Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bulkley. 2nd piece [1st time; c 2, by James Brown Williamson. MS: Larpent 630; not published. Prologue probably by the author; Epilogue by the author; speakers' names (Public Advertiser, 3 Sept.)]

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2(?), by John O'Keeffe. Synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 27 Dec.]: With new Music, Scenery, Machinery, and Decorations. The Scenes designed and executed by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, Pugh, &c. The Music selected from the Works of the most eminent Masters, by A. Shaw. The new Airs composed by Shield, and the Overture by Richardson. Books of the Songs, Recitative, &c. to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Receipts: #315 16s. (301.6; 14.10)

Event Comment: Benefit for King. 1st piece: Altered [by MacNamara Morgan] from The Winter's Tale. 2nd piece [1st time; C 3, by Thomas King. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: An Alteration, never yet performed, of Sir John Vanburgh's [sic] Mistake. Public Advertiser, 10 Feb.: Tickets to be had of King, at his house in Gerrard-street. Receipts: #321 2s. 6d. (249.14.0; 4.8:6; tickets: 67.0.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells. Mainpiece [1st time; C 4, author unknown, not in Larpent MS; not published. Epilogue by Robert Merry (World, 30 Apr.). On 11 May acted as The Female Pursuit]: Taken from Moor's Gil Blas. Public Advertiser, 27 Apr.: Mrs Wells trusts the Public will have the Candour to excuse her not appearing in the Play, as the principal Woman's Character has many changes in it, and the Fatigue of going through various and numerous Imitations would render her incapable of undertaking it. Gazetteer, 9 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 12, Weymouth-street, Portland-place. Receipts: #301 14s. (166.2; 10.1; tickets: 125.11)

Event Comment: For a Public Benefaction. [Perhaps for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign parts, to which Young gave #1,000 on 14 March, according to the Public Advertiser.] Tickets for the Benefaction to be had of Mr Dodsley, in Pall Mall; Mr Miller in the Strand and at the Stage Door. Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Edwin. Public Advertiser, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Edwin, No. 2, Piazza., Covent Garden. Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years. Miss Younge having refused performing the Part of Viola, Mrs Robinson has kindly undertaken that Character at a short Notice; and Mr Edwin humbly hopes she will be honoured by the Indulgence of the Public. Receipts: #304 0s. 6d. (211/3/6; tickets: 92/17/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 19 Feb.: To the Author, &c. Sir, In a late Paragraph in one of your Papers [4 Feb.] it was insinuated, that there was a Design on foot for erecting a New Theatre, which by some Wise Heads was suppos'd to come from a certain Manager, in order to revive the Playhouse Bill this Session of Parliament; I think it proper therefore, in Justice to the Gentleman levell'd at, to inform the Publick, that it is actually intended for a Company of Comedians every Day expected here, late Servants to their Majesties Kouli Kan and Theodore, who in the mean time will entertain the Town in the true Eastern manner, at the New Theatre in the Hay-Market, with a celebrated Piece call'd A Rehearsal of Kings. I am, Sir, Yours, &c. Agent for the Company

Event Comment: The Sixth Night. N.B. The public may be assurred for the future that the performances will be on the days advertised (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: The Tenth Day. N.B. Tne managers deferred performing last night, on account of the Benefit for a public charity at ranelagh (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for Jewell, treasurer. Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by George Colman, the younger. It has also been ascribed to Sarah Gardner, but for Colman's authorship see Peake, 11, 99. Composer of music unknown. MS: Larpent 589; not published]: The Words of the Songs are inserted in the Public Papers of this Day. Public Advertiser, 12 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Jewell, in Suffolk Street

Event Comment: The Sixth Day. N.B. The Managers propose to perform every day this week (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. A new serious Opera. Pit and Boxes put together and no Persons to be admitted without Tickets, which will be delivered this Day, at the Office, at Half a Guinea each. Gallery 5s. By their Majesties Command no Persons whatsoever to be admitted behind the Scenes or in the Orchestra. Gallery, Pit and Boxes to be opened at Five. 6:30 p.m. [Repeated in the subsequent bills.] Messrs Crawford, Vincent, and Gordon most humbly request that the Nobility and Gentry, Subscribers to the Operas for the ensuing Season, will please send their Subssciptions to Andrew Drummond and Co., Bankers at Charing Cross; or to Crawford, at the theatre, where attendance will be given every day from Ten to Two, to receive Subscriptions, and the names of the Subscribers who are pleased to honor the Managers with their Protection to enable them to get the Tickets engraved before the Operas begin (Public Advertiser through October and November)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Miles Peter Andrews]: The Overture from the celebrated Fire and Water Music of Handel. The new Airs and Chorusses by Dr Arnold. With new scenes by Rooker. Books of the Songs may be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 8 July 1780: This Day is published the Songs in Fire And Water! (6d.). Ibid, 22 July 1780: This Day is published Fire And Water! (price not listed)

Event Comment: Receipts: #129 3s. Paid Mr Gifford 17 day's salary from 24 Nov. inclusive, #2 16s. 8d.; Paid Mr Kemp 25 nights [tin man for lamps] to 30 Nov. last at #1 12s. per night, #40

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but Dryden, on 14 Dec. 1699, indicated that the run of the play had been completed by that day. A copy in the Folger Shakespeare Library has a notice of its publication. Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 45: Iphigenia a Tragedy, wrote by Mr Dennis, a good Tragedy and well Acted; but answer'd not the Expences they were at in Cloathing it. [In The Life of Mr John Dennis (London, 1734) the author states that Colonel Codrington prevailed on all his friends to take tickets for the dramatist's third night.] Preface, Edition of 1700: And from the first representations I expected all the success that I could reasonably desire. I never in my life at any Play took notice of a more strict attention, or, a more profound silence. And there was something like what happen'd at the Representation of Pacuvius his Tragedy. For upon Orestes discovering his passion to Iphigenia in the fourth Act, there was a general murmur through the Pit, which is what I had never seen before. But after three or four representations, several people, who during that time had wholly abandon'd themselves to the Impression which Nature had made on them, began to study how to be discontented by Art; and repented heartily at having been pleas'd with what Athens and Rome and Paris had been pleas'd before. A Comparison between the Two Stages (1702), p. 23: Critick: I must needs Complement him [Dennis] with the Success of his laborious Iphigenia: Ay, here's a Tragedy with a witness--show a more tragick Poet if you can--'twas a smart Epilogue. But I marvel a Man of Mr Dennis's Penetration wou'd suffer, nay beg his Friend to Burlesque him at that unreasonable rate: But the Author was conscious the Audience might mistake it for a Comedy, and so he gets Colonel C-(he was sure his Word wou'd be taken) to tell 'em it was not a Comedy but a Tragedy: The hint was good and necessary, for o' my word very few knew what to make of it before, tho' there were many Tremendous things in't. [The dialogue continues to examine Dennis' Preface, and Dennis's assertions there concerning his play.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A Tragedy [by Henry Brooke]. New dressed in the habits of the times. This tragedy was wrote by Mr Brooks and performed some years ago at Dublin. The first four Acts went off heavy, the last very well--Miss Mowat made her first appearance in this Piece at Drury Lane--Prologue by Mr Murphy heavy. Epilogue by Mr Garrick, great applause (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Receipts: #150 13s. 6d. Paid Ledley for 20 dozen Wax Candles #31; Paid Mr Richards for painting the Slaughter House, Ox &c. [See The Fair, 10 Dec. 1759] #10 10s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never perform'd. New Scenes and Dresses (playbill). This Comedy was written by Mr Obrien. It was very much hiss'd from the 2d Act & with the greatest difficulty we got thro' the Play amidst Groans hisses &c. They would not Suffer it to be given out again. After many Altercations between the Audience Mr G. & Mr King by the Author's Consent the Play was withdrawn (Hopkins Diary). [Macmillan's note from Kemble briefer. See long review of The Duel in British Theatre article, London Magazine, Dec. 1772, and Town and Country same month.] Paid Mr Scott (c[opper] laceman) #83 9s.; Mr Waller (hosier) #17 18s. 6d.; Mr Hatsell (mercer) #80 19s.; Mr Barrow & Co. for oil, #45 13s.; Mr Cropley (linen draper) #73 14s.; Mr Cubitt (tinman) #15 19s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #241 4s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; C 3, by Elizabeth Inchbald, based on L'Indigent, by Louis Sebastien Mercier, and on Le Dissipateur; ou, L'Honnete Friponne, by Philippe Nericault, dit Destouches. Prologue and Epilogue by Thomas Vaughan (see text)]. Morning Chronicle, 21 July 1791: This Day is published Next Door Neighbours (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Edward Jerningham. Prologue by John Taylor. Epilogue by Henry Seymour Conway (see text)]. Morning Chronicle, 22 May 1795: This Day is published The Welch Heiress (2s.). Receipts: #309 12s. 6d. (246.1.6; 51.15.6; 11.15.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Thomas Holcroft, based on La Serva Amorosa and on Il Padre di Famiglia, both by Carlo Goldoni. Author of Prologue unknown. Epilogue by Matthew Gregory Lewis (see text)]. Times, 7 Feb. 1798: This Day is published Knave or Not (2s.). Receipts: #358 2s. (283.11.6; 71.2.0; 3.8.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Macklin. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. [See 27 Jan. 1770.] Afterpiece: For this night only this season (playbill). Charges #64 5s. Profit to Miss Macklin #19 4s., plus #43 from 172 Box tickets. Paid Whitefield one fourth year's salary due Lady Day last #25. Paid Mr Barber for a suit of regimentals embroider'd with gold, #12 12s. Paid Lowe and Lucas (linnen drapers) #13 19s.; Paid Evans for Spermecita candles as per bill #12. Paid Barrett (wax chandler) #3 4s. (Account Book). [Miss Macklin considered this a poor benefit, and on 6 May 1772 wrote to her father about the troubles she met in getting it underway. Woodward would not play in the farce since it did not belong to the theatre and since he had not be asked before she put his name in the bills. Kniveton labored hard and did quite well as Sir Archy. Ann Pitt so ill she could not do Lady Wrangle, but Mrs Hull sat up two nights, learned the part and acted it creditably (Harvard, Memoirs of Charles Macklin, Vol. II, pt. 2, after p. 55).] Receipts: #83 9s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown] . Account-Book, 25 Sept. 1794: Paid Cumberland for The Jew #300. Morning Chronicle, 4 Oct. 1794: This Day is published THE JEW (1s. 6d.). Powell: The Quaker rehearsed at 10; The Jew at 11. Receipts: #401 17s. (344/3; 45/19; 11/15)

Event Comment: [R+Rich's Register lists The English Merchant.] Paid Blandford (tallow chandler) #49 8s. 10d. Paid George Garrick for use of the managers #15 15s.; Paid French on account #20; Advanced to Granier on note #4 2s. 10d.; to Keen on note #4 4s. Rec'd stopages 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Sylas Neville (Neville MS Diary): With difficulty got into the Pit at Drury Lane, where I stood at the side so jambed up that I could not read the newspaper I carried: But I saw the play very well. It was Rule a Wife and Have a Wife, with the Farce of the Devil to Pay. Duke by Havard, Cacafago by Love, very well. Copper Capt. by Palmer, pretty well. Old woman pretty well by Mrs Baddeley, Astifania by Mrs Pritchard excellently, tho she is too old for the first part of this character. Leon inimitably by Garrick. I think he shows a good deal of Abel drugger, [both published and unpublished portions of the Neville Diary.] Receipts: #261 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [L+Letter from Henry Woodward, Comedian, The Meanest of all Characters To Dr John Hill, Inspector-General of Great Britain, the greatest of all characters completely damns Hill as unsuccessful player, apothecary, doctor, scholar, writer, and gentleman. It ran to three editions in the year.] We hear great interest is being made to succeed Mr Serjeant Shore, deceased, as Serjeant Trumpet to his Majesty, which is in the gift of his Grace the Duke of Grafton as Lord Chamberlain; and that the contest lies chiefly between that excellent performer, Mr. Valentine Snow, Trumpet to the First Troop of Horseguards; Mr. Debourg, the violin; and Mr Beard, of the theatre Royal in Drury Lane (Public Advertiser). Receipts: #150 (Cross)