*p1767 08 05 hay The Beggar's Opera. Macheath-Barry; Lockit-Thompson; Mat-Bannister; Ben Budge-Palmer; Peachum-Shuter; Filch-Weston; Jemmy Twitcher-Smith; Crook@finger'd Jack-Lyngs; Wat Dreary-Newton; Robin o Bagshot-Gardner; Nymming Ned-Pynn; Harry Paddington-Loveman; Player-Strange; Beggar-Castle; Lucy-Mrs Mahon (being her first appearance on that Stage); Mrs Peachum-Mrs Johnson; Mrs Slammekin-Mrs Gardner; Molly Brazen-Mrs Burden; Dolly Trull-Mrs Kirby; Betty Doxy-Mrs Palmer; Polly-Mrs Dancer.*a1767 08 05 hay A Duke and no Duke. ^As17670722^.*d1767 08 05 hay II: <i>The Fingalian Dance</i>-; III: <i>New Hornpipe</i>-; End Opera: The <i>Italian Peasants</i>-Miss Froment.*c1767 08 05 hay <i>NNeville MS Diary</i>: Went to ye Pit to see ye <i>Beggar's Opera</i>-oblig'd to stand till ye play was over-Read some parts of ye Opera which I borrowed at $Davies='s, before it began and between the acts. $Barry= is a good <i>Macheath</i>r, but most persons who have seen him when young observe that he has not ye activity and fire he then had. He sings tolerably as does $Mrs Dancer=; but both are greatest in ye acting part. Mrs D. is ye best <i>Polly</i>r I ever saw, having that sensibility which your mere singing Pollys generally want. $Mrs Mahon= did <i>Lucy</i>r with great ease and propriety, and has a good deal of expression in her countenance. $Thomson= has a force and mellowness of voice very suitable to ye character of <i>Lockit</i>r. I do not think $Weston= excels in <i>Filch</i>r. $Shuter= raised vast applause by adding, after <i>Trapes</i>r has said "done under the Surgeon's hand'--"Oh dreadful and in such weather too!" $Bannister= in <i>Mat</i>r added--"Die hard"--and $Palmer= in <i>Budge--"Die game--" $Mrs Gardner</i>'s pretending to get drunk in <i>Mrs Slam</i>r is new. We had at ye end of Act 2 the <i>Fing.</i>, of Act 3 a <i>New Hornpipe</i>, and at ye end of ye Opera the <i>H.</i> <i>Peasant</i>r by $Miss Froment=, with <i>Duke and No Duke</i>-of which I am tired.