Event Comment: The Public are respectfully acquainted that on account of some accidents having happened to the very complicated Machinery of The Magic Oak its first representation is unavoidably postponed till Tuesday [see 24 Jan.] Receipts: #212 4s. 6d. (205.0.0; 7.4.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Mainpiece: Written by R. Cumberland, Esq. Afterpiece: Written by Colley Cibber, with capital Additions by Fielding, Dean Swift, G. A. Stevens, &c. &c. &c. Public Advertiser, 20 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Quick, Broad-court, Bow-street. Receipts: #327 4s. (177.2.6; 9.11.6; tickets: 140.10.0)

Event Comment: Tragedy never acted. By James Thomson. Characters New Dress'd. But as it is rather more fashionable to run mad about Mr Thomsons's play, I will change my theme and talk to you of Tancred. I want much to know how you like it, at this distance I would lay any wager you do not like it so well as your sister does, who certainly cannot be your sister and not have been to see it long ago. Everybody agrees that no play was ever so much improved in acting, at least since the Booths and Bettertons. That first scene expecially, where Siffredi discovers to Tancred who he is, pleased me almost beyond anything I ever saw, indeed even before I saw it, that scene was my favourite. But what do you think of the story, and what of the style?-A Series of Letters between Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, I, 60 (dated strangely 2 March). [On 26 April, the Daily Post published a letter by Bellario on Tancred and Sigismunda, discussing the kind of support it received]: A very remarkable new Lord of the Treasury was proud of appearing its Foster Father, and attended at the public rehearsals; the first night of the performance this celebrated person and his friends in the Box with him (all very lately most flaming Patriots) were seen clapping their hands at the following remarkable speech: First of You All...To Quit Mistakes. [The letter also discussed political aspects of the play, then the poetry of the lines. The author heard that three hundred lines were cut out after the first performance, and was of opinion that double that amount would have been beneficial.

Event Comment: Benefit for Brown, Mainpiece: Acted but once these 20 years. Charges: #64 10s. Deficit to Brown #17 5s. 6d., cover'd by #38 12s. from tickets (Box 53; Pit 127; Gallery 63). Paid Woodward for a sage Green suit trim'd with Silver Olives &c. #13. Paid Hewson (turner) 14s.; Paid Farrington & Scarr (haberdashers) #17 15s.; Paid Mrs Paddick for cleaning feathers 12s. Receipts: #47 4s. 6d. (Account Book)

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: Mainpiece [1st time; c 5, by James Johnstone, based on Minna von Barnhelm, by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. Prologue by George Colman, the elder (see text). Epilogue by the author (Morning Chronicle, 25 July).] Morning Herald, 10 Aug. 1786: This Day is published The Disbanded Officer 1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; C 3, by John Philip Kemble, based on 'Tis Well It's No Worse, by Isaac Bickerstaffe]. Morning Chronicle, 13 Mar. 1789: This Day is published The Pannel (1s.). Receipts: #204 8s. (165.3.0; 38.1.6; 1.3.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 3, by the Hon. Francis North. Johnstone was from cg]: The Music partly new by Gyrowetz, and partly compiled [by Miss Monck, or Monckton] from Paisiello, Sacchini, and Guglielmi. With new Dresses, Decorations, &c. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Oracle, 27 June: The chief excellence of this piece is the preservation of costume. Gazetteer, 27 June: Bensley disgraced a performance otherwise good by concluding his sentences with a rant, and a look at the gallery. Times, 9 July 1791: This day is published The Kentish Barons (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue by the Hon. Francis North. Epilogue by George Colman, the younger (see text)]. Morning Chronicle, 20 Mar. 1794: This Day is published THE BOX-LOBBY CHALLENGE (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Master Welsh. Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by Samuel Birch]: The Music principally new, composed by Attwood, with a few selections from Mozart. Books of the Songs to be had hn the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 21 May 1795: This Day is published The Adopted Child (1s.). Ibid., 21 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Master Welsh, No. 9, Margaret-street, Westminster. Receipts: #226 10s. (87.13.6; 43.3.6; 17.7.0; tickets: 78.6.0) (charge: free)

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: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@142, p. 81, a last, undated entry in a series of plays acted from 28 May 1675 to 12 May 1677. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. A performance, dated 12 May 1677, is on the L. C. lists at Harvard; see VanLennep, Plays on the English Stage, 1669-1672, p. 12. Downes (pp. 36-37): All the Musick was set by Mr Banister, and being well Perform'd, it answer'd the Expectation of the Company. Two of the songs, with the music by Bannister, are in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Second Book, 1679. The Songs in Circe, published separately in 1677, bears a licensing date of 7 May 1677. The play was licensed 18 June 1677, and entered in the Stationers' Register, 19 June 1677

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: 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: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. There is no certainty that this is the premiere. A song, A heart in love's empire, with music by Robert Smith, and another, Let's drink dear friends, set by Thomas? Farmer, are in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673. The Dedication in the edition of 1672 is to Prince Rupert and states: tho' of thirty times it has been acted, you seldom fail'd to honour it with your presence. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 32): The next new Comedy [at dg] was the Mamamouchi, or the Citizen turn'd Gentleman, Wrote by Mr Ravenscroft [cast as in edition of 1672 except French Tutor and Singing Master, by Mr Haines: (He having Affronted Mr Hart, he gave him a Discharge and then came into our House)]; This Comedy was look[ed] upon by the Criticks for a Foolish Play; yet it continu'd Acting 9 Days with a full House; upon the Sixth the House being very full: The Poet added 2 more Lines to his Epilogue, viz. @The Criticks came to Hiss, and Dam this Play,@Yet spite of themselves they can't keep away.@ However, Mr Nokes in performing the Mamomouchi pleas'd the King and Court, next Sir Martin, above all Plays

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: 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, by Andrew Franklin. It refers to the King's departure from Greenwich on the Royal Charlotte yacht, 30 Oct. 1797, to visit Lord Duncan's fleet at the Nore. The visit was subsequently cancelled because of inclement weather]: With new Scenery, and Machinery. The Music partly new [by William Linley] and partly compiled; with an introductory Full Piece. In the course of the Piece a View of Greenwich Hospital, and an exact Representation of the Departure of the Royal Yatch [sic]. To conclude with a View of the British Fleet, and the Dutch Prizes [taken at Camperdown. 11 Oct.]. [These were included in all subsequent performances.] Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Morning Herald, 16 Nov. 1797: This day is published A Trip to the Nore (1s.). Receipts: #317 5s. 6d. (234.8.6; 76.10.6; 6.6.6)

Event Comment: By Command of Her Majesty. [This was the first time that members of the royal family had appeared in public since the beginning of the King's illness (his first attack of insanity) in November 1788. See also 21, 24 Apr.] The drop curtain with the King's arms on it shown when the front curtain first rose was the "original curtain exhibited on the opening of Lincoln's Inn Fields theatre [in 1714]...It has lain by in the scene-room of Covent-Garden theatre nearly seventy years, but was rescued from oblivion, retouched, and the appropriate ornaments added for the occasion" (Public Advertiser, 16 Apr.). On the Queen's entrance "the house called for God save the King, and the theatre being prepared, the song was immediately sung by Bannister, Johnstone, and Darley, the house joining in the chorus. It was encored...At the end of the play [it] was again called for, and again sung twice. At the end of the pantomime it was again called for; and the theatre not sending forward the performers, the audience cheerfully sung it for themselves; and having sung, they encored themselves; so that altogether it was sung six times in the course of the evening. Her Majesty had a bandeau of black velvet, on which were set in diamonds the words 'Long live the king.' The princesses had bandeaus of white satin, and 'Long live the king' in gold" (Universal Magazine, Apr. 1789, p. 218). Receipts: #388 16s. 6d. (385.12.0; 3.4.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. With Additions from Dryden; the Musick by Purcell and Dr Arne, and the new Airs and Chorusses by the late Mr Linley Jun. [Afterpiece in place of A Friend in Need, advertised on playbill of 21 Feb.] The Publick is respectfully informed that on Account of the sudden Indisposition of Sga Bossi DelCaro, The Scotch Ghost [advertised on playbill of 21 Feb.] cannot be performed this Evening (printed slip attached to Kemble playbill). Receipts: #212 2s. 6d. (145.1.0; 61.0.0; 6.1.6)