{"word_count": 789, "character_count": 6506}
[caption width="320" align="alignright"] The first Covent Garden theatre (1728-1808), drawn for The London Microcosm shortly before it burnt down on 20th September 1808.[/caption]It's been pointed out to me that I don't read enough fiction nowadays. This is a fair point: a lot of recent work has been on acting manuals, editorial debates, press cuttings, pamphlets and so on. To remedy this, but also t improve my understanding of the eighteenth-century theatre, I decided to read more plays from the period. I started by rereading some Sheridan (post forthcoming), but soon decided on something more structured: to read all the plays put on in London in one theatre season.I chose the 1753-4 season for this purpose. Not only were performances at this time helping John Hill to illustrate his new edition of The Actor, this season was also, to quote the editor of The London Stage, "one of the most 'regular' on record". On top of this, 1753-4 also records the largest staff and the longest series of acting nights for Garrick since he had taken over the management of Drury Lane (in 1747), and contains the first performances of seven new plays there: Richard Glover's Boadicia, Henry Crisp's Virginia, William Whitehead's Creusa Queen of Athens, Samuel Foote's The Englishman in Paris, Henry Woodward's Fortunatus, Theobald Cibber's The Humorists and Catherine Clive's The London Prentice. In contrast to this, Garrick's rival manager, John Rich, only staged two new tragedies at Covent Garden: MacNamara Morgan's Philoclea and Philip Francis's Constantine.I began with the intention of making a checklist of all the plays performed in the 1753-4 season. There were, however, too many, so I present here instead a list and a table, which all cover September and October 1753.First, the list of plays I will be reading, in order:The Beggar's OperaThe Lying ValetThe Provok'd HusbandThe Lover his own RivalThe MiserThe AnatomistThe Mock DoctorAs You Like ItThe ChapletThe Suspicious HusbandThe ContrivancesThe Non-JurorThe Devil to PayDamon and PhillidaThe RevengeThe Tragical History of Richard IIIThe Careless HusbandThe Provok'd WifeThe Busy BodyThe Shepherd's LotteryThe FuneralThe What d'ye Call ItRichard IIIScapinShe Wou'd and She Wou'd NotMuch Ado about NothingThe CommitteeThe StratagemThe Double GallantThe OrphanThe Way of the WorldThe King and the Miller of MansfieldMacbethThe Intriguing ChambermaidRomeo and JulietHarlequin SorcererThe Old BatchelorKing Henry VIIIThe FuneralThe Recruiting OfficerHarlequin RangerOroonokoThe Conscious LoversThe Country LassesThe Suspicious HusbandA Duke and No DukeOthello, the Moor of VeniceHamletThe LotteryQueen MabThe Englishman in ParisMeropeLetheVenice Preserv'dThe Fair PenitentSecond, a table to show what was performed where during September and October 1753-4. Also included are a few plays put on at Southwark Fair.DateTheatreMain PieceAfterpieceSeptember 1753Saturday 8thDrury Lane (DL)The Beggar's OperaThe Lying ValetMonday 10thCovent Garden (CG)The Provok'd HusbandThe Lover his own RivalTuesday 11thDLThe MiserThe AnatomistWednesday 12thCGThe Beggar's OperaThe Mock DoctorThursday 13thDLAs You Like ItThe ChapletFriday 14thCGThe Suspicious HusbandThe ContrivancesSaturday 15thDLThe Non-JurorThe Devil to PayMonday 17thCGThe MiserDamon and PhillidaTuesday 18thDLThe RevengeThe Lying ValetTuesday 18thSouthwark Fair (SF)The Royal SlaveThe Witch of EndorTuesday 18thSFThe Sham PhysicianThe Distress'd SailorWednesday 19thCGThe MiserThe ContrivancesWednesday 19thSFThe Sham PhysicianThe Distress'd SailorThursday 20thDLThe Careless HusbandThe ChapletThursday 20thSFThe Royal SlaveThe Witch of EndorThursday 20thSFThe Sham PhysicianThe Distress'd SailorFriday 21stCGThe Tragical History of Richard IIIThe Lover his own RivalFriday 21stSFThe Sham PhysicianThe Distress'd SailorSaturday 22ndDLThe Busy BodyThe Shepherd's LotterySaturday 22ndSFThe Royal SlaveThe Witch of EndorMonday 24thCGThe Provok'd WifeThe Devil to PayMonday 24thSFThe Royal SlaveThe Witch of EndorTuesday 25thDLKing Richard IIIScapinWednesday 26thCGThe FuneralThe What d'ye Call ItThursday 27thDLMuch Ado About NothingThe AnatomistThursday 27thSFKing Richard IIIThe Old Witch of Endor or, Harlequin Turn'd BeauFriday 28thCGThe FuneralThe ContrivancesSaturday 29thDLThe StratagemScapinOctober 1753Monday 1stCGShe Wou'd and She Wou'd NotThe Lover his own RivalTuesday 2ndDLThe OrphanThe ChapletWednesday 3rdDLMacbethThe Intriguing ChambermaidWednesday 3rdCGThe CommitteeThe What d'ye Call ItThursday 4thDLRomeo and JulietThe Lying ValetFriday 5thDLRomeo and JulietThe Shepherd's LotteryFriday 5thCGThe Double GallantThe King and Miller of MansfieldSaturday 6thDLKing Henry VIIIScapinMonday 8thCGThe Way of the WorldThe King and the Miller of MansfieldTuesday 9thDLThe Recruiting OfficerHarlequin RangerWednesday 10thDLOroonokoHarlequin RangerWednesday 10thCGRomeo and Juliet&#160;Thursday 11thDLKing Henry VIIIThe ChapletThursday 11thCGRomeo and Juliet&#160;Friday 12thDLThe Conscious LoversHarlequin RangerFriday 12thCGRomeo and Juliet&#160;Saturday 13thDLThe Suspicious HusbandA Duke and no DukeSaturday 13thCGRomeo and Juliet&#160;Monday 15thDLThe OrphanHarlequin RangerMonday 15thCGRomeo and Juliet&#160;Tuesday 16thDLHamletThe AnatomistTuesday 16thCGThe MiserHarlequin SorcererWednesday 17thDLThe Careless HusbandQueen MabWednesday 17thCGThe Old BatchelorHarlequin SorcererThursday 18thDLThe Way of the WorldQueen MabThursday 18thCGRomeo and Juliet&#160;Friday 19thDLRomeo and JulietQueen MabFriday 19thCGThe FuneralHarlequin SorcererSaturday 20thDLThe Provok'd HusbandThe Englishman in ParisSaturday 20thCGBeggar's OperaThe King and the Miller of MansfieldMonday 22ndDLThe RevengeThe Englishman in ParisMonday 22ndCGAs You Like ItHarlequin SorcererTuesday 23rdDLMeropeLetheTuesday 23rdCGRomeo and Juliet&#160;Wednesday 24thDLThe Old BatchelorThe Englishman in ParisWednesday 24thCGThe Country LassesHarlequin SorcererThursday 25thDLVenice Preserv'dThe Devil to PayThursday 25thCGRomeo and Juliet&#160;Friday 26thDLKing Richard IIIQueen MabFriday 26thCGThe Provok'd WifeHarlequin SorcererSaturday 27thDLThe Old BatchelorThe Englishman in ParisSaturday 27thCGOthello the Moor of VeniceHarlequin SorcererMonday 29thDLVenice Preserv'dThe LotteryMonday 29thCGThe CommitteeHarlequin SorcererTuesday 30thDLThe Old BatchelorThe Englishman in ParisTuesday 30thCGHamletThe LotteryWednesday 31stDLThe Fair PenitentThe RehearsalWednesday 31stCGThe Recruiting OfficerHarlequin Sorcerer