Their Majesties' Servants. Annals of the English Stage (Volume 1 of 3)

76

Clorimon.

77

This is an assumption not justified by the facts. All of this chapter is a mere copying from Genest; and though Genest puts "All for the Better," and "The Patriot" last in his list, it is only because there is no record when they were produced.

78

"Timon of Athens" was performed at Drury Lane, 5th July 1703.

79

Scarcely accurate. Downes says that it was "a very good play for three acts; but failing in the two last, answer'd not their expectation," p. 46.

80

"The Taming of the Shrew" also – 5th July 1704.

81

See Genest ii. 296, for copy of this edict.

82

"Abra Mulé" is pronounced by Genest to be a fairly good tragedy. It was certainly very successful, for it was played fourteen times.

83

This is most unfair to Cibber, whose comedies are particularly inoffensive.

84

Incorrect. Cibber's doubts were dispelled by Mrs. Oldfield's playing of Leonora in "Sir Courtly Nice" at Bath two seasons previously. He wrote Lady Betty Modish expressly for her.

85

23d April 1705.

86

The bill says, "Repairing and fitting up."

87

Should be £5 for every acting day, and not to exceed £700 a year.

88

It was played four times. Genest, ii. 370.

89

Bowen came from Ireland about 1689, nearly twenty years before.

90

In this season the prices for Boxes seem to have been 15s., 10s. 6d., and 8s.

91

This is a specimen of one of the greatest difficulties in the revision of Dr. Doran. He frequently writes of a play as being damned, which really was played for a few nights with no great success. In the present case, "Elfrid" was played five times.

92

The comedy was entitled "Squire Brainless, or, Trick upon Trick." Neither of these pieces was the ghastly failure Dr. Doran implies.

93

Acted six times.

94

Acted about seven times. In second edition Dr. Doran quotes a letter from Cromwell to Pope in which is stated that this play brought Johnson £300.

95

Acted about nine times.

96

This story is not true. (Second edition).

97

Should be "Female Advocates."

98

Yet it was played about eight times.

99

It was acted only six times.

100

Should be "Confederacy."

101

Quoted from a humorous account of the piece's reception, written by Pope.

102

Should be August.

103

Quin can hardly be said to have been even near the head of this company.

104

See page 175 for some curious facts relating to this.

105

Sir Joseph.

106

He was buried at St. Clement's. Six actors held the pall. —Doran MS.

107

1712.

108

Very imaginative. Mrs. Mountfort lived with another lover, Mr. Minshull, for a year before Booth's marriage.

109

There are adaptations of "Coriolanus" by Tate, Dennis, Sheridan, and Kemble.

110

Dennis born 1657; Southerne 1660.

111

Tragedy.

112

Should be Mitchell.

113

But the wife and children do not die; the poisoned cup having been emptied, and refilled with a harmless potion.

114

Should be "Hibernia Freed."

115

"By reason of the indisposition of an actress."

116

This is a most strange mistake. It is evidently caused by the entry in Genest on 10th January 1723, which is: – "Julius Cæsar. Comic characters – Hippisley, &c." This of course means that the characters in the tragedy which were, according to theatrical usage, played by comedians (the Plebeians, for instance), were played by Hippisley, &c., not that all the characters were made comic.

117

Thurmond's piece appears to have been called "Harlequin Doctor Faustus."

118

Genest says 12th of December 1723.

119

Should be 2d.

120

Should be "Female Fortune-teller."

121

Emilia is the Dissembled Wanton.

122

Acted four times.

123

Cooke (Memoirs of Macklin) says "a young libertine of very high rank."

124

The Notes to the Dunciad say "sixty-three days, uninterrupted;" but this is probably an error.

125

Malone says "August 11."

126

"Giving his answer to the ambassador." —Victor.

127

Dr. Doran exactly reverses the state of the case. Dr. Johnson says: "The Whigs applauded every line in which liberty was mentioned, as a satire on the Tories; and the Tories echoed every clap, to show that the satire was unfelt."

128

Wrong. Victor in his Memoirs of Booth says five-and-twenty nights: but this also is incorrect. On May 9, 1713, "Cato" is announced to be played for the twentieth time, and on May 10, for Mrs. Rogers' benefit, "The Funeral" is in the bill. Cibber says "Cato" was acted every day for a month, Mondays excepted.

129

Bellchambers, in his Notes to "Cibber," is very severe on this marriage. "In the year 1719, Mr. Booth, who seems to have been a libertine and a sensualist, gave his hand to Miss Santlow, a strumpet of condition" – and then follow some very strong remarks on Booth and his wife.

130

These four characters were certainly not among Booth's best. Wildair and Sir Charles Easy were Wilks' parts, and indeed I cannot find that Booth ever played any of the four.

131

Chetwood states that her first character was Ismenes, a page, in "Mithridates," in which she sang with extraordinary success. Genest supposes this to have been in November 1728.

132

Acted nine times.

133

It was acted fourteen times – a great success in those days.

134

Charlotte Charke says in her Autobiography that this was her first appearance, but it was really her second.