The London Stage Database team will be retiring the Legacy Search on May 1, 2025. Please take a moment before that date to reproduce any pre-2021 searches and export any resulting datasets you may wish to preserve for future use. We are making this change in order to free up computational resources for new features and data, currently in development with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Watch this space for more updates and, coming soon, new ways to keep up with the latest project developments!
SELECT * FROM london_stages WHERE MATCH('(@(authnameclean,perftitleclean,commentcclean,commentpclean) "Thomas King Esq"/1) | (@(roleclean,performerclean) "Thomas King Esq")') GROUP BY eventid ORDER BY weight() desc, eventdate asc OPTION field_weights=(perftitleclean=100, commentpclean=75, commentcclean=75, roleclean=100, performerclean=100, authnameclean=100), ranker=sph04

Result Options

Download:
JSON XML CSV

Search Filters

Event

Date Range
Start
End

Performance

?
Filter by Performance Type










Cast

?

Keyword

?
We found 5449 matches on Author, 3212 matches on Performance Comments, 2694 matches on Performance Title, 2194 matches on Event Comments, and 0 matches on Roles/Actors.
Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Thomas Holcroft, based on DER DEUTSCHE HAUSVATER, by Otto Heinrich Freiherr von Gemmingen. Prologue by the author and John Thelwall (Boaden, Kemble, II, 114). Epilogue by the author (Knapp, p. 263)]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Morning Chronicle, 18 Feb. 1794: This Day is published LOVE'S FRAILTIES (2s.). Oulton, 1796, II, 154: It was the first play published at the advanced price of 2s. [i.e. hitherto (since, at least, 1776) the price of full-length plays had been 1s. 6d.]. Receipts: #308 17s. 6d. (296/8/6; 12/9/0)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Love's Frailties; Or, Precept Against Practice

Related Works
Related Work: Love’s Frailties; or, Precept against Practice Author(s): Thomas Holcroft

Afterpiece Title: HARTFORD BRIDGE

Event Comment: [1st piece in place of THOMAS AND SALLY, advertised on playbill of 29 Mar. In 2nd piece Mrs Yates is identified in Thespian Magazine, Apr. 1794, p. 177, which also assigns the Greek Soldier, who is omitted from the playbill.)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: All In Good Humour

Afterpiece Title: THE GRECIAN DAUGHTER

Afterpiece Title: THE PURSE

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Mourning Bride

Afterpiece Title: Nobody

Performance Comment: Characters-Barrymore, Bensley, Bannister Jun., Maddocks, Trueman, Evans, Mrs Goodall, Miss Pope, Miss Collins, Miss Heard, Miss DeCamp, Mrs Booth, Mrs Jordan; [Larpent MS 1046 lists the parts: Sir Henry Rightly, Sharply, Lord Courtland, Thomas, Servants, Nelly Primrose, Lady Languid, Lady Rouleau, Lady Farrow, Lady Squander, Miss Cassino, Mrs Goodly.] Prologue-Barrymore; Epilogue-Mrs Jordan.
Event Comment: Benefit for Johnstone. 1st piece [1st time; C 5, by William Macready, based on The Artful Husband, by William Taverner. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald. Epilogue by Robert Houlton (see text)]. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, author unknown. Larpent MS 1076; not published]: The Music part new and part compiled by Shield. Morning Herald, 4 June 1795: This Day is published The Bank Note (2s.). Morning Chronicle, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Johnstone, No. 19, Piazza, Covent-garden. Receipts: #434 19s. 6d. (168.1.0; 8.0.6; tickets: 258.18.0)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Bank Note; Or, Lessons For Ladies

Afterpiece Title: The Sailor's Prize; or, May-Day Wedding

Afterpiece Title: Three Weeks after Marriage

Dance: 2nd piece to conclude with: a Garland Dance (composed by Byrn)-Byrn, Mlle St.Amand, Mme Rossi

Song: Incidental to 1st piece: The Irishman's Peep at the Continent-Johnstone; End II: Old Towler-Incledon; In course 2nd piece: New Ballad-Mrs Martyr; Fat Dolly-Munden; Battle Song-Bowden; Let us love and let us drink-Munden; Bowden, Mrs Martyr; Teddy O'Shaughnessey's History-Johnstone; When 'tis Night and the Mid@Watch is come, Admiral Benbow-Incledon; Now landed from the Ocean-

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Frederick Reynolds. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald. Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews (see text)]: With new Scenes and Dresses. The Scenes painted by Richards and Phillips. Oracle, 29 Nov. 1796: This Day is published Fortune's Fool (2s.). Receipts: #229 2s. 6d. (226.0.6; 3.2.0)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Fortune's Fool

Afterpiece Title: The Irish Mimick; or, Blunders at Brighton

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Samuel Birch, based on James Powell's unacted play, The Narcotic, 1787; incidental music by Thomas Attwood (see 28 Nov.). Larpent MS 1182; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Chronicle, 30 Oct.]. Receipts: #309 19s. 6d. (222.7.6; 86.1.0; 1.11.0)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Cheap Living

Afterpiece Title: Fast Asleep

Event Comment: [2nd piece in place of Thomas and Sally, advertised on playbill of 11 Nov.] Receipts: #351 14s. (283.16; 66.10; 1.8)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Hamlet

Cast
Role: Grave@diggers Actor: King, Hollingsworth

Afterpiece Title: Sylvester Daggerwood

Afterpiece Title: A Trip to the Nore

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; D 5, by Benjamin Thompson, altered from Menschenhass und Reue, by August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue. Prologue by William Linley; Epilogue by Matthew Gregory Lewis (European Magazine, Mar. 1798, p. 260)]: With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. With Musick [by Thomas Shaw]. "Mrs Siddons was succesful in all the impassioned parts; but she cannot sustain a mixed character. She is the Muse of Tragedy herself, and when she descends from her lofty state to the level of familiar dialogue, she instantly ceases to astonish and we to admire" (Monthly Mirror, Apr. 1798, p. 234). "The dialogue must be considerably abridged, as well for the purpose of preserving the interest of the piece, as for shortening the time of representation, which is at least an hour too long, it being half past ten before the curtain dropt" [see 26 Mar.] (Morning Herald, 26 Mar.). Receipts: #420 7s. 6d. (378.11.6; 40.18.0; 1.8.0)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Stranger

Related Works
Related Work: The Strangers at Home Author(s): Thomas Linley Sr.

Afterpiece Title: The Prize

Song: Incidental: Vocal Parts-Mrs Bland, Miss Leak their songs; To welcome mirth and harmless glee-Mrs Bland, Miss Leak; I have a silent sorrow here-Mrs Bland

Dance: Incidental to mainpiece: Principal Dancer-Sga Bossi DelCaro. [These were the same in all subsequent performances, except on 5 May.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Italian Monk

Afterpiece Title: The Agreeable Surprise

Performance Comment: As17980618 but Thomas-_; John-_; Cudden-_; Stump-_.
Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland, 1st published (without assignment of parts) in his Posthumous Dramatic Works, 1813, Vol. I, as The Passive Husband. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (Thomas Holcroft, Life, ed. Elbridge Colby, 1925, II, 205)]. Receipts: #253 8s. 6d. (189.12.6; 60.7.6; 3.8.6)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: A Word For Nature

Afterpiece Title: The Captive of Spilburg

Dance: a Dance, as17981114, but _Male, W. _Banks, Johnston; +New Hornpipe, as17981114

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Joseph George Holman. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald; Epilogue by John Taylor (see text)]: With new Dresses, Scenery, &c. [Afterpiece in place of The Farmer, advertised on playbill of 11 Jan.] Morning Chronicle, 26 Mar. 1799: This Day is published The Votary of Wealth (2s.). Receipts: #326 10s. 6d. (321.2.6; 5.8.0)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Votary Of Wealth

Afterpiece Title: Rosina

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. 1st piece [1st time; C 3, by Thomas John Dibdin. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (London Chronicle, 18 Mar.)]. Morning Chronicle, 12 Apr. 1799: This Day is published Five Thousand a Year (price not listed). Ibid, 8 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lewis, Bow-street. Receipts: #542 0s. 6d. (383.9.0; 2.19.0; tickets: 155.12.6)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Five Thousand A Year

Afterpiece Title: A Divertisement

Performance Comment: Speaking Characters-Johnstone, Incledon, Townsend, Emery, Simmons, Gray, Rees, Mrs Martyr, Mrs Mills; [Cast adjusted from playbill of 2 Oct. 1797: Capt. Frederick-Johnstone; Thicket-Incledon; Clueline-Townsend; Sir Fidget Fearful-Emery; Gregory-Simmons; Flambeau-Gray; Whim-Rees; Peggy-Mrs Martyr; Sophia-Mrs Mills.] With Dialogue to introduce the following favorite Songs: The Lamplighter, I'm jolly Dick the Lamplighter-Gray; [Peggy Perkins, Let Bards elate-Simmons; [Irish Drinking Song, Of the ancients its speaking-Johnstone; [Song, I went to Sea-Townsend; [Taffy and Griddy, Abergavenny is fine-Mrs Martyr; The moment Aurora-Incledon; Dear Mary adieu-Incledon; The Midnight Watch-Incledon; [To conclude with a Rural Masquerade-; [in which a new song, by Mazzinghi; Poor Orra come from distant shore-Miss Waters; [Sea Song, A sailor's life's a life of woe-Mrs Mills; [The Masquerade, Sure an't the World a Masquerade-Johnstone, Chorus.

Afterpiece Title: Catherine and Petruchio

Dance: In 2nd piece: Ballet-Blurton, Mrs Watts

Song: End 1st piece: Black Ey'd Susan-Incledon

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Oratorio, in Two Parts, the only one composed in this Country nearly these 30 years. Afterpiece: An Ode, in One Part. The Band will wholly consist of Professors of the first eminence, and the Chorusses will be numerously supported by the best Performers in London, assisted by the young Gentlemen of his Majesty's Chapels, and of Westminster Abbey. The music entirely new, composed by Thomas? Busby, who will take the Piano Forte. Boxes 7s. Pit 4s. 1st Gallery 3s. 2nd Gallery 2s. Grove: [Busby] worked at a setting of Pope's 'Messiah' for some years, and it was produced in 1799 with considerable success as 'The Prophecy.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Prophecy

Afterpiece Title: Ocean

Event Comment: Benefit for Munden. 2nd Piece [1st time in London; MF 2, by Thomas John Dibdin, 1st acted at Manchester, 15 Mar. 1793. Text (Huddersfield: J. Brook [1795] gives cast for Manchester]: The Music (with a new Waltz Overture, and an accompaniment for the Tamborine & Triangle) composed by Reeve. 3rd piece [1st time; M. INT 1]. Morning Chronicle, 4 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Munden, No. 16, Clement's-inn. Receipts: #630 12s. 6d. (237.13.0; 2.10.0; tickets: 390.9.6)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Wild Oats

Afterpiece Title: Sunshine after Rain

Afterpiece Title: The Jolly Crew; or, Tars at Anchor

Performance Comment: Principal Characters-Incledon, Johnstone, Munden, Fawcett, Townsend, Linton, Street; In which: Thursday in the Morn-Incledon; Kicking up a Row-Johnstone; Four and Twenty Fidlers-Munden; The Tight [or, Snug] Little Island (written by T. Dibdin)-Townsend; Boxing the Compass-Fawcett; Catches, Glees-Incledon, Johnstone, Townsend.
Cast
Role: Kicking up a Row Actor: Johnstone

Song: In Course Evening: a new Comic Song (never sung in London), A Bundle of Proverbs; or, Odds and Ends, in the Character of Ephraim Smooth-Munden; A new Comic Song (never performed), A Touch at Old Times; or, No Days better than our Own-Munden; The Barber's Petition, with a song in character, Wigs, including His Own Wig, the Lover's Wig, Doctor's Wig, Coachman's Wig, Councellor's Wig,-Fawcett

Entertainment: Monologue The Barber's Petition-Fawcett

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for an Infant Orphan Family. Tickets to be had at No. 17, Tufton-street, Westminster; of Appleby, Hosier, Parliament-street; Mrs Cleaver, Cannon-row, Parliament-street; Newcomb, Confectioner, Bridge-street, Westminster; Taylor, Linen-draper, Whitehall; Thomas, Butcher, Charing-cross; Medhurst, Pastry Cook, Russel-court, Drury-lane; Rice, at the Theatre, where Places for the Boxes may be taken

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Merchant Of Venice

Afterpiece Title: The Irishman in London

Entertainment: End: Her much admired Imitations-Mrs Sumbel

Event Comment: [Address by Thomas John Dibdin (T. J. Dibdin, Reminiscences, 1, 256).] Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 9 Dec.]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon at the Box office in Hart-street. No Money to be returned. [On playbill of 6 May 1800: Printed by E. Macleish, 2, Bow-street, Covent-Garden.] Receipts: #290 3s. 6d. (279.12.0; 10.11.6)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Laugh When You Can

Afterpiece Title: Rosina

Entertainment: Monologue Preceding: New Occasional Address-Pope

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Miss Biggs as Angela, but "On account of the sudden indisposition of Miss Biggs, Miss Heard will perform the part of Angela, and hopes for the usual indulgence of the audience" (printed slip attached to Kemble playbill).] Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by Thomas John Dibdin, based on Der Wildfang, by August Ferdinand Friedrich von Kotzebue. Prologue by Miles Peter Andrews (London Chronicle, 4 Feb. 1800)]: The Overture and Musick composed by Kelly [with one selection from Paisiello]. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #264 17s. (139.8.6; 122.17.0; 2.11.6)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Castle-spectre

Afterpiece Title: Of Age To-morrow

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; C 3, by Thomas John Dibdin. In 1801 expanded by the author to 5 acts, and entitled The School for Prejudice. Author of Prologue unknown.]. Receipts: #205 17s. 6d. (202.10.0; 3.7.6)

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Liberal Opinions

Afterpiece Title: Paul and Virginia

Afterpiece Title: The Horse and the Widow

Dance: As18000501

Song: As18000501

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Agreeable Surprise

Performance Comment: As18000628 but Eugene-_; Chicane-_; John-_; Thomas-_.

Afterpiece Title: Fortune's Frolick

Afterpiece Title: Obi

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Point Of Honour

Afterpiece Title: Obi

Performance Comment: As18000710 but Chorus of Negro Men-Thomas.
Cast
Role: Chorus of Negro Men Actor: Thomas.
Event Comment: Charles II entered London on this day, an event which occasioned several works of a quasi-dramatic nature. One was The Famous Tragedie of the Life and Death of Mrs Rump...As it was presented on a burning Stage at Westminster the 29th of May, 1660. It has a Prologue and Epilogue; the author is not known. A second is An Ode Upon the Happy Return of King Charles II to his Languishing Nations, May 29. 1660. This work, by James Shirley, with music by Dr Coleman, was printed in 1660, and reprinted in A Little Ark, ed. G. Thorn-Drury (1921), pp. 21-23. A third is A True Relation of the Reception of his Majestie and Conducting him through the City of London...on Tuesday the 29 of this instant May, being the Day of his Majesties Birth

Performances

Event Comment: On this date John Rogers petitioned the King concerning his right to keep the peace at the playhouses. In Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 84, three companies, those at the red bull, cockpit, and salisbury court, are named as currently performing

Performances

Event Comment: See Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 116. The King's Company

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Traitor

Event Comment: See Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 116. This was the King's Company (Killigrew's), now removed from the red bull to Gibbons' Tennis Court in Vere Street. Probably Clun acted Falstaff. (See An Elegy Upon the Most Execrable Murther in A Little Ark, ed. G. Thorn-Drury, pp. 30-31.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Henry The Fourthe Part I

Event Comment: See Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 116. The King's Company. According to John Dennis, in the Dedication to The Comical Gallant (1702), when this play was revived in the times of Charles II, Wintershall acted Slender

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Merry Wives Of Windsor