Event Comment: Book of the Farce [The Author] will be sold in the theatre (Public Advertiser). [The Author probably the afterpiece.] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: [Anthems were Mine Hand be Strenghtened and And the King shall Rejoice (Public Advertiser).

Event Comment: Benefit for Lepicq. Tickets, half a guinea each, to be had of Lepicq, No. 33, Pall-mall. "On machinery at this Theatre the less stress is laid the better. The boat, of which, had it been good, there was too much use, was very far from good. The representation of Lepicq swimming transgressed as little the commandment. And as to the ascent of Lepicq in the bucket, that was so badly managed as to put us in heart-felt trepidation . . . The Rivali Delusi was cut very properly by omitting the under singers' airs; yet the curtain did not drop till midnight" (Public Advertiser, 16 Apr.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss George. Afterpiece: Not acted these 2 years [not acted since 3 Aug. 1784]. Public Advertiser, 4 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Miss George, No. 23, King-street, Soho

Event Comment: [Public Advertiser, 26 Dec. prints one of Ferdinand 's new songs, Mark'd you her eye of heavenly blue?] Receipts: #238 11s. (235.12.6; 2.18.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. General Advertiser, 16 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 15, Beaufort-buildings. Receipts: #337 17s. 6d. (178.3.0; 3.17.6; tickets: 155.17.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. This Benefit was given to Mr B. after the Season Clos'd on Account of Some trouble he was in (Hopkins Diary). Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. [June 2 by Treasurer's Book.] Profits to Bannister after all charges #106 6s. 5d. This month was publish'd Theatrical Portraits, epigrammatically delineated, &c. 4to. Price 1s. 6d. (Gentleman's Magazine Catalogue). Receipts: #210 6d. (Treasurer's Book). AFTER SEASON RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES (Treasurer's Book). Rec'd: 15 June: Mr Parsonage's (late Williams) Rent 1 yr to Lady day last with 4s. 10d. deducted, #43 10s.; Mr Harrison's Rent 1 yr to ditto with #7 17s. 6d. Land Tax deducted, #38 2s. 6d.; for candles, oil & lampmen on Theatrical Fund Night #3 18s. 6d. 18 June: From Public Advertiser this season #50; from Daily Gazetteer #50; from Mr Pope 1 yrs. rent to Lady Day last with #1 13s. land tax deducted, #28 7s. 23 June: From New Additional Sinking Fund #241 13s.; Patentees' Draft on Mr Clutterbuck #50; Music forfeits this season, Mr D. Richards included, #25 14s. 7d. 25 June: Their Majesties Account 8 nights #80, the Queen's Ladies 2 nights #6. 29 June: Mr Rowland's Rent 1 year to Lady Day last with #2 2s. land tax deducted #40 18s. 30 June: Mr Evans (wardrobe?) sundry forfeips this season #47 8s. Paid: 4 June: Tallow chandler's 9th & last Bill (#37 12s. 9d., but with a discount at 8 on #350 16s. amount of this season's Bills) #9 11s. 6d. Mr Page in full of #25 this season, #1 10s.; Rector & Watch Covent Garden parish 1 year to Lady Day last #1 8s. 4d. 10 June: Two Housekeeper's Bills #11 3s.; half yrs, paving &c. St Martin to Lady Day last #17 13s. 15 June: Messrs Barrow & Co., Oil, #191 14s. 6d.; Messrs Marshall & Co. (plumbers) #55 3s.; Mr Cropley (linen draper) #15 13s. 6d.; Mr Cole (turner) #12 15s.; Mr Dalmaine (embroiderer) #3 13s. 6d.; Mr Landall (Undertaker) #3 4s. Mr Hatsell (mercer) #37 7s.; Mr Carpue (silk dyer)#7 7s. 6d.; Mr Barrett (wax chandler) #27 1s. 6d.; Mrs Vaughan (haberdasher) #7 16s. 6d.; Messrs Sandys & Co. (colourmen) #72 6d.; Mr Carter (scowrer) #20 6s.; Messrs Hewetson & Co. (lacemen) #27 3s.; Mr Stephens (mason) #4 6s.; Mr Cubit (tinman) #12 4s. 6d.; Mr Hopkins & Co. (ironmongers) #10 18s.; Mr Powney (stationer) #4 7s. 16 June: Miss Berkley on note #5 5s.; half yrs rent to Duke of Bedford to Lady Day last #165 2d.; Loss on sale of 330 and 1!2 light Guineas, #17; Mr Pope's Bill for Wigs, &c. #14 2s.; Mr Pope for 69 nights extra dressing this season #6 18s.; Mr J. Johnston's Music Bill, #16 12s. 6d. 23 June: Lowe & Co. (glaziers) #4 7s. 6d.; Scott & Co. (lacemen) #17 11s.; Waller & Co. (hosiers) #7 10s.; Mrs Chitty (coals) #28 10s.; Bibb (sword cutler) #1 5s.; Gardner (shoemaker) #6; Thomson (smith) #23 7s.; Chettell (timber) #40 17s.; Ireland (upholsterer) #35 1s.; Blakes (hatter) #3 1s.; Palmer (spermacetti candles) #124; Dorman (coals) #27 15s.; Dorman for attending practices of dances this season, #10 10s.; A. Johnston's Bill for sundrys #47 11s.; Mrs Garwood (laundress) #12 15s. 29 June: Black Lyon Bills for Wardrobe, Carpenters & Surveyors Dinners #25 14s.; Mr J. French on Acct #9 10s. 30 June: One yrs paving &c. to Covent Garden Parish to Lady Day last #3; Hopkins' Prompter's Bills #30 17s.; Victor's gratuity #30., and extra salary 2 weeks #5; Evans in lieu of Benefit #42, and extra salary 2 weeks #3. Books closed 30 June 1774: @Total Receipts #33,075 1s. 11d.@Total Expense #30,153 15s. 10d.@Profits #2,921 6s. 1d. divided as follows:@To Patentees #1840@To Mr Clutterbuck #1,081 6s. 1d.@*c1774 06 02 dl Benefit for Bannister. This Benefit was given to Mr B. after the Season Clos'd on Account of Some trouble he was in (Hopkins Diary). Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. [June 2 by Treasurer's Book.] Profits to Bannister after all charges #106 6s. 5d. This month was publish'd Theatrical Portraits, epigrammatically delineated, &c. 4to. Price 1s. 6d. (Gentleman's Magazine Catalogue). Receipts: #210 6d. (Treasurer's Book). AFTER SEASON RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES (Treasurer's Book). Rec'd: 15 June: Mr Parsonage's (late Williams) Rent 1 yr to Lady day last with 4s. 10d. deducted, #43 10s.; Mr Harrison's Rent 1 yr to ditto with #7 17s. 6d. Land Tax deducted, #38 2s. 6d.; for candles, oil & lampmen on Theatrical Fund Night #3 18s. 6d. 18 June: From Public Advertiser this season #50; from Daily Gazetteer #50; from Mr Pope 1 yrs. rent to Lady Day last with #1 13s. land tax deducted, #28 7s. 23 June: From New Additional Sinking Fund #241 13s.; Patentees' Draft on Mr Clutterbuck #50; Music forfeits this season, Mr D. Richards included, #25 14s. 7d. 25 June: Their Majesties Account 8 nights #80, the Queen's Ladies 2 nights #6. 29 June: Mr Rowland's Rent 1 year to Lady Day last with #2 2s. land tax deducted #40 18s. 30 June: Mr Evans (wardrobe?) sundry forfeips this season #47 8s. Paid: 4 June: Tallow chandler's 9th & last Bill (#37 12s. 9d., but with a discount at 8 on #350 16s. amount of this season's Bills) #9 11s. 6d. Mr Page in full of #25 this season, #1 10s.; Rector & Watch Covent Garden parish 1 year to Lady Day last #1 8s. 4d. 10 June: Two Housekeeper's Bills #11 3s.; half yrs, paving &c. St Martin to Lady Day last #17 13s. 15 June: Messrs Barrow & Co., Oil, #191 14s. 6d.; Messrs Marshall & Co. (plumbers) #55 3s.; Mr Cropley (linen draper) #15 13s. 6d.; Mr Cole (turner) #12 15s.; Mr Dalmaine (embroiderer) #3 13s. 6d.; Mr Landall (Undertaker) #3 4s. Mr Hatsell (mercer) #37 7s.; Mr Carpue (silk dyer)#7 7s. 6d.; Mr Barrett (wax chandler) #27 1s. 6d.; Mrs Vaughan (haberdasher) #7 16s. 6d.; Messrs Sandys & Co. (colourmen) #72 6d.; Mr Carter (scowrer) #20 6s.; Messrs Hewetson & Co. (lacemen) #27 3s.; Mr Stephens (mason) #4 6s.; Mr Cubit (tinman) #12 4s. 6d.; Mr Hopkins & Co. (ironmongers) #10 18s.; Mr Powney (stationer) #4 7s. 16 June: Miss Berkley on note #5 5s.; half yrs rent to Duke of Bedford to Lady Day last #165 2d.; Loss on sale of 330 and 1!2 light Guineas, #17; Mr Pope's Bill for Wigs, &c. #14 2s.; Mr Pope for 69 nights extra dressing this season #6 18s.; Mr J. Johnston's Music Bill, #16 12s. 6d. 23 June: Lowe & Co. (glaziers) #4 7s. 6d.; Scott & Co. (lacemen) #17 11s.; Waller & Co. (hosiers) #7 10s.; Mrs Chitty (coals) #28 10s.; Bibb (sword cutler) #1 5s.; Gardner (shoemaker) #6; Thomson (smith) #23 7s.; Chettell (timber) #40 17s.; Ireland (upholsterer) #35 1s.; Blakes (hatter) #3 1s.; Palmer (spermacetti candles) #124; Dorman (coals) #27 15s.; Dorman for attending practices of dances this season, #10 10s.; A. Johnston's Bill for sundrys #47 11s.; Mrs Garwood (laundress) #12 15s. 29 June: Black Lyon Bills for Wardrobe, Carpenters & Surveyors Dinners #25 14s.; Mr J. French on Acct #9 10s. 30 June: One yrs paving &c. to Covent Garden Parish to Lady Day last #3; Hopkins' Prompter's Bills #30 17s.; Victor's gratuity #30., and extra salary 2 weeks #5; Evans in lieu of Benefit #42, and extra salary 2 weeks #3. Books closed 30 June 1774: @Total Receipts #33,075 1s. 11d.@Total Expense #30,153 15s. 10d.@Profits #2,921 6s. 1d. divided as follows:@To Patentees #1840@To Mr Clutterbuck #1,081 6s. 1d.

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Thomas Hull, altered from The School for Guardians by Arthur Murphy. Not in Larpent MS; synopsis of plot in Public Advertiser 19 Nov.]: With New Dresses, &c. The Music chiefly compiled; the rest composed by Dr Arne, Sacchini and Fisher. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 18 Nov. 1777: This Day is published the Airs in Love Finds the Way (6d.). [Miss Courtenay is identified in the Airs.] Receipts: #233 8s. 6d. (232.5.0; 1.3.6)

Event Comment: A Serious Opera [1st time; SER 3, author unknown; a pasticcio]. The Music by several celebrated Composers, and conducted [i.e. arranged] by Bianchi. Public Advertiser, 4 Dec.: Roncaglia was welcomed with merited and very flattering Applause, yet he seemed hurt at sharing with Ansani those marks of public Favour. We exhort them both to remember that Persons of their superior Talents ought to lay aside every petty Prejudice and personal Animosity. "[Ansani] had a finely toned, full, and commanding voice, was a spirited actor, and in the first opera, called Ricimero, sustained the most prominent and important part. But he was unfortunately of a most peevish, quarrelsome temper; Roncaglia was saucy and conceited, and neither could brook the superiority claimed by the other. Their mutual jealousy, and the importance assumed by the tenor soon produced an irreconcilable breach, Ansani threw up his engagement, and the season went on heavily to its close for want of him"(Mount-Edgcumbe, p. 29)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. The Absent Man published at 1s. [During the Easter Week holidays the text of the afterpiece had been changed. The advance bill in the Public Advertiser (31 March) notes "With Additions" and omits Mrs Hopkins from the list of characters.

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years. 3rd piece [1st time; F 3, author unknown. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: Taken from Dryden's Spanish Fryar. Public Advertiser, 20 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lewis, Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #246 18s. (164.3; tickets: 82.15) (charge: #66 10s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Mainpiece: With (1st time) Alterations and Additions by the Author [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture, Airs, &c. by Dr Arnold. The selected [music] by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan. The new additional Songs by Shield. Public Advertiser, 22 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Quick, Broad-court, Bow-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #325 8s. 6d. (164.6.6; 3.19.0; tickets: 157.3.0)

Event Comment: [Macklin dismissed after this night. See the account in The Genuine Arguments of the Council, with the Opinion of the Court of the King's Bench, &c., By a Citizen of the World, (London, 1774). Extracts in E. R. Page, George Colman, the Elder (New York, 1935). See notes for 23 and 30 Oct. and the subsequent action in note for 20 Nov. He did not return until 18 May 1775. This night was aparently, except for #4 5s. which was not recorded on the books of the theatre until 18 June well after the season closed. Macklin's suit in court against the rioters was judged 24 Feb. 1775. A column and a half account of the trial appeared in the Public Advertiser, Saturday 13 May 1775, giving the testimony of the witnesses accused of starting the riot, the lawyers, and the judge. The accused were Leigh, Miles, James, Aldus, and Clarke. The first four were convicted of a conspiracy and a riot, the last of a riot only. During the Course of the Business Lord Mansfield took Occasion to observe, that the Right of Hissing, and Applauding in a theatre was an unalterable Right, but there was a wide Distinction between expressing the natural Sensations of the Mind as they arose on what was seen and heard, and executing a pre-concerted Desagn, not only to hiss an Actor when he was playing a Part in which he was universally allowed to be excellent, but also to drive him from the theatre, and effect his utter ruin." See also William W. Appleton, Charles Macklin, An Actors Life (Cambridge, Mass., 1960), Chapter X.

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Sherry & Sga Crespi. Tickets delivered by Harwood will be taken. Afterpiece: Not acted these 2 years [see 31 Mar.]. Public Advertiser, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Miss Sherry, at Nicholl's, Baker, Bridge's-street, Covent Garden; of Sga Crespi, Poland-street, opposite the Back Door of the Pantheon. Receipts: #257 0s. 6d. (91.14.0; 23.0.6; 0.0.0; tickets: 142.6.0) (charge: #70 17s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2]: Written by the Author of Tony Lumpkin in Town [John O'Keeffe. Text (1st authorized) published in Cumberland's British Theatre, Vol. XXXI]. The Music and Overture composed by Dr Arnold [with airs adapted from Philidor and Guglielmi (Public Advertiser, 17 Aug.)]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Benefit for Vernon. Public Advertiser, 29 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Vernon, at Jones's, No. 7, Catherine Street, Strand. Receipts: #173 13s. 6d. (86.14.0; 21.10.0; 0.12.6; tickets: 64.17.0) (charge: #74 14s.)

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; PREL I, by George Colman, the elder]. "The ground-work was the apologies received from the great actors, who all preferred their suburban shades to the temperature of the Haymarket...The prompter enters to apologize to the audience and return the money, but his plea is rendered nugatory by certain oratorical and mimetic personages stationed in the pit and boxes, who not at first being recognized by the house as professional people, a great confusion was produced. When Mrs Webb arose to address the audience, the joke became apparent, and a prodigious interest was excited' (Boaden, Siddons, 1,208). [In 2nd piece the playbill lists Baddeley, but "Previous to the beginning of the Play, Palmer came forward...and acquainted [the audience] that Baddeley then lay speechless [as the result of a stroke], and Hitchcock, the prompter, would, with their permission, read Baddeley's Part" (London Chronicle, 31 May). The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice at the Theatre. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Public Advertiser, 6 July 1780: This Day is published The Manager in Distress (1s.)

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of The Elopement, announced in Public Advertiser, 21 Oct.] The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 16 May 1781]. Receipts: #110 7s. (80.1.0; 29.18.6; 0.7.6)

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; prel i,by Leonard Macnally. MS:Larpent 601; not published; synopsis of plot in Public Advertiser, 24 Sept.]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon (only) at the Stage-door. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. The Doors will open at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 4 Nov.]. The Only Entrance to the Upper Gallery is in the Passage which leads from the Piazza to Hart-street, and the Two Shilling Gallery communicates with the Passage in Bow-street, as well as with that from the Piazza. The Passages to the Pit and Boxes remain as before. Receipts: #314 18s. (313/18; 1/0)

Event Comment: "The company [of spectators] was so numerous that there was hardly room on the stage for the performers to go through their pans . . . Mme Simonet displayed all that power of acting for which she has been so justly celebrated since the first introduction of the ballets called 0?Action when first Vestris held the sceptre of Terpsychore at the King's Theatre [in 1780-81]" (Public Advertiser, 18 Feb., which also has a synopsis of the action)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; c 3, by Denis O'Bryen. Prologue by the author; Palmer was obliged to read it, he "not having received it in due time". Epilogue by George Colman, the elder, with name of speaker (Town and Country Magazine, July 1783, p. 339). MS: Larpent 626; not published; synopsis of plot in Public Advertiser, 7 July]

Event Comment: "[Kemble's] 'Did not you speak to it?' is an Emphasis not at all justified by the Context... Palmer should not have worn in the Farce the Breeches which but a little before were on Ostrick's thigh" (.Public Advertiser, 6 Oct.). Receipts: #242 16s. (211/3/0; 31/0/6; 0/12/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 years [on playbill of 23 Apr.]. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. To prevent Confusion Ladies are desired to send their Servants by half past Four o'clock. [Mrs Siddons's 1st appearance as Sigismunda was at Manchester, 10 Jan. 1778.] Public Advertiser, 20 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Siddons, No. 7, Leicester-fields. Receipts: #324 1s. (146/2/0; 8/1/6; 0/2/6; tickets: 169/15/0)(charge: #106 10s. 1d.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 7 years [acted 1 Jan. 1781]. A Dramatic Entertainment of Singing, Dancing, and Dialogue, in Honour of Shakespeare. In which will be introduced a Pageant, the music by Dibdin. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "The Jubilee is now worn out and of no repute" (Public Advertiser, 21 Nov.). [For a complete account of the original production in 1769 see Christian Deelman, The Great Shakespeare Jubilee, 1964, pp. 280-86.] Receipts: #241 9s. (199/16/0; 39/8/6; 2/4/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Williames and Bates. Public Advertiser, 9 May: Tickets to be had of Williames, No. 2, Duke's-court, Bow-street; of Bates, No. 12, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #193 18s. 6d. (20.6.0; 10.8.0; 1.3.6; tickets: 162.1.0) (charge: #109 5s. 3d.)