Event Comment: MMr Mossop from the theatre in Dublin is engag'd at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, and will perform there the latter end of this week. Receipts: #80 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Munden. 1st piece: Not acted these 12 years [acted 20 Apr. 1789]. 2nd piece: By Permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane. Never Performed at this Theatre. With the Original Overture, Songs, Trios, Duets and Chorusses. To conclude with a Perspective Representation of a Grand Camp. Morning Chronicle, 1 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Munden, No. 16, Clement's Inn. Receipts: #565 0s. 6d. (202.9.0; 10.10.0; tickets: 352.1.6)

Event Comment: By Command of Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal. Benefit Mills. Daily Post, 5 March: Colley Cibber...is so ill of a Cold he is not able to Act. Daily Advertiser, 7 March: On Monday Night last a great Disorder happen'd amongst the Footmen at [dl], occasion'd by one of the Orange Women, who meeting with some Affront, as she was passing from the Theatre to the Coffeehouse, drew out her Penknife, and stabb'd a Chairman and two Gentlemen's Servants therewith, before it could be wrench'd from her, and then took Sanctuary in the Coffee-house; but the same was immediately beset, and the People refusing either to produce the Woman, or acquaint the Footmen who she was, they forc'd themselves into the Room, broke all the Glasses and China

Event Comment: A new Comedy [By James Miller.]

Event Comment: Ever studious for Public Amusement, I...strayed last Week, to a place near the Haymarket in Westminster, and Temple Bar in Middlesex, call'd James's St., where at the New Theatre, a Play called the Miser, with an Entertainment called the Old Man Bit, or Harlequin Skeleton, I saw rehears'd. J. W. Gray's Inn 12 Oct.-Theatrical Clippings, Folger Library. Benefit Julian Late of Goodman's Fields Theatre. At the New Theatre in James St., near Haymarket...a Concert. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. Gallery 1s. 6 p.m. Note, Mr Julian taken this Opportunity to acquaint his Friends, that these Performances will be done with the utmost Regularity and Decoration, most of the Performers having belong'd to the Theatres. [This customary notice about the concert, time and prices will not be included unless changed.

Event Comment: A revived Serious Opera; the Music by the most eminent Composers [Bertoni, Gugliclmi, Giordani, Rauzzini, Gretry, &c], under the direction of Bertoni. With entire new scenes painted by Novosielski. New Dresses and Decorations both for the Opera and Dances. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [see 18 June 1782]. By Command of Their Majesties no Persons to be admitted behind the Scenes. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. To prevent inconvenience in getting to their carriages, the Nobility and Gentry are requested to order their servants to set down and take up with their horses' heads towards Pall-Mali. The Subscribers to the Opera are intreated to send their instructions to Jewell and Johnson at the Office in Union-court before the opening of the Theatre, when the final arrangement of the Boxes will take place, and those which are not retained will then be disposed of. Subscriptions to be paid on delivery of the tickets. Books of the Opera, with an account of the Pantomime Dance, to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: [By James Miller.] All the Characters new drest

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Ballet: With New Habits. At Common Prices

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Martyr. 3rd piece [1st time; M. INT I; author unknown. MS: Larpent 1022; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Herald, 10 May]: Books of the Songs may be had at the Theatre. [In 4th piece Brown is identified in Thespian Magazine, June 1794, p. 226.] Morning Chronicle, 5 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Martyr, No. 16, Martlett-court, Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #272 19s. (81/14; 5/12; tickets: 185/13)

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: Rich's Company. The date of the first production is not known, but A Comparison between the Two Stages (1702) (pp. 21-23) implies that this work preceded Rinaldo and Armida (performed at lif probably in November 1698). The Island Princess was not published until 1699 (the Masque being advertised in the Post Boy, 7-9 Feb. 1698@9, and the Opera in the Flying Post, 7-9 March 1698@9). A Comparison between the Two Stages (1702), pp. 21-22: Sullen: The old House have a Bawble offer'd 'em, made out of Fletcher's Island Princess, sometime after alter'd by Mr Tate, and now erected into an Opera by Motteux: The Actors labour at this like so many Galley Slaves at an Oar, they call in the Fiddle, the Voice, the Painter, and the Carpenter to help 'em; and what neither the Poet nor the Player cou'd do, the Mechanick must do for him:...but as I was saying-the Opera now possesses the Stage, and after a hard struggle, at length it prevail'd, and something more than Charges came in every Night: The Quality, who are always Lovers of good Musick, flock hither, and by almost a total revolt from the other House, give this new Life, and set it in some eminency above the New; this was a sad mortification to the old Stagers in Lincolns-Inn-fields. For a poem, The Confederates; or the first Happy Day of the Island Princess, see Poem on Affairs of State, 1703, II, 248-50

Event Comment: [By Susanna Centlivre.] Never before Acted. Being the second Part of the Busie Body. With new Dresses and several new Scenes; particularly an intire Sett of a pleasant Woodv, painted by Mr Boul, after the Italian Manner

Event Comment: Not Acted these Seven Years. All the Habits being intirely New. [The Prologue was printed in Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer, 24 Nov.

Event Comment: Not Acted these Six Years. Taken from the Cid of Mons Corneille. All the Habits being entirely New. With new Scenes and other Decorations

Event Comment: [Edward Young.] A new Tragedy. All the persons being new drest

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: A New Scot's Opera. [By Joseph Mitchell.] All the Habits entirely New. [See a letter by the Author in Daily Advertiser, 20 March.

Event Comment: Benefit Wm. Mills and Mrs Mills. For the Entertainment of the Grand Master, and the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons. Mainpiece: As it was alter'd by the late Duke of Buckingham

Event Comment: We hear the new Pantomime Entertainment that was perform'd last night at Drury Lane was receiv'd with great applause, the Scenes, Deceptions, and Decorations all being in an entire new taste.--Daily Advertiser. [This "puff" worded identically with that appearing the day before in the London Daily Post and General Advertiser.

Event Comment: Benefit Macklin. Mainpiece written by the late Lord Lansdown. With the Original Songs, new set by Mr Arne, and to be sung by Mr Lowe and Mrs Clive. Never acted there before. Afterpiece wirtten by the late Mr Pope, Mr Gay, and Dr Arbuthnot. Servants will be allowed to keep places on the stage; and those ladies who have taken places are humbly desired to send for tickets to prevent mistakes. Tickets to be had of Macklin at his house in Bow St., and of Hobson at the stage door

Event Comment: Afterpiece. A Grand New Dance, with Scenes, Music and Habits entirely new. No money to be return'd after the curtain is drawn up. Receipts: #100 (Cross); #133 4s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: This Play tho' all new dress'd and had Fine Scenes did not seem to give ye audience any great plasure, or draw any applause (Cross). Written by Shakespear. Never Acted there. New Habits, Scenes, and Decorations. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken during the Performance. No Gentleman can possibly be admitted behind the Scenes, or into the Orchestra on account of the Music, Decorations, and number of Performers which are necessary to the Representation (playbill). [See "Garrick's Presentation of Antony and Cleopatra," RES, Jan. 1937. The following characters appear in Capel's acting text, 23 Oct. 1958, Maecenas-Atkins; Proculeius-$Austin; Soothsayer-$Burton; Mardian-$Perry; Seleucas-$Burton.] Receipts: #200 ($Cross); #193 14s. (Winston MS 8)

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: [Prologue by George Colman, the elder (Colman, Prose, 10,239).] Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice at the Theatre. [No playbill this season lists the various prices of admission; they were probably, as usual: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s.] The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. On 24 May Colman inserted the following in Public Advertiser: The Theatre Royal in the Haymarket will open next Saturday. In order to avoid unnecessary' Repetitions during the Season, the Public are desired, once for all, to take Notice that every Performance at this Theatre will be exhibited to most brilliant, crouded and OVERFLOWING audiences; and received with loud and universal Bursts of most UNBOUNDED and UNCOMMON Applause

Event Comment: As 27 Nov. 1738. Mainpiece: Alter'd from Shakespear. Victor, History of the Theatres, II, 48: In the Year 1738, having, as he [Colley Cibber] said, Health and Strength enough to be as useful as ever, he came to Terms with Mr Fleetwood for his performing Richard, Fondlewife, Sir John Brute, &c. All his Comedy Parts he was right in, but in Richard he found his Mistake; his usual Strength and Spirit failed him most unhappily. I went behind the Scenes in the third Act, and asking him how he fared? He whispered me in the Ear, "That he wou'd give fifty Guineas to be then sitting in his easy Chair by his own Fireside.