Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bellamy. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets delivered for The Humorous Lieutenant will be taken. Receipts: #113 5s. Charges #63. Income from Tickets #152 5s. (boxes 339; pit 364; gallery 129). Profit to Mrs Bellamy #202 10s. [Her daily salary was #2 2s.; on this night she cleared more than 4 months' wages at 24 acting days per month.] Two New Renters came in: Solomon Paul Juliot and Francis Wilson at 1 share each. Rec'd of Benj. Read for 6 Box tickets for the 2nd inst. #1 10s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Aickin and Miss DeCamp, but "This was a singularly disastrous evening. Mrs Gibbs read Miss DeCamp's character...Aickin was taken suddenly ill after the first act, and the remainder of his part was read by Davenport." In afterpiece "Palmer, having gone through a scene of the Guardian, made an apology to the audience, and read the remainder of Heartly" (Monthly Mirror, Sept. 1797, p. 182). Miss Stuart was from dl.

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: Daily Advertiser, 14 Jan.: The Gentleman who perform'd the Character of Osman .. . the first Night, having since declin'd it, that Part was read last Night; and it being submitted to the Determination of the Audience, whether the Play should be continu'd, or the Repetition of it deferr'd till somebody was study'd in the Part, they unanimously declar'd for the Continuation of the Play; and 'twas desir'd the Part might be read till one of the Players could be studied in it

Event Comment: [The playbill retains Mrs Wilson as The Country Wife, but "Last night Mrs Wilson was taken suddenly ill upon the stage at Covent-garden theatre, and fainted away, in consequence of which Miss Brown read her part in The Country Wife" (Morning Post, 11 Feb.).] Receipts: #246 12s. 6d. (246.1.0; 0.11.6)

Event Comment: [Miss Harper was taken ill; The Irish Widow was thereupon substituted and begun, but the audience was clamorous, and insisted on The Son-in-Law. A long delay ensued until the proper acters had been brought back to the theatre and until they were dressed. Mrs Jewell read Miss Harper's part. While trying to find out what the audience wanted, Bannister retorted sharply from the stage to one of the noisiest of the objectors. This action caused several letters to be written to various newspapers debating the right of a "servant of the public" to reprimand a member of the audience even when that member might be in the wrong (Morning Chronicle, 16 Sept., et seq.).] The last Night of the Season

Event Comment: [In afterpiece the playbill retains Miss Harper, but she "still continuing [ill], an apology was made, and the audience entreated to allow Miss Hitchcock to read the part of Lapra-a request with which they readily acquiesced" (+London Chronicle, 6 Sept.).

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: Benefit for Kemble [who had 1st acted Macbeth at Hull, 30 Oct. 1778]. Public Advertiser, 17 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Kemble, No. 2, Leicester Court, Castle-street, Leicester Fields. [In mainpiece the playbill retains R. Palmer as Malcolm, but "Preceding the play there was an apology, on its appearance evidently exciting doubt and trepidation in the audience [probably for fear that Mrs Siddons would be unable to appear]; but Palmer's fourth word broke the spell. R. Palmer was suddenly prevented attending the house:--what could the house do, but laugh?--Laugh they did;--'and Barrymore will read his part.' The house laughed again. And so Britannia was delivered" (Morning Chronicle, 1 Apr.). The name of R. Palmer's substitute in the afterpiece is not given.] Receipts: #293 3s. (175/2; 9/16; 0/5; tickets: 108/0) (charge: #115 10s. 3d.)

Event Comment: "The great powers of Mrs Jordan cannot be better displayed than in the wonderful contrast of her Country Girl and Viola. In one all archness and vivacity; in the other serious, gentle, tender and sentimental" (Public Advertiser, 16 Nov.). [In afterpiece the playbill retains Parsons as Sir Anthony Halfwit, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted and a MS annotation substitutes Wilson's. "Parsons was taken suddenly ill & J. Wilson read his part" (MS annotation on British Museum playbill, in Harris, 11).] Receipts: #108 12s. (79/11/0; 28/13/6; 0/7/6)

Event Comment: Comic Opera [Librettist unknown], in 2 acts; the music by Paisiello. [The libretto assigns Martufo to Morigi, but "an unexpected event prevented Morigi from appearing. Cremonini therefore read his part" (Morning Chronicle, 19 Feb.). Receipts: #284 2s. 6d. [non-subscription]

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author [of mainpiece]. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Crouch, but she "had, in her way to the theatre, been overturned in a coach. Mrs Brereton read the part of Miss Harley " (London Chronicle, 14 Nov.). The playbill also lists the song, as 12 Nov., but it was not sung on this or any subsequent night. As afterpiece the playbill announces Comus, in which Mrs Crouch was to appear, but it was not acted. Its substitute is listed in the Account-Book.] The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 23 Apr. 1788]. Receipts: #124 14s. 6d. (107.12.0; 15.15.0; 1.7.6; tickets: none listed) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Altered from Beaumont and Fletcher. Not acted these 3 years. [The playbill assigns Abigail to Mrs Webb, but "an apology being made for Mrs Webb, who was indisposed, Mrs Platt undertook to read the part" (Public Advertiser, 26 Feb.). Afterpiece in place of The Farmer, advertised on playbill of 23 Feb.] Receipts: #162 15s. (155.17; 6.18)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Miss Farren, "but on account of the sudden indisposition of Miss Farren her part in the play was read by Mrs Ward, who gave it with great effect, and having studied Miss Farren's manner, was a very tolerable substitute" (Diary, 2 May).] Afterpiece [1st time; C 3, by John Philip Kemble]: Taken from [The Country Lasses; or] The Custom of the Manor [by Charles Johnson]. Diary, 6 May 1789: This Day is published The Farm House (1s.). And see 6 May. Receipts: #165 3s. (125.12.0; 34.18.6; 4.12.6)

Event Comment: "The modest, tender Mrs Kemble deserves to be noticed for a faculty which she possesses, perhaps, more than any person upon the stage, more even than Mrs Siddons, who has it, however, in a very great degree. While she is upon the stage, she is always enacting, whether in speech or not; and never, for a moment, forgets the character, to look at her dress, or at the audience, or to discover any appearance of uneasiness at the consciousness of being looked at, when there is nothing to be said. The players call this bye-play; and it is a very important part of their art. We are perpetually reminding Bensley of his want of it, in speaking to the audience more than to the characters...[The playbill retains Aickin, but] Kemble read the part of the Governor for Aickin, and did not get through it very well" (Gazetteer, 29 Aug.)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Packer as Melanthon and Mrs Siddon as Euphrasia , but "Mrs Powell was the substitute for Mrs Siddons, and acquitted herself very ably. Melanthon was read by Maddocks [which part can be doubled with Greek Herald ]" (Thespian Magazine, June 1793, p. 3).] Receipts: #109 5s. (101.0; 8.5)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Orphan Daughters of the late Mr Wrighten, prompter. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Kemble as Charlotte, but "Mrs Ward read Charlotte " (Thespian Magazine, June 1793, p. 3).] Receipts: #548 12s. 6d. (137.4.6; 32.11.0; 2.17.0; tickets: 376.0;0) (charge: #147 11s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Bland as Ariel , but "Ariel was, on account of the sudden indisposition of Mrs Bland, read by Miss Heard" (Diary, 8 May). Miss Heard may also have substituted for Mrs Bland in the afterpiece.] Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by James Cobb, for whose authorship see Kemble Mem. Larpent MS 982; not published]. Public Advertiser, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Charing Cross. Receipts: #227 8s. (95.17; 7.5; tickets: 124.6) (charge: #90 2s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Caulfield, Miss DeCamp, Miss Tidswell & Miss Heard. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Mr Worthy to Benson but "an apology was made for the absence of Benson...His part of Worthy was read by Whitfield" (Thespian Magazine, July 1793, p. 50).] Tickets delivered for the 8th of June will be admitted. Morning Herald, 24 May: Tickets to be had of Caulfield, No. 8, Dartmouth-street, Westminster; of Miss DeCamp, No. 70, Tottenham-Court-Road; of Miss Tidswell, No. 3, Little Charles-street, St. James's-square; of Miss Heard, No. 13, Panton-street, Hay-market. Receipts: #182 3s. (28.17; 3.5; tickets: 150.1) (charge: #86 8s.)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Inkle and Yarico, advertised on playbill of 7 June. In it the playbill retains Gray as Anthonio , but he "being ill, his part of Anthonio was read by Macready"(Thespian Magazine, July 1793, p. 52).] Tickets delivered for The School for Wives will be admitted. Receipts: #213 9s. 5d

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Aickin, but "Waldron read Aickin's part of Roque , he being suddenly taken ill" (Thespian Magazine, Oct. 1793, p. 257). It is not stated who substituted for Waldron. Afterpiece in place of Who's the Dupe?, advertised on playbill of 4 Sept.

Event Comment: [In 2nd piece the playbill assigns Scruple to Caulfield, but "Previous to the second piece, an apology was made by Barrymore for young Palmer, who, in consequence of Caulfield's indisposition, read the part of Scruple" (Thespian Magazine, Nov. 1793, p. 311).

Event Comment: [In 2nd piece the playbill retains Mrs Goodall, but she "being indisposed, her part was read by Miss Heard" (Thespian Magazine, Dec. 1793 , p.363).]

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Bannister Jun. as Edward, but he "was so ill as to be incapable of performing-his part of Lord Edward was read by Bland" (Thespian Magaune, Jan. 1794, p. 30). Afterpiece in place of HARLEQUIN PEASANT, advertised on playbill of 2 Jan.]

Event Comment: Powell: Notice being sent yesterday of Mrs Hopkins being ill, a Book of the Jew was sent to Mrs Heard about 4 o'clock in the Afternoon for her to study the Part of Mrs Ratcliffe, who, after keeping it till this morning, returned it saying she could not undertake it, in Consequence of which Mrs Maddocks read the Part. Mountaineers rehearsed at 10. Receipts: #292 16s. 6d. (221.12.6; 69.0.0; 2.4.0)