Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first production is not known, but the Gentleman's Journal, February 1692@3 (issued in March) makes clear that it followed Congreve's play: We have had since a Comedy, call'd, The Wary Widow, or Sir Noisy Parrot, by Henry Higden Esq; I send by here the Prologue to it by Sir Charles Sedley, and you are too great an Admirer of Shakespeare, not to assent to the Praises given to the Fruits of his rare Genius (p. 61). The play was announced in the London Gazette, No. 2875, 29 May-June 1693. The music for one song, All hands up aloft, was by Berenclow, and the song appears in D'Urfey, Wit and Mirth, 1699. Dedication, edition of 1693: But now it is forced to beg for your Protection from the malice and severe usage it received from some of my Ill natured Friends, who with a Justice peculiar to themselves, passed sentence upon it unseen or heard and at the representation made it their business to persecute it with a barbarous variety of Noise and Tumult. Gildon, The Life of Mr Thomas Betterton (p. 20): The actors were completely drunk before the end of the third act, and being therefore unable to proceed with this "Pleasant Comedy," they very properly dismissed the audience

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. It is not certain that this play was given at this time, but Vanbrugh, writing on 25 Dec. 1699, states that Thomas Dogget, who had been acting in Norwich, was in London "last Week," and acted six times, presumably on 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 Dec. 1699. The Amorous Widow is a likely play for this week, as Barnaby Brittle was one of Dogget's best roles. In addition, the Inner Temple, which usually requested popular plays, selected it for its revels on 3 Feb. 1699@1700. Nearly all the individuals in the cast in the 1710 edition acted in London during this season, with two exceptions: Fieldhouse and Mrs Hunt. Their roles may have been played by them or by other performers if they were not in the company at this time. I owe the suggestion that this was the play in which Dogget appeared to Professor Lucyle Hook

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Evans and Miss Mountfort. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. [In Cowper MS, III, 79, James Cragg enclosed in a letter to Thomas Coke "Three small playing cards having on the back of each 'June 26th The Amorous Widow or the Wanton Wife. The Box. For the Benefitt of Miss Mountfort and Miss Evans."

Event Comment: Benefit Moor, Box Bookkeeper. Mainpiece: Taken from Moliere. Tickets for the Widow Cook, Allen, Erwin also taken

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 5, by Richard Cumberland. Larpent MS 508, which also lists the following parts: Marsyas, Gumias, Chloris. Text not published; synopsis of plot in London Chronicle, 2 Feb. Songs published, without listings parts (G. Kearsley, 1780)]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The Songs set to music and a new Overture by Butler. Book of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 1 Feb. 1780: This Afternoon is published the Songs in The Widow of Delphi (6d.). Receipts: #228 4s. 6d. (227.4.6; 1.0.0)

Event Comment: [Home, who was from the Bristol theatre, is identified in Morning Herald, 21 June.] Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Elizabeth Inchbald, based on L'Heureuse Erreur, by Joseph Patrat. Prologue by Thomas Holcroft (see text)]. Morning Chronicle, 15 Aug. 1786: This Day is published The Widow's Vow (1s.)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; F 1, by Thomas John Dibdin; incidental music by John Moorehead]: Altered from [Die Witwe und das Reitpferd, This Day is published The Horse and the Widow (1s.). 3rd piece: Altered into Two acts. Receipts: #187 17s. 6d. (180.6.6; 7.11.0)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of this production is not certain. The Dedication, signed by George Powell and John Verbruggen, is dated Monday, 16 Oct. 1696, but this date is in error, for the sixteenth fell on Friday in October; however, 16 Nov. 1696 fell on Monday. In addition, the Dedication implies that the two men hope to have visitors (i.e., spectators at performances) on "Wednesday, and Saturday next, the Visiting Days of, Your Friends and Servants, George Powell, John Verbruggen." It is possible that the text and the songs were printed in advance of performance and were available at the theatre, but it is still uncertain whether the opera first appeared in October or November 1696. The Single Songs, With the Dialogue, was published separately in 1696, with Daniel Purcel named as the composer. The songs to which performers' names are listed are as follows: Cease, Cynthia, cease your fruitless tears, sung by Mrs Cross. I courted and writ, the verse by Jo Hanes and sung by Church. How happy I am the fair sex can defy, the verse by Jo Hanes and sung by Leveridge. 'Tis in vain to tell me I am deceived, sung by Freeman. Great queen of Hymen's hallowed fires, sung by Mrs Willis. Why, Chloe, will you not perceive, the verse by John Robens and sung by Church. Why dost thou fly me, sung by Edwards and Mrs Cross. If mortals laugh and sing, sung by Freeman. The Songs were entered in the Term Catalogues, November 1696

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)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Alterations [by John Philip Kemble. In his version, as published in 1793, Lewis is assigned to Barrymore, Helena to Mrs Siddons, the Countess to Mrs Ward, Diana to Mrs Powell. Genest lists the present cast; it appears to be reliable. He omits Phillimore, who is assigned in the text, and Miss Tidswell]. A new Edition of All's Well that Ends Well to be had in the Theatre. Afterpiece: With a Sea Fightv. Powell: Drummer rehearsed at 10; Critic at 11:30; Cherokee at 1. Receipts: #282 1s. (178.19; 99.16; 3.6)

Event Comment: [Extra night] By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit the Widow of a Baronet [Sir Richard Perrott] and a large Infant Family. [Address by John Taylor (True Briton, 21 Sept.).] Tickets to be had of the Widow, No. 28, Spring-street, Portman-square [and see 28 Jan. 1799]

Event Comment: Benefit for Younger. Tickets deliver'd for Macbeth , by Branson and Miss Helme, will be taken. Mr Younger being oblig'd by Mr Powell's illness, to change his play of Macbeth to the above tragedy, humbly hopes for the Indulgence of his Friends and the Public in general. Charges #67 9s. Balance to Younger #18 3s. 6d. plus #48 9s. from tickets (Box 97; Pit 110; Gallery 77). [Branson and Miss Helme seem to have borne none of the charges and to have received full value for their tickets]: Branson #33 (Box 29; Pit 99; Gallery 109); Miss Helme #16 14s. (Box 1; Pit 63; Gallery 70). Receipts: #85 12s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [By Ambrose Phillips.] At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. William Egerton: And in the Spring came on Mr Phillips's Tragedy, The Distrest Mother. Mrs Rogers, an Actress, who in her Turn, had made a considerable Figure on the Stage, was designed the Part of (Andromache, Hector's Widow, &. i.e.) the Distrest Mother. But the Author, as well as his Friends, were soon convinced that Mrs Oldfield was infinitely the more accomplished Person for so Capital a Part. Upon its being given to Her, Mrs Rogers raised a Posse of Profligates, fond of Tumult and Riot, who made such a Commotion in the House, that the Court hearing of it send four of the Royal Messengers, and a strong Guard, to suppress all Disorders. This being effected, the Play was brought upon the Stage and crowned with deserved Success (Egerton, pp. 31-32)

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for the Widow and Children of the late Hugh? Kelly. Tickets delivered for a Comedy, May 28th, will be admitted. Morning Chronicle, 10 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kelly, No. 3, Racquet Court, Fleet-street. Receipts: #108 -16s. (52.1; tickets: 56.15) (charge: #52 1s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Collins, Mrs Bambridge, Mrs Cowper, and Miss Ferguson. Tickets deliver'd by Wilder, Mr Line and Widow Powell will be taken

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known. As Evelyn saw it on 27 April, it seems likely that it was first performed before Easter (April 10). It was not licensed for printing until 8 July 1664. Preface to edition of 1664: I Cou'd not have wish'd my self more fortunate than I have been in the success of this Poem:...The Acting of it has lost me no Reputation. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 25: @Sir Nich'las, Sir Fred'rick, Widow and Dufoy, Were not by any so well done, Mafoy.@ The clean and well performance of this Comedy, got the Company more Reputation and profit than any preceding Comedy; the Company taking in a months time at it #1000

Event Comment: By Command of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales [who were present]. Mainpiece: Written by Beaumont and Fletcher. Afterpiece: Written by the Author of the Toy Shop. [For a letter on the disputes between the footmen and the gentlemen, see Grub St. Journal, 17 March.] [There is in the Bennett Collection, I, 93, in the Birmingham Library, an exceptionally curious advance notice for a performance to be given at Drury Lane soon after Easter of The Conscious Lovers and The Devil to Pay, with no cast for either play in the bill. The announcement appears to refer to the spring of 1737 and presumably appeared around the middle of March. It is intended for the benefit of a Widow under Misfortunes and the bill bears the heading: Gift and Pleasure. According to the announcement, the widow has been left Italian pictures, antiqees, jewels, and precious stones; and she intends, for the encouragement of her benefactors, to make a gift of all the objects, which will be placed in three hundred parcels. Tickets for the performance are advertised at five shillings, and no one is to be admitted without a ticket. The pit and boxes are to be put together at two tickets for each person, and the first and second galleries are placed together at one ticket for each spectator. The tickets are not to be left with the door-keepers as usual, but only shewn and kept. On the day following the benefit a raffle will be held, by Mr Foubert's Patent Mathematical Machine, at Hickford's Great Room in Brewers Street, Golden Square, and only holders of tickets will be admitted to the raffle, After this entry was set, an advertisement was found in the Daily Advertiser, 18 April 1738, announcing this performance for 13 May 1738. The Daily Advertiser on 5 May 1738, however, announced that the proposed performance had been cancelled.

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Man, 3-5 March 1697@8, suggests that the first performance occurred probably not later than early February 1697@8. The Preface is signed by George Powell, who refers to the author of the play as unknown. In addition, Powell mentions that his company has recently revived some of Dryden's plays: Don Sebastian, Secret Love; or, The Maiden Queen, Marriage a la Mode, King Arthur, and adds: In relation to our reviving his Almanzor...very hard crutching up what Hart and Mohun...could not prop