Event Comment: [By Sir Richard Steele.] With new Scenes, and all the Characters new drest. Daily Journal, 8 Nov.: Where a greater Concourse of People was never known to be assembled. [See also Cibber, Apology, II, 206; Dennis, Remarks on a Play call'd The Conscious Lovers; and British Journal, 10 Nov. and 8 Dec.

Event Comment: By Command of Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales. A Free Benefit for Mrs Cibber. [Receipts: #117 15s. 6d. plus #149 5s. from tickets, a clear profit to Mrs Cibber of #267 0s. 6d.], Paid Servandoni on acct. #21. [Notice of 23 March about amphitheatre repeated.] Tickets deliver'd out for the 19th will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Cibber. Mainpiece. Reviv'd, not acted these 4 years [see 1 March 1746]. Afterpiece: Taken from the French of Dancourt, a Ballad Opera, performed by particular desire. Tomorrow, The Jubilee, for Benefit of Mrs Horton. [Baker, Biographia Dramatica, lists the afterpiece as written by James Wilder, taken from Dancourt. Cibber had announced (General Advertiser, 27 Feb.) for his benefit The Man of Mode, with Pasquin, with Alterations. In which would be performed The Rehearsal of a Comedy call'd The Election; or, Bribes on Both Sides, by the Author of Tom Jones.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber. Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 30 March 1761.] Part of Pit will be laid into Boxes. Ladies desired to send servants to keep places by 3 o'clock. That there may be no interruption in the Performance, Mrs Cibber begs leave to assure those Ladies and Gentlemen who shall please to honour her with their company, that there will be no Building upon the Stage, nor any admittance behind the scenes

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Daniel who live at No 17, Stewarts Rents, bottom of Great Wild St.

Event Comment: Benefit for Cross (Wilder and Mattocks had Tickets) and Mrs Cross. N.B. The tickets are printed for Jane Shore for the 18th and will be taken this night. [Note the doubling of parts by Mozeen (Don Pedro and Conrade).] Receipts: #164 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Wright. Tickets deliver'd for Jane Shore and the Fairy Tale; and for the Benefit of Mrs Cross will be taken. Charges: #64 4s. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber. Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years.[See 2 April 1745]. Pit and Boxes laid together, where servants will be allowed to keep Places, and on the stage; which for the better Accommodation of the Ladies will be inclos'd and form'd into Front and Side Boxes. Ladies send servants by 3 o'clock. Tickets of Mrs Cibber at New Street, Spring Garden, and of Hobson. Receipts: #275 (Cross); house charges, #60. This must be subtracted as before (Powel)

Event Comment: [By Theophilus Cibber.] Alter'd from Shakespear. Containing the Marriages of King Edward the Fourth , and young Prince Edward , with Lady Gray , and Lady Anne . The Distresses of Queen Margaret . The Deposing King Henry the Sixth . The Battles Fought at St. Albans, Wakefield, Mortimer's-Cross, and Tewkesbury. The Deaths of Lord Clifford of Cumberland , and his Son, the Duke of York , his Steward. And many other True Historical Passages

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Cibber. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. [Tickets at Mrs Cibber's, Great Queen Street.] N.B. Mrs Cibber's present Condition not permitting her to play on her Benefit Night, as she purpos'd, she is oblig'd to change the Play; and Tickets deliver'd out for The Conscious Lovers will then be taken

Event Comment: For the Relief of Mr Chetwood, late Prompter at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, and now a Prisoner in the King's Bench. Receipts: money #219; seals #15 (Account Book); #250 Rylands MS.). [William Shenstone saw Cibber act on 12, 13, or 14 Jan. See Letters of William Shenstone, pp. 14-15.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Not acted these 3 years. [See 8 April 1756.] The great Demand Mrs Cibber has had for places, has oblig'd her to lay the whole Pit into the Boxes; and the Stage form'd into an Amphitheatre, where servants will be admitted to keep places. Tickets deliver'd for Barbarossa 9 March will be taken. Receipts: #300 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterp1ece: With the Scene of the Drawing in the Guildhall. Jane Shore oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of the Indisposition of a principal performer (General Advertiser). Mr Beard enter'd the 11th inst 9 days...#7 10s. Receipts: #91 11s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. Mainpiece: Not acted these 14 years. [See 22 Nov. 1760.] Last time of the Company's performing till Easter Holidays. On Easter Monday, the Tragedy of Jane Shore, with the (fifty-fourth Time) Druids. [In original text Douglas is call'd Norval and Norval is called Stranger, or Prisoner.

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Jane Shore; afterpiece of The best Bidder, both announced on playbill of 17 Jan.] Receipts: #140 12s. (139/2; 1/10)

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first production is not known, but Part II seems to have followed rather closely upon Part I. The Gentleman's Journal, June 1694 (which apparently appeared in mid-June) states: The first Part of Mr Durfey's Don Quixote was so well received, that we have had a second Part of that Comical History acted lately, which doubtless must be thought as entertaining as the first; since in this hot season it could bring such a numerous audience (p. 170). The Songs were advertised in the London Gazette, 5 July 1694, and Part II advertised in the same periodical 19-23 July 1694. The songs as listed in the separately printed Songs are as follows: Genius of England, the music by Henry Purcell, sung by Freeman and Mrs Cibber. I burn, I burn, the music by John Eccles, sung by Mrs Bracegirdle. Since times are so bad, the music by Henry Purcell, sung by Reading and Mrs Ayliff. Damon, let a friend, the music by Pack, sung by Mrs Hudson. Ye nymphs and sylvan gods, the music by John Eccles sung by Mrs Ayliff. If you will love me, composer and singer not named. In addition, Thesaurus Musicus, 1695, published Lads and lasses, blithe and gay, the music by Henry Purcell, sung by Mrs Hudson. Purcell also wrote the music for other songs for which the singer is not known. Preface, edition of 1694: The good success, which both the Parts of Don Quixote have had, either from their Natural Merit, or the Indulgence of my Friends, or both, ought sufficiently to satisfie me, that I have no reason to value tne little Malice of some weak Heads, that make it their business to be simply Criticizing....I think I have given some additional Diversion in the Continuance of the character of Marcella, which is wholly new in this Part, and my own Invention, the design finishing with more pleasure to the Audience by punishing that coy Creature by an extravagant Passion here, that was so inexorable and cruel in the first Part, and ending with a Song so incomparably well sung, and acted by Mrs Bracegirdle, that the most envious do allow, as well as the most ingenious affirm, that 'tis the best of that kind ever done before....I deserve some acknowledgment for drawing that Character of Mary the Buxom, which was intirely my own,...by making the Character humorous, and the extraordinary well acting of Mrs Verbruggen, it is by the best Judges allowed a Masterpiece of humour

Event Comment: Wrote by one Mr Crisp. A Gentlewoman, who never appear'd upon ye Stage before did Marcia (Mrs Graham) & had deservidly great applause, the whole play went off, with General Approbation. Mr Carey had his fiddle broke by an apple playing the first Music--the Prologue & Epilogue much lik'd--both wrote by Garrick (Cross). Gentlewoman-Mrs Graham, afterwards Mrs Yates (Winston MS 8). Tuner Letter the 2nd pub. at 6d.--29 pages

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The evidence for this date as the premiere of The Relapse is Jennens' report on 19 Nov. 1696 that Drury Lane expected to produce a new play on this date, coupled with the fact that Lady Morley saw this play on 25 Nov. 1696. The play was advertised in the Post Boy, 26-29 Dec. 1696. Preface, Edition of 1697: One word more about the Bawdy, and I have done. I own the first Night this thing was acted, some indecencies had like to have happen'd, but 'twas not my Fault. The fine Gentleman of the Play, drinking his Mistress's Health in Nants Brandy, from six in the Morning, to the time he wadled upon the Stage in the Evening, had toasted himself up, to such a pitch of Vigor, I confess I once gave Amanda for gone, and am since (with all due Respect to Mrs Rogers) very sorry she scap'd; for I am confident a certain Lady (let no one take it to herself that is handsome) who highly blames the Play, for the barenness of the conclusion, wou'd then have allowed it, a very natural Close. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. 145: This Play was received with mighty applause. Cibber, Apology, I, 216: This Play (the Relapse) from its new and easy Turn of Wit, had great Success, and gave me, as a Comedian, a second Flight of Reputation along with it

Event Comment: MMrs Cibber's first appearance this season (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but the Preface refers to the Long Vacation and a thin house, suggesting a late summer production. As the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 16-18 Nov. 1697, a first performance in October 1697 is probably the latest date for this play, and September seems more likely. Among the songs are several for whom the composer and singer are named: Happy we who free from love, and How calm Eliza are these groves, the music set by Morgan and both sung by Mrs Lindsey. She comes my goddess comes, set by Morgan and sung by Mrs Cibber. Sleep shepherd sleep, the music set by Morgan and sung by Mrs Cross. All four are in A Collection of New Songs, 1697. Preface, Edition of 1698: To serve the wants of a thin Playhouse, and Long Vacation...This hasty Brat...had the Honor of keeping the Stage for five Days Reign. Animadversions on Mr Congreve's late Answer to Mr Collier (1698), pp. 34-35: The mighty Man of Wit [Congreve]...at the Representation of this Play...was seen very gravely with his Hat over his Eyes among his chief Actors, and Actresses, together with the two She Things, call'd Poetesses, which Write for his House, as 'tis nobly call'd; thus seated in State among those and some other of his Ingenious critical Friends, they fell all together upon a full cry of Damnation, but when they found the malicious Hiss would not take, this very generous, obliging Mr Congreve was heard to say, We'll find out a New way for this Spark, take my word there is a way of clapping of a Play down

Event Comment: [By Richard Steele. Date of premiere unknown. Published 20 Dec.] Colley Cibber: I remember [Rich] once paid us nine Days in one Week: This happen'd when the Funeral...was first acted, with more than expected Success.-Apology, I, 263

Event Comment: Not Acted these Seven Years. Written by Ben Johnson. Daily Advertiser, 1 Nov.: On Saturday Night a great Number of Wax Candles were lighted in the Windows of Mr Cibber's, Mr Booth's, and Mr Wilks's Houses...on account of his Majesty's Birthday

Event Comment: Whereas divers Complaints have been made, that Numbers...shift from Box to Box, to the great Annoyance of the Ladies...which Inconvenience appears on Enquiry to be caus'd by many not Paying...an Office is erected in the Lobby to the Boxes, where all Persons (the Ladies Excepted) are asked to take Tickets before they go in. Receipts: #64 19s. (Account Book); #100 (Rylands MS.). Rylands MS.: Cibber ill

Event Comment: [In her memoirs Mrs Charke states that this play was acted four times consecutively during the run of Romeo and Juliet.