Event Comment: Afterpiece: In one Act. [For Miss Leak's 1st appearance as Sally see HAY 24 Feb.] Powell: Thomas & Sally rehearsed at 1 0; The Inconstant at 11; The Jew at 12.30 (for Suett and Miss Tidswell). Receipts: #540 (462/7/6; 76/7/0; 1/5/6)

Event Comment: By Permission. Benefit for Thomas Barry. Neville MS Diary: Mr Barry having obtained permission to play 3 nights after the time at which Foote by his patent is obliged to shut his house

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Barry. Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, as altered by Thomas Hull]. Translated from [Iphigenie en aulide, by] Racine by Boyer. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Ladies are desired to send their Servants by Four o'Clock. Public Advertiser, 18 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Barry, No. 26, Henrietta-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #273 19s. 6d. (157.18.6; tickets: 116.1.0) (charge: #70 17s. 6d.)

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

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the premiere is not known. Pepys saw it on 6 March 1679@80, calling it a "New Play," and that may have been the first day. The Prologue alludes also to the Duke of York's triumphant return from Scotland on 24 Feb. 1679@80, and the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, May 1680. For Mrs Bracegirdle as the "little Girl," see Edmund Curll, History of the English Stage (1741), p. 26, and Lucyle Hook, Anne Bracegirdle's First Appearance, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1959), 134. For Betterton as Castalio and Mrs Barry as Monimia, probably as they performed in the next decade, see Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 116, 160. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 37) gives the same cast except for omissions and except for Serina-Barry">Mrs Mountfort, who acted it later. Downes (pp. 37-38) adds: [Monimia, Belvidera in Venice Preserved, and Isabella in The Fatal Marriage] These three Parts, gain'd her the Name of Famous $Mrs Barry, both at court and City; for when ever She Acted any of these three Parts, she forc'd Tears from the Eyes of her Auditory, especially those who have any Sense of Pity for the Distress't. These 3 Plays, by their Excellent Performances, took above all the Modern Plays that succeeded. A song for this play, Come all the youths whose hearts have bled, the music by Forcer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Third Book, 1681

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. There is no indication of the first date of performance, but a licensing date of 19 Feb. 1676@7 suggests a December 1676 or January 1677 production.Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 38): Titus and Berenice, Wrote by the same Author [Thomas Otway], consisting of 3 Acts: With the Farce of the Cheats of Scapin at the end: This Play, with the Farce, being perfectly well Acted; had good Success

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: The Duke's Company. This performance is known by the separately printed Prologue and Epilogue: Prologue. By Mr Otway to his Play call'd Venice preserv'd or the Plot discover'd. Acted at His Royal Highness the Duke of Yorks Theatre, the 9th of February, 1681. [These have been reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 61-66.] Luttrell dated his copy of the Prologue and Epilogue 11 Feb. 1681@2 (Huntington Library). It is not certain that 9 Feb. 1681@2 represents the first performance, but it may well be. For a comment by Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, on Mrs Barry, see The Orphan, February 1679@80

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the Dedication of the play is dated 15 Jan. 1696@7 suggests that it was probably first acted not later than December 1696. The play was advertised in the Post Man, 21-23 Jan. 1696@7. The music was set by John Eccles. Dedication, Edition of 1697: I make you a Present of a Play, that miscarri'd on the first Nights Performance; tho' afterwards, without any farther Discouragement, it kept it self alive till the third day was over, and then I must confess the City Lady expir'd....This I am confident on, that the like Unfortunate Accidents which attended this Comedy, wou'd have been sufficient to have Dam'd a much better Play. The tedious waiting to have the Curtain drawn, after the Prologue was spoke, occasion'd by Mr Underhill's violent Bleeding, put the Audience out of Humour, and made it susceptible of the least Disgust; and when once the Torrent of its Displeasure break bounds, nothing cou'd put a stop to his Vehemence. After Mr Underhill was no longer able to come upon the Stage, scarce any thing was done but by Halves, and in much Confusion; in the midst of which, I think my self oblig'd to applaud the Justice I receiv'd from the Incomparable Mrs Barry. I very well know that the Ode in the third Act seems to be introduc'd something unseasonably. It was made and set long since, in hopes of having it perform'd before the King, at his return from Flanders; and the Music being so finely compos'd by Mr John Eccles, I was loath it shou'd be wholly lost to the Town. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: Damn'd

Event Comment: Benefit Barry. By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. Ladies send servants by three. Tickets at his lodgings in Bow St

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Mainpiece: A Tragedy never acted there, Taken from Southern's Oroonoko [by Francis Gentleman]. Tickets deliver'd for Alexander will be admitted. Ladies send servants by 4 o'clock

Event Comment: HHopkins MS Memorandum Book: Wrote to Mr Barry to know when they could play. Receiv'd a letter from him on Monday, desiring they might be excus'd playing till Saturday sennight, as they were both ill. Wrote to him the same day desiring they would send me word what play they would chuse to appear in, & when they would rehearse. Rec'd a letter on Thursday the 28th that the soonest they could appear would be the latter end of the next week. They play King Lear on Sat. 7 Oct

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. Mainpiece: Not acted these 12 years. Rec'd Mr Stevens 1 year's rent to Lady Day last (taxes deducted #13 3s. 8d.) #3 6s. 4d. (Treasurer's Book). Mrs Barry Isabella (1st time) great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Burton died on Sunday 3 May (Winston MS 10). Receipts: #158 15s. Charges: #64 17s. Profit to J. Palmer: #93 18s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. [Send servants by 4 o'clock and come early to avoid confusion and trouble in getting to seats.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Nell Gwyn attended this performance. See VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p.408. It is not certain that this was the premiere, but, as the play was licensed for publication on 20 Nov. 1676, the first performance may well have been on this day. A song, Away with the causes of riches and cares, with music by Matthew Lock, is in Catch that Catch Can, No. 64, 1685. Another, Beneath a shady willow, with music by William Turner, is in A New Collection of Songs and Poems...by Thomas D'Urfey, 1683. Edition of 1677: That its only good Fortune was, in being the Subject of the Courts Diversion, where their Noble Clemency and Good Nature were extremely requisite, in covering its defects from the too Censorious; His Majesty, according to His accustomed Royal and Excellent Temper, was pleas'd to descend so far, as to give it a particular Applause, which was seconded by your Grace [The Duke of Ormond]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: [By Thomas Odell.] A New Farce. Afterpiece: [By Thomas Odell.] A new Opera

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by Thomas John Dibdin; pantomime by Charles Farley]: With new Scenery, Machinery, Tricks, Dresses, and Decorations. The Overture, Airs and Chorusses by Attwood. The Pantomime Music by Attwood, Mountain, and Ealy [recte Eley]. The Scenery by Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Blackmore, Thorne, Wilkins, &c. The Machinery and Tricks by Cresswell, Sloper and Goostree. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #364 (353.12; 10.8)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A new Ballad Opera of one Act. [By Thomas Gataker,]

Event Comment: A new Musical Entertainment of Two Acts never performed before by Thomas Brydges?. Music by Hook

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of COMUS, advertised on playbill of 11 June.) Powell: Clandestine Marriage rehearsed at 10 (King ill; Barrymore one scene); Lodoiska at 12 (Bannister Sen. not call'd; Danby, Denman, Reynoldson, Hobler, Horsfall, Dorion Jun., G. D'Egville, Hamoir absent). Receipts: #114 2s. 6d. (74/19/0; 33/10/6; 5/13/0)