Event Comment: A riot caused the acting of
Cato to cease in Act IV. See
The Weekly Packet 1 March,
The Evening Post 22-25 Feb.,
The Post Boy 22-25 Feb. The most complete account appeared in
Read's Original Weekly Journal, 1 March: The Night before had been the Third Night of a New Comedy, written by a young Gentleman of good Interest, and well respected, and the Boxes were bespoke for Monday Night,
but a certain Ruler of that House, remarkable for Ill-Nature and Immorality, stop'd the Run of the Play, and caus'd the Tragedy of
Cato to be given out...and tho' he was earnestly expostulated with on the Injustice of such a Proceeding, yet he obstinately persisted in his Resolution, which the Friends of the Author of the New Play very much resented:
But this was not all, for when Cato came to be play'd,
Mr Wilks,
Mrs Oldfield, and
Mrs Porter, who have principal Parts had given them to some of the inferior Players, which was look'd on as Riding the Audience, who would no longer Brook what they look'd on as an Insult,
but with their hisses, Catcalls, &c. deafen'd the House, and drown'd the Shrill Pipes of the Actors; insomuch that the loudest Rant in
Lee or
Shakespear had been no more to be prefer'd to it, than the Noise of a Flagelot to the whistling of a Tempest; till the End the Players were obliged to retreat to their Fastnesses, unable any longer to Stand their Assaults; for they were storm'd with Orange-Peals, &c. as well as bombarded with Hisses Huzzas and Catcalls. Nor wou'd the Audience suffer them to Capitulate or receive any Offers of Submission,
but calling for a Dance, put an End to the Play, in the middle of the 4th Act