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): T
his 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): T
his Play met with some Opposition, at its Representation under t
his 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.
Performances
Mainpiece Title: The Cutter Of Coleman Street
Performance Comment: Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 25): Colonel Jolly-Betterton; Old Trueman-Lovel; Young Trueman-Harris; Cutter-Underhill; Captain Worme-Sandford; Parson Soaker-Dacres; Puny-Nokes; Will-Price; Aurelia-Mrs Betterton [Mrs Saunderson]; Lucia-Mrs Anne Gibbs; Laughing Jane-Mrs Long; [The edition of 1663 has a Prologue-; an Epilogue-[, but no actors' names., but no actors' names.