Note 414 — Chapter XXV · THE DRAMA.
Reading edition
It opened spasmodically, now and then: on July 9, 1706, with an opera called 'Arsinoe, Queen of Cyprus.' Mrs. Tofts as Arsinoe; a prologue spoken by Cibber, and an epilogue by Estcourt; and on Aug. 1 there was an opera called 'Camilla' played. And we hear the last of it in the autumn of this year.'[414] 'By the deserted Company of Comedians of the Theatre Royal. At the Queen's Theatre in Dorset Gardens, on Thursday next being the 24th of October, will be Acted a Comedy, call'd The Recruiting Officer.[415] In which they Pray there may be Singing by Mrs. Tofts in English and Italian. And some Dancing.' On the 30th they played 'Master Fido, or the Faithful Shepherd,' 'acted all by women'—a not absolute novelty, but which showed how hard up they were for something new to draw. And there were five more performances that year.