Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. Mainpiece: By Desire. Rec'd stopages #12 7s. Paid salary list #566 6s.; J. French on acct #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Mrs Smith's Benefit for 2 May advertised as Cymbeline and a new Comic Opera (in 2 Acts) call'd the Wish. The Music entirely new, the principal characters by Vernon, Bannister, Davies, Mrs Wrighten and Mrs Smith. With a New Occasional Prologue spoken by King. [But this was changed on 27 April.] Receipts: #212 1s. Charges: #66 3s. Profits to Bannister #145 18s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [The Public Advertiser contains an apology to the Duchess of Kingston from Foote, but with a hint that he may have to publish the scenes from The Trip to Calais (those in question, see 4 Aug.) unless her attacks upon him in the press cease. Her reply in the same paper suggests she will have nothing further to de with "an extortionable assassin of private reputation....I scorn to be bullied into a Purchase of your Silence."

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Lord Granville, writing on 5 May 1688, refers to the King's presence on the third day, and since The Squire of Alsatia may have begun its run about 2 May 1688, Crowne's play must have been produced by the end of April. Lord Granville to Sir William Leveson, 5 May 1688: The town is as empty of news as the Court; we have had a new play called The Fall of Darius (written by Crown), by which the poet, though he could get no fame, yet had a most extraordinary third day by reason the King's presence at it; the first day of its acting Mrs Bower [Barry] was taken so violently ill in the midst of her part that she was forced to be carried off, and instead of dying in jest was in danger of doing it in earnest. Mrs Cook is dead and Mrs Boute...is again come upon the stage, where she appears with great applause. We are promised this week another new play of Shadwell's called the Alsatia Bully, which is very much commended by those who have had the private perusal of it (HMC, 5th Report, Part II, pP. 197-98). Dedication, Edition of 1688: A misfortune fell upon this Play, that might very well dizzy the Judgments of the Audience. Just before the Play began, Mrs Barry was struck with a very violent Fever, that took all Spirit from her, by consequence from the Play; the Scenes She acted fell dead from her; and in the 4th Act her distemper grew so much upon her, She cou'd go on no further, but all her part in that Act was wholly cut out and neither Spoke nor Read; that the People went away without Knowning the contexture of the Play, yet thought they knew all....[My] Thanks to His Majesty for the Honor of his Presence, on the Day which was to be for my Advantage; which He was pleased to Grant me. [See L. C. 5@148, p. 195--in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 356--for a grant of #20 as a gift from the King to Crowne for this play.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Afterpiece: For last time this season. Full Prices

Event Comment: The Prince of Wales by Obrien (first time) very well (Hopkins). Receipts: #147 (MacMillan)

Event Comment: Mr Moody Dr Cantwell 1st time--very bad (Hopkins Diary). Theatrical Review, 27 Nov.: Dr Cantwell was, this evening, played by Mr Moody on account of Mr King's illness, and, as we apprehend, it was undertaken on a short notice, we think he executed it with great propriety and justness. [Potter interprets the moral impact of the play considering it an improvement over Cibber's Non-Juror, its source.] Receipts: #108 14s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the Opera, where there was a new play (Cutter of Coleman Street), made in the year 1658, with reflections much upon the late times; and it being the first time, the pay was doubled, and so to save money, my wife and I went up into the gallery, and there sat and saw very well; and a very good play it is. It seems of Cowly's making. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 25): This Comedy being Acted so perfectly Well and Exact, it was perform'd a whole Week with a full Audience. John Dennis, Dedication to The Comical Gallant, 1702: The only Play that ever Mr Cowley writ, was barbarously treated the first night, as the late Mr Dryden has more than once informed me, who has told me that he went to see it with the famous Mr Sprat, now Bishop of Rochester, and that after the Play was done, they both made a visit to Mr Cowley. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, p. 81): This Play met with some Opposition, at its Representation under this new Name, from some who envyed the Authors unshaken Loyalty to the Prince, and the Royal Cause, in the worst of Times. BM Add. Mss. 34217, fol. 31b, in Hotson (Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 247): @The Cutter of Coleman street had more fame@Before the Author chang'd its name@And shewd himselfe an Englishman right@By mending of things to spoyle them quite@And bee's more to blame because he can tell@(No better) to make new strings soe well.

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett. 2nd piece [1st time: M. INT 1]. Times, 4 Sept.: Tickets to be had of Fawcett, No. 41, Frith-street, Soho

Event Comment: In the Theatre erected there for that Purpose, the Actors being all dress'd in Roman Habits

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the premiere is not known. Although the play was not in print until 1671, it was acted on 9 May 1670 and again at Dover on 19 or 20 May 1670. Downes (p. 29) placed the comedy among the plays of 1669, but the presence of Mrs Johnson (who, according to Downes, p. 31, did not join the company until 1670) and the performances in May 1670 suggest that the comedy was first given in the spring of 1670. Downes (pp. 29-30): The Play being Singularly well Acted, it took 12 Days together

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Gallery 3s. Pit 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Doors open at half past five. Play begin at half past six. [Repeated.] Before the Play a new Overture and New Occasional Prelude (Public Advertiser). The House has been quite alter'd since last Season and is now fitted up in the most elegant manner Possible by the Adam's etc. and is the most Compleat of any Theater in Europe. Great applause to the House before the Curtain. The Theatrical Candidates is wrote by D. G. Esq and was received with great Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording. In Judging the popularity of a play in terms of box receipts for this season one must be aware of the fact that the treasurer's account books here differ from those of the five preceding years in not recording the income from the tickets delivered out for benefit nights. Hence on those nights the stated income reflects only the money taken at the door the night of the performance, and does not indicate the larger amounts which the actors received for their tickets. Deficits to various actors listed on the following pages were all paid up, presumably from the ticket receipts. Each actor doubtless at least broke even on his benefit.] Ceiling rais'd 12 feet. Old side Boxes top and bottom remov'd. New passages to Boxes. Entrance Bridges St. Light pillars to support Boxes inlaid with plate glass on green and crimson ground. Old chandeliers remov'd. Gilt branches with two candles each on pillars. Four new chandeliers in front. No slit i Curtain. Adam architects. 4,000 guineas. Persons not employed in the night's amusement ordered not to come behind the scenes--performers by that means go cross stage (Winston MS 11, from Dr Burney's News Cuttings). Paid Renters #8; Supernumeraries and Drum #1 16s.; taylor's Bill #10 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [For the 188 acting nights of the season and for 11 Oratorio nights the Renters were paid a total of #1,692. The Supernumeraries were paid an average of #5 per night or #940 for the season. No further account of these items will be made. Full account of the new look given to Drury Lane by the Adam's brothers in the Westminster Magazine for Sept. along with an approving review of the Meeting of the Company.] From Lloyd's Evening Post, 25 Sept., "On the New Front of Drury Lane Theatre": @Garrick asham'd to poke his nose@Too sheepishly beneath the Rose:@And fearing, poor man, what were Worse,@His bashfulness might hurt his purse;@Resolves this year to push a front,@And put a better face upon't.@Not surely meaning to give o'er@His Art, and make no faces more.@Yet, fair as tis, I'd have him know@If tis the last he means to show.@This face will never make amends,@For turning tail upon his friends;@Who own, by general consent,@His face the best Stage ornament.@ (In Folger Library, David Garrick Verses, Prologues and Epilogues, MS, p. 86.) Receipts: #208 11s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The King's Company. This is the first known performance of the comedy, but it may not be the premiere. Evelyn, Diary: At night saw acted the Committe, a ridiculous play of Sir R. Howards where that Mimic Lacy acted the Irish-footeman to admiration: a very Satyrus or Roscius. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 16: @For his Just Acting, all gave him due Praise,@His Part in the Cheats, Jony Thump, Teg and Bayes,@In these Four Excelling; The Court gave him the Bays.

Event Comment: The King's Company. It is difficult to determine the run of the play, as all the known performances fall on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but, except for 30 January, a Fast Day, it may well have been performed daily. L. C. 5@138, f. 15: A Warrant to the Master of the Great Wardrobe to prouide and deliuer to Thomas Killigrew Esq. to the value of forty pounds in silkes for to cloath the Musick for the play called the Indian Queen to be acted before their Maties Jan. 25th 1663 (Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 354)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular desire. Afterpiece: Never Acted Before. [The Farce by Fielding is a sequel to The Virgin Unmasked.] Forbidden soon by the Lord Chamberlain. It being supposed that a particular man of quality was pointed at in one of the characters. The prohibition short of duration (Genest, III, 652). See A Letter to a Noble Lord to whom it alone belongs, occasioned by a representation at Drury Lane of a Farce call'd Miss Lucy in Town (1742), [a 20 page pamphlet criticizing the Lord Chamberlain for allowing this farce. Author gives a scene by scene account emphasizing the bawdry and discounting the pious conclusion. He concludes with remarks on theatrical dancing]: As to Dances, I think your province of prohibition does not extend; so the Public cannot owe their gratitude to you for several. I appeal to those who have been on the coast of Malabar and the banks of the Ganges whether we have not had some that have exceeded on posture, or anything of that kind so common amongst the polite Indians of Indostan. Afterpiece: Mrs Clive mimics the Muscovita admirably, and Beard Amorevoli intolerably (H. Walpole to H. Mann, 26 May).-Horace Walpole Correspondence with Sir Horace Mann, I, 435. Receipts: #70

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. [See 1 May 1765.] Books of the opera to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #213 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these years. [See 17 March 1772. Gentlewoman identified by Hopkins Manuscript Notes and by Winston MS 10. The Westminster Magazine for March (p. 111) gives out that "she was very lately a boarder with the celebrated Charlotte Hayes; a circumstance which will inform our readers that her figure is pleasing and also that she is young and hadsome. It is but justice, however, to add that she possesses the internal as well as external requisites of a good actress; for she discovers great feeling and sensibility; and indeed promises to be an ornament to the theatre."] Receipts: #192 6s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: MMr Foote's Oratorical Lectures will be continued in the New Theatre in the Haymarket this day, between Twelve and One noon. [In six parts]: 1. Oratory in general, 2. Its utility demonstrated from its universality, 3. Distinct species of oratory, 4. The present practice peculiar to the English, 5. Necessity of an Academy, 6. The propriety of appointing the author perpetual professor. The whole to be illustrated in apt instances by a set of pupils long trained to the art, one of which is amazing proof of the force of Genius when properly cultivated (Public Advertiser). [These lectures were given 36 times and referred thereafter this season as The Orators.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Dress'd in the Habits of the Times. Receipts: #201 7s. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: NNeville MS Diary: In ye evening read ye part of Hartop in the Knights. Went into ye Pit just as ye Beggar and Player came on and saw ye Beggar's Opera for a third time running, Mrs Dancer has more command of her eyes than any woman I ever saw, and sings very sweetly, tho' with less power than ye mere singing Pollys. Barry cannot sing well. Mrs Mahon's expression and propriety in Lucy is delightful. Mrs Jeffries does Doll Trapes better than she does Mrs P

Event Comment: Mainpiece: First time in 2 years. [See 17 Jan. 1766.] Harlequin's Invasion revived with alterations, particularly a Patagonian Man and Woman, executed by Mr Johnston, are very fine Figures, and gave great satisfaction to the Audience (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: Benefit for Weston, Hartry, Fawcett

Event Comment: Benefit for Reddish. Neville MS Diary: Went to see the Maid of the Mill played for the first time at Drury Lane. Bannister is the best Giles I have seen since Beard left the stage. The farce was No Wit like a Woman's, played but once before. Assisted in hissing it as both foolish and immoral

Event Comment: Benefit for Clough and Wheeler, Mrs Cross and Mrs Millidge. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire Being positively the last time of performing it this season. Tickets deliver'd for The Way to Keep Him will be taken

Event Comment: The King's Company. For praise of Lacy, see Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 16, or 27 Nov. 1662. Pepys, Diary: To the Royal Theatre by water, and landing, met with Captain Ferrers his friend, the little man that used to be with him, and he with us, and sat by us while we saw Love in a Maze. The play is pretty good, but the life of the play is Lacy's part, the clown, which is most admirable; but for the rest, which are counted such old and excellent actors, in my life I never heard both men and women so ill pronounce their parts, even to my making myself sick therewith