue Address "was in all probability the Epilogue to Alonzo [by David Garrick]." 3rd piece: conclude with a Rural Procession: Four Lads bearing Streamers-Plough decorated with Flowers-Four Countrymen bearing a May-day Garland-Four Lasses Bearing Implements of Husbandry-Country Girls leading a Lamb, decorated with Flowers-Four Lasses bearing a Garland-a Chorus and Finale. Tickets delivered for Every One has His Fault will be admitted. Times, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mattocks, No. 8, Great Russell-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #259 16s. 6d. (124.7.0; 2.13.0; tickets: 132.16.6)

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's house, and there saw The Humerous Lieutenant: a silly play, I think; only the Spirit in it that grows very tall, and then sinks again to nothing, having two heads breeding upon one, and tihen Knipp's singing, did please us. Here, in a box above, we spied Mrs Pierce; and, going out, they called us, and so we staid for them; and Knipp took us all in, and brought to us Nelly, a most pretty woman, who acted the great part of Coelia to-day very fine, and did it pretty well: I kissed her, and so did my wife; and a mighty pretty soul she is. We also saw Mrs Hall, which is my little Roman-nose black girl, that is mighty Pretty: she is usually called Betty

Event Comment: [The Duke's Company. For Harris' role, see Pepys, 11 May 1668. For Angel as Stephano, see An Elegy Upon...Mr Edward Angell, reprinted in A Little Ark, pp. 38-39: @Who shall play Stephano now? your Tempest's gone@To raise new Storms i' th' hearts of every one.@ For Underhill as Trincalo, note his nickname of Prince Trincalo. (For Mary Davis as Ariel and Mrs Long as Hypolito, see J. H. Wilson, All the King's Ladies, pp. 140, 166.) Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 33): The Tempest...Acted in Lincolns-Inn-Fields...alter'd by Sir William Davenant and Mr Dryden before 'twas made into an Opera. Pepys, Diary: At noon resolved with Sir W. Pen to go see The Tempest, an old play of Shakespeare's, acted, I hear, the first day; and so my wife, and girl, and W. Hewer by themselves, and Sir W. Pen and I afterwards by ourselves; and forced to sit in the side balcone over against the musique-room at the Duke's house, close by my Lady Dorset and a great many great ones. The house mighty full; the King and Court there: and the most innocent play that ever I saw; and a curious piece of musique in an echo of half sentences, the echo repeating the former half, while the man goes on the latter, which is mighty pretty. The play [has] no great wit, but yet good, above ordinary plays. Thence home with Sir W. Pen, and there all mightily pleased with the play

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of the The Country Girl, advertised on playbill of 6 Mar.] Receipts: #235 12s. (185.19; 56.4; 3.9)