Event Comment: Benefit for Reddish. Mainpiece: By Desire. Farce (adapted by Thomas Ryder from Vanbrugh's Mistake) never acted there

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Taken from [Thomas] Southern's Oroonoko

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Moss, who performed Peggy in February and October 1776. [Author of Prologue unknown.

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. At the request of several of the Scotch Nobility. Benefit for Raeburn. Mainpiece: In its original state, as it was written by Allan Ramsay in 1724 [recte 1725]. The Characters to be entirely new dressed. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:00. No persons to be admitted behind the scenes, nor any money returned after the curtain is drawn up. Ladies are requested to send their servants by Five to keep places. Tickets to be had of Raeburn, No. 4, Gloucester-court, St. James's; of Walker, the Globe, Pall-mall; of Mackintosh, the George, East Harding-street, Shoe-lane; of Watson, the Fleece, Little Windmill-street (being the original Scotch house); of Mrs Shaw, the St. Andrew, near the Armitage-bridge, Wapping

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells [whose 1st appearance in tragedy was at this theatre, 30 Apr. 1783]. Public Advertiser, 29 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 5, York-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #143 17s. (33/4/0; 24/0/6; 0/10/6; tickets: 86/2/0) (charge: #114 8s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. Part of the Pit [6 rows (Public Advertiser, 6 Mar.)] will be laid into the Boxes. To prevent Confusion Ladies are desired to send their Servants by half past Four o'clock. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Orestes to Smith, but he "was indisposed . . . Throughout the whole [of his part] Kemble's skill was apparent. In the last scene he displayed as fine a picture of horror as was ever given from the stage" (Morning Chronicle, 6 Mar.).] Morning Herald, 24 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Siddons, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #293 11s. (122/17/0; 10/1/6; 1/2/6; tickets: 159/10/0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister. Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by Leonard Macnally, based on A Mad World, My Masters, by Thomas Middleton. MS: Larpent 729; not published. Introduction by the author (Town and Country Magazine, June 1786, p. 328]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre [composer unknown]. Morning Herald, 11 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bannister, No. 29, Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #273 4s. 6d. (180/6/0; 7/9/6; tickets: 85/9/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Ryder. Public Advertiser, 20 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Ryder at his house, No. 5, Bow-street, Covent-garden. 1st piece: The Overture, Airs, &c. by Dr Arnold. The selected by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Giardini, Bertoni, Dr Arne, Carolan the Irish Bard. 2nd piece: 1st time Here. Translated from the French of La Bonne Mere, by Horatio Edgar? Robson, and at this Time reading with great success and general applause by LeTexier in Lisle-Street [and 1st acted at the hay, 22 Aug. 1788]. 3rd piece [1st time; F 2, by Thomas Ryder, altered from The Man of Parts, by Isaac Jackman; not published]. Receipts: #271 0s. 6d. (191.15.6; 5.7.0; tickets: 73.18.0)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary, 20 Oct.: Young Killigrew did so commend The Villaine, a new play made by Tom Porter, and acted only on Saturday at the Duke's house, as if there never had been any such play come upon the stage. The same yesterday was told me by Captain Ferrers; and this morning afterwards by Dr Clerke, who saw it. Downes, p. 23: Written by Major Thomas Porter; this Play by its being well perform'd, had Success extremly beyond the Company's Expectation....It Succeeded 10 Days with a full House, to the last. [Downes especially praises Price. The edition of 1663 has a Prologue but no actors' names and no epilogue.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known; an entry in L. C. 5@145, p. 120, lists it for 1 March, but leaves the year in question. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 349. Because the Prologue upbraids the audience for deserting Dorset Garden to see The Female Prelate at Drury Lane (beginning 31 May 1680) and because the Epilogue refers to railing at the Penny Post, a service inaugurated on 1 April 1680, a performance in mid-June 1680 seems the likely first production. If so, the L. C. entry for 1 March probably represents a revival for 1 March 1680@1. A song, Bonny lass gin thou wert mine, with music by Thomas Farmer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book, 1681. For Leigh as Sir Jolly and Nokes as Sir Davy, see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 147-48. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 36): These two Comedies [The Soulder's Fortune and D'Urfey's The Fond Husband] took extraordinary well, and being perfectly Acted; got the Company great Reputation and Profit

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the Prologue to the Second Part [1699] refers to warm weather and to May Fair. The Songs to both parts were advertised in the Post Boy, 24-27 June 1699, suggesting a first production not later than the end of May 1699. The following among the songs for Part I list the singer or composer or both: From azure plains, sung by Pate, in A Second Collection of New Songs and Ballads (1699). How comes it now good Mrs Spratt, sung by Pate and Leveridge (ibid.). Of all the world's enjoyments, sung by Leveridge (ibid.). Whilst wretched fools sneak up and down, composed by Daniel Purcell and sung by Leveridge and Pate (ibid.). Young Philander wooed me long, composed by Daniel Purcell (ibid.). For Part II: The devil he pulled off his jacket of flame, composed by Samuel Ackroyde (ibid.). He led her by the milk-white hand, composed by Samuel Ackroyde (ibid.)

Event Comment: [Music by Dominico Scarlatti, with additional numbers by Thomas Roseingrave. Text by P. A. Rolli.] A new Opera. Pit and Boxes together at half a guinea. Gallery 5s. Stage one Guinea. N.B. When the Tickets are disposed of, no Person will be admitted for Money; places will be kept in the Boxes only

Event Comment: Benefit Egleton and Mrs Egleton. Receipts: money #28 9s.; tickets #65 2s

Event Comment: Benefit Hild. Bullock and Mrs Wall. Receipts: money #27 15s. 6d.; tickets #67 9s

Event Comment: Benefit the Author. Mainpiece: a New Play of Three Acts. [By Thomas Cooke.] At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality

Event Comment: Acted but Once these Twenty Years. [As lif acted on Tuesdays and Fridays, possibly these plays were given earlier on 22 June.] By a Company of Comedians, acting under Letters-Patent. Mainpiece: Written by Thomas Shadwell, Esq; Poet-Laureat

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Thomas Vaughan, based on Il Servitor di due Padroni, by Carlo Goldoni. Prologue by the author (Town and Country Magazine, Dec. 1776, p. 663)]: With New Dresses. Public Advertiser, 2 Dec. 1776: This Day at Noon is published The Hotel (1s.). Receipts: #182 1s

Event Comment: Afterpiece (1st time; BURL I, by Thomas Willet. For music see 31 July]: Books of the Burletta to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 1 July 1778: This Day is published Buxom Joan (6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Thomas Holcroft]: The Music composed by Shield. With New Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations, and a new Overture. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 18 Aug. 1784: This Day at Noon will be published The Noble Peasant (price not listed)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 3, by William Hayley, based on The Changeling, by Thomas Middleton. And see cg, 10 Nov.]: With new Dresses and Decorations. Afterpiece: 1st time in 3 acts [see cg, 14 Dec. 1784]. Receipts: #120 10s. 6d. (84.15.0; 29.17.6; 5.18.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, arranged by Thomas Goodwin. Monologue by Miles Peter Andrews (Yale, Folio Pamphlets No. 10, p. 157)]. Morning Herald, 19 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lewis, Bow-street. Receipts: #466 5s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Altered into Three Acts. "All the comic part of the play is cut out" (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1795, p. 123). Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by William Pearce]: The Incidents principally selected from the legendary Ballads of the 13th Century. The Scenery, Machinery, Music, Dresses and Decorations entirely new, and in correct conformity to the Times. The Pantomime invented by Mr Lonsdale. The Songs written by Mr O'Keeffe. The Overture and the Music (with the exception of a few Antient Ballad Tunes) by Reeve. The Dances invented by Byrn. [The concluding Grand Scene regulated by Thomas Harris (Monthly Mirror, supra).] The Scenery painted by Hodgins, Lupino, Phillips, Thorne, Hollogan, Blackmore, and assistants. The Machinery by Sloper and Goosetree. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [For a further assignment of the Vocal Characters and for a more detailed synopsis, see 4 Jan. 1796.] Account-Book, 16 Jan. 1796: Paid Goosetree for the Keep and Hire of Horses for the Pantomime #15 13s. Receipts: #321 19s. (318.10; 3.9)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett 1st piece: By permission of G. Colman, Esq. Never performed at that Theatre. As performed at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, with universal Applause. With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. Written by the Author of The Way to Get Married [Thomas Morton]. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1]. Oracle, 8 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Fawcett at his house, No. 9, Tottenham-Court-Road, opposite Howland-street. Receipts: #507 9s. 6d. (185.7.6; 10.0.0; tickets: 312.2.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Thomas Knight]: With new Music, new Scenes and Dresses. The Music composed by Mazzinghi and Reeve. The Scenes painted by Richards and Phillips. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Account-Book, 5 Feb. 1800: Paid Knight for Turnpike Gate #125; Reeve and Mazzinghi for music in same #50. Morning Chronicle, 29 Nov. 1799: This day is published The Turnpike Gate (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #288 17s. (281.2.6; 7.14.6)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Bland; in afterpiece the playbill assigns Euphrosyne and 1st Bacchant to Mrs Bland, 2nd Bacchant to Miss DeCamp, Pastoral Nymph to Miss Dall, but "In consequence of the sudden indisposition of Mrs Bland...nearly the whole female cast of Comus was last night altered a short time previous to the performance. Miss Dall was the Euphrosyne, Miss DeCamp the 1st Bacchant, and Mrs Bramwell the Pastoral Nymph. In The Mountaineers Miss DeCamp was Mrs Bland's successor" (Morning Herald, 3 Sept.). Mrs Bramwell's part as a Bacchant was probably omitted.