THE LONDON THEATRE. A COLLECTION OF THE Most celebrated Bramatic Pieces. CORRECTLY GIVEN, FROM COPIES USED IN THE THEATRES, THE A Comedy. BY MRS. CENTLIVRE. CORRECTLY GIVEN, FROM COPIES USED IN THE THEATRES, BY THOMAS DIBDIN, Author of several Dramatic Pieces: and Printed at the Chiswick Press, FOR WHITTINGHAM AND ARLISS, PATERNOSTER FIRST acted the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in 1709, was so little appreciated by the actors, that Mr. Wilks, in particular, threw his part into the pit at rehearsal, and was with great difficulty prevailed on by the terrified authoress to resume it. The town, influenced by green-room report, scarcely noticed the theatre on the night the play came out; and the few who went, attended very little to the commencement of the comedy; which, however, so won upon them by degrees, that to use the language of modern underlining, “it was announced for repetition amid thunders of applause, and without a single dissentient voice." As it came out late in the season (the mean opinion entertained of it by the theatre having long delayed its production), it could only be performed thirteen nights; but each of those, especially the author's, were crowded to excess, the first only excepted. A second season completed its success; and when the company divided, it was acted at Drury Lane and the Haymarket, on the same evenings, for six successive nights; Dogget (whose memory is dear to watermen) playing Marplot at the latter theatre, in opposition to Pack, the original, at Drury Lane. It is unnecessary to add, that the BUSY BODY is still a reigning favourite. |