Event Comment: [Afterpiece: for parts and a brief synopsis, see DL, 26 Dec. 1796.] Paid Renters' [interest; paid daily] #15; Properties #1 0s. 10d. Receipts: #209 19s. 6d. (162/9/0; 47/2/0; 0/8/6)

Event Comment: Benefit a Gentleman under Misfortunes. [In London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 24 March, Ryan thanks the public for assistance at his benefit and adds that Sir William Saunderson engaged for Ryan "near a fourth Part of his Audience."]

Event Comment: [Kemble's 1st appearance as Osman was in Dublin (Genest, VI, 295).] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by James Cobb and Thomas King]: Partly formed on the Plan of the Italian Comedy, and embellished with Music and Machinery. The paintings by Greenwood. The Music compiled and composed by Linley [Sen.]. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Books of the Songs [which assign no parts], Introduction, &c. to be had at the Theatre. [Synopsis of action in Universal Magazine, Dec. 1785, p. 335.] Account-Book, 31 Jan. 1786: Paid King for Hurly-Burly #165. Receipts: #181 2s. (174/17; 6/5)

Event Comment: Benefit for Ackman, Bullbrick, Harrison, Mrs Toogood. No Building on Stage. Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Ackman and Dickenson. Afterpiece: By Particular Desire

Event Comment: Benefit for Ackman & Dickenson, First Gallery Office Keeper. Receipts; #230 (Cross)

Event Comment: By Henry Fielding. Never acted before. On 25 Jan. Lady Hertford wrote to her son: Mr Fielding has wrote a comedy which has been refus'd by the Licenser, not as a reflecting one, but on account of its immorality. On 19 Feb. she wrote again: Mr Fielding by suffering the bawd to be carted, tho she is his favorite character in the new play, has obtained a license to have it acted, and it was perform'd on thursday for the first time, but so much dislik'd that it is believ'd that it will be impossible to prevail with a second audience to hear it through.-Hughes, Hertford, p. 242. The Larpent MS. shows many question marks, and deletions of suggestive, passionate, and physiological references

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. 1st piece: Never acted in this Theatre. [Prologue by George Colman, elder. Monologue by Hester Lynch Piozzi (European Magazine, May 1797, p. 343).] True Briton, 12 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Siddons, No. 49, Great Marlborough-street. "The scenery destroyed much of the effect of the tragedy; for the characters are supposed to be 'steeped in poverty to the very lips;' and yet their apartments would have become a family in the meridian of wealth and prosperity. Mrs Siddons was also too well dressed for Mrs Wilmot" (Monthly Mirror, May 1797, p. 308). "In the scene in which [Mrs Siddons's] son having put into her hands a casket to keep, and she having touched a spring it opens and she sees jewels, her husband (Kemble) enters, and in despair exclaims, 'Where shall we get bread?' With her eyes fixed on the jewels, she runs to him, knocks the casket against her breast and exclaims, 'Here! Here!' In Mrs Siddons's tone and in her look there was an anticipation of the murder which was to take place" (Robinson, I, 39). Receipts: #618 2s. (386.8.6; 43.19.0; 2.4.0; tickets: 185.10.6) (charge: #211 1s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Caulfield, Trueman and Johnston. 1st piece: Never [previously] acted at this Theatre. Receipts: #489 (36.12; 35.0; 1.3; tickets: 416.5) (charge: #232 6s. 6d.)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. lists at Harvard. See VanLennep, "Plays on the English Stage", p. 18: The New Utopia. There is no indication as to whether this performance was the premiere. The Preface refers to malice against the plays, and the edition of 1671 has a poem: To the Author of the New Utopia. On the Miscarriage of his Play in Acting