The earliest entry on our website so far is, appropriately, for performances of the most popular British opera of the day. At that era, theatrical performances were required to be licensed in order to charge admission, except at a restricted number of Theatres Royal. Dundee's Theatre Royal would not be built until 1810, so a visiting company would customarily charge entry for a short 'Concert of Musick' after which would be performed 'Gratis and for Nothing' a play or two. The Town House was then a handsome new (1734) building on the High Street, designed by William Adam. It contained a spacious room suitable for assemblies and concerts (and which would later be converted for use as the Council Chamber).
Mr Adams' company performed a range of popular comedies and tragedies of the day by authors such as Rowe, Otway, Fielding, Centlivre, Garrick, Lillo and others. They also included one Shakespeare play, Othello. The Beggar's Opera was scheduled for one performance, but a second was slotted in instead of Otway's tragedy The Orphan.
(Data from playbills in Dundee City Library)
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