Event Comment: The Duke's Company. See also 15 and 23 Dec. 1662.
Pepys, Diary:
There being
the famous new play acted
the first time to-day, which is called
The Adventures of Five Hours, at
the Duke's house, being,
they say, made or translated by Colonel Tuke, I did long to see it; and so made my wife to get her ready, though we were forced to send for a smith, to break open her trunk...and though early, were forced to sit almost out of sight, at
the end of one of
the lower forms, so full was
the house. And
the play, in one word, is
the best, for
the variety and
the most excellent continuance of
the plot to
the very end, that ever I saw, or think ever shall, and all possible, not only to be done in
the time, but in most o
ther respects very admittable, and without one word of ribaldry; and
the house, by its frequent plaudits, did show
their sufficient approbation.
Evelyn, Diary: I went to see Sir S: Tuke (my kinsmans) Comedy acted at
the Dukes
Theater, which so universaly tooke as it was acted for some weekes every day, & was belived would be worth
the Comedians 4 or 5000 pounds: Indeede
the plot was incomparable but
the language stiffe & formall.
Downes (pp 22-23): Wrote by
the Earl of Bristol, and
Sir Samuel Tuke: This Play being Cloath'd so Excellently Fine in proper Habits, and Acted so justly well....It took Successively 13 Days toge
ther, no o
ther Play Intervening.
Lady Anglesey to her husband, 10 Jan. 1663: Lord Bristol has made a play which is much commended (
CSPD 1663-64, p. 8)