Event Comment: Benefit for Signor Bombasto and Signor Piantofugo. [Eighteenth night.] Henley's advertisements say he came to London in 1720, is not in debt and One Time with another, my Oratory is as full as ever, when I please, and my Service to Mr Smart, Mrs Warner, Mr Newberry, etc. J. Henley" (Daily Advertiser, 21 March).

Event Comment: Benefit for Bencraft and Mrs Vincent. Mainpiece: Containing the Memorable Battle of Agincourtv; with the total overthrow of the French Armyv; and many other historical passages. Tickets to be had of Mrs Vincent at the Cock and Turk's Head, in Bedford St., Covent Garden; of Bencraft at the corner of the Piazzas; and of Mr Page at the Stage Door of the Theatre

Event Comment: New Scenes, Music, Habits, Decorations, Machines &c. Nothing under Full Prices. A new Pantomime-went off with great Applause (Cross). [The afterpiece dealt with in high irony by Murphy in Gray's Inn Journal (29 Dec.): It is writ entirely upon the Grecian plan, so much admired by the French critics, and of course does not bid very fair to please the multitude in this country, whose taste is too much vitiated by Shakespeare's monstruous irregularity, to relish the simplicity of this piece. Mr Ranger will only observe that he is highly pleased with the Fable, the Morality, the University, and Integrity of it, and as the writing is equal all through, he looks upon it to be one of the best Pantomimes in the English language.] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Printed books of the opera will be sold at the theatre. Published this day at 1s. Lo Studente A La Moda, dramma comicogiocoso, as it is acted at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. With an English Translation. Sold by H. Woodfall...Where may be had Gli Amanti Gelosi, with an English translation. [Opera in there acts in Italian and French. Larpent MS 103. Altered from A. Polomba La Violante. Music by G. B. Pergolesi. Rich applied to the Duke of Grafton (9 Jan.) for license to perform it.

Event Comment: Comic Opera in Italian and French, 3 Acts (Larpent MS 107). Subtitle, O Sia, Il Finto Femmina. La Musica e del Sig Leonardo Leo, Maestro di Capella Napolitano (Edition of 1752, Amsterdam). [Rich had applied for license to Duke of Grafton 8 Feb.] This day at Noon will be publish'd at 1s. L'Amor Costante, Dramma Comico, pe Musica, as it is acted at Covent Garden. With an English translation. Sold by H. Woodfall

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Woodward he did buck in the Farce (Cross). On account of the extraordinary demand for places, Boxes and Pit will be laid together. Amphitheatre on Stage. Published Tuner No 3-31 pages, 6d. Receipts: #311 (Cross)

Event Comment: Taken from a Midsummer Night's Dream written by Shakespear. The Songs from Shakespear, Milton, Waller, Dryden, Lansdown, Hammond. Music-Smith. [First edition Text by John Christopher Smith; see Garrick to James Murphey French, Dec. 1756; H. Walpole to R. Bentley 23 Feb. 1755.] Besides our own Singers, we had Sg Guadagni, Sga Passerini, Miss Potier [i.e., Mrs Vernon], and Savage's Boys. Very great Applause; Sabatini danced after it and fell down, not hurt (Cross). [See A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Hands of Garrick and Colman, G. W. Stone Jr, PMLA (June 1939).] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted these 30 years. This day publish'd. Price 1s. Reflections upon Theatrical Expression in Tragedy. [By Roger Pickering. This is a defense of the theatrical profession, "which in all countries is considered low and contemptible." Author's thesis: "A master of theatrical expression in all its extensive significancy must be possess'd of such accomplishments, as to set the profession above all contempt." Garrick is mentioned as best example. True tragic expression "requires Genius, Education, Reading, Experience...and a solidity of thought which never accompanies abject morals" (p. 11). Includes an interesting treatise on acting-sections on figure, voice, ear, memory, management of feet and legs. Comments on costume: "Taste in dress demands that an actor be conversant in the mode of dress ancient and modern, in other countries as well as in our own...Alexander and Cato were not masters of the snuff box, nor Greek women of French heels." The appendix asks why all our plays are not dressed in character in point of time and place, and why they do not contain at least one "scene" proper to the country. The author (p. 61) sees need for variety in acting same role, especially when a play has a continuous run of several nights. He calls (p. 77) for creation of appropriate mood for the play by selection of proper music between the acts. Wants a softening of the prompter's bell. Concludes by damning contemporary audience manners, especially those of the stage loungers (pp. 79-81).] Receipts: #314 (Cross)

Event Comment: At the Great Tiled Booth, Bowling Green. Mainpiece: An Historical Play presented by Warner and the Widow Yeates's Company of Comedians, during the time of the Fair. The Scenes and Cloaths are entirely New, and the Droll the same that was performed by Mrs Lee, twenty Years ago, with Great Applause. [Repeated.

Event Comment: When Mr Garrick ended the 3d Act with "Die wth pleasure for my Country's good"-a person in the Gall: cry'd no french Dancers then-wch seems to say much resentment will be shewn when the 24 we have engag'd appear (Cross). Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece :By Particular Desire. The Orphan of China published. Price 1s. 6d. Dedicated to Garrick. Translated from the French of Voltaire. Acted at Paris with great applause. Published This Day Reflections on Theatrical Expression in Tragedy, with a proper introduction and appendix. For the character of the above see The Monthly Review for July (Public Advertiser). [This must be the second edition of Roger Pickering's pamphlet. See 13 March 1755.] Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMonr Delatre danc'd, no notice taken of the french (Cross). [Apprentice published--1s., by Mr Murphy.] Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Barbaut's Second Subscription Oratorio, taken from the First Book of Milton's Paradise Regained and set to music by Mr Charles Barbant in two parts with a solo upon the Violin by Signor Marella; a solo upon the German Flute by Mr Tacet; a Concerto on the Lute by Mr Servi?; a Hautboy concert by Mr Barbant; and an organ concerto ditto; and a Great Concerto with Clarinets, French Horns and Kettle-Drums, composed by Mr Barbant. Boxes and Pit put together at Half a Guinea each, Gallery 3s. Tickets to be had at Mr Barbant's, at Mr White's in Marshall St., Carnaby-Market; and at Mr Browne's Stationer [sic], facing the Opera House, Haymarket. To begin at half an Hour after six. N.B. the Books of the Oratorios stitched in Blue Paper at 1s. each are sold at Mrs Browne's [sic] in the Haymarket, and at the House on the night of the performance

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Macklin. Last time of Performing the Mainpiece this season. Afterpiece: Translated from the French by Macklin. Receipts: #190 (Cross)

Event Comment: This year was published A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations, Antient and Modern, Particularly Old English Dresses after the Designs of Holbein, VanDyke, Hollar and others, with an account of the Authorities from which the figures are taken, and some short historical remarks on the subject. To which are added the Habits of the Principal characters on the English Stage. Two vols. with French Text [Recueil des Habiliments...] facing English text. Coptume plates included. Vol II for the English. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for the French Dancers, tho' not in the Bills. It was to have been The Winter's Tale, but Mrs Cibber is taken ill (Cross). Tickets deliver'd for The Winter's Tale and Catherine and Petruchio will be taken. Last time of performing the mainpiece this season. Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit Sig and Signora Forti. [Actually a charity benefit, as the ship with their costumes was seized by the French.

Event Comment: To begin each day at twelve noon and end at ten at night during the short time of St Bartholomew Fair at Yates' (from Drury Lane) Great Concert Hall in the Greyhound Inn, Smithfield. There is a commodious way to the Hall opposite the Sheep-Penn. The diverting entertainment contains the distresses of a young lady that was stolen by a French pirate; the gallantry of an English Captain who rescued her; their unfortunate shipwreck, and their being thrown upon a desolate island; their sufferings through famine; the unexpected relief they met with on a part of the island; governed only by women; their being afterwards seized as pirates; the punishment inflicted on them by the Female Goverment; and their amazing delivering by the Queen's finding her husband and her only son, whom she had lost and thought dead upwards of twenty years. Interspersed with the comical and diverting adventures of Lt Fireball, a true English Tar, Noddy a distressed Beau, Snivel Thimble, a tailor; Splitfarthing an Old Userer; and Glisterspite a Finical Surgeon. In which will be introduced a Dialogue between Mynheer Vanflawkin, a Dutchman, and Mynheer-the German

Event Comment: N.B. We have engag'd Mr King; & Miss Baker from Ireland, one Mr Moody, a Stroler,-Mr Beard is gone to Covent Garden, 'tis said to be manager Mr Mossop to Ireland. Receipts: #120 (Cross). Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places from Mr Varney at the Stage Door. No admittance behind scenes. [The customary note about prices and admittance will not be noted further here.] [At the opening of the theatres this season appeared an essay in Goldsmith's Bee, giving close observations upon actors, and deploring the relative stiffness and formality of English actors in comparison with the French. Advised English actors to travel abroad. Yet (Vol. 1759, p. 12) commented on the magnificnece of "our theatres as far superior to any others in Europe where plays only are acted. The great care our performers take in painting for a part, their exactness in all minutiae of dress, and other little scenical proprieties has been taken notice of by Riccoboni." Complains of the convention of laying a rug before a dying scene and of the vacant expressions of mutes on stage.

Event Comment: Admission: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for Boxes to taken of Mr Sarjant at the Stage Door of the Theatre. Play to begin exactly at o'clock. [This information, appearing at the foot of each bill, will not be repeatdd hereafter, except for significant differences.] Receipts: #111 5s. Deficit brought over from last season accounts, Journal T. Folio, 182, #164 0s. 6d. Paid Mr Lambert 3 month's salary to 15 Aug. last #25 (Covent Garden Cash Book). [Goldsmith's Bee (1759, p. 9) remarks on the better business used by Lovegold in the French theatre than used at cg: "Lovegold [in France] in the height of his passion stops to pick up a pin, quilting it in his coat, and snuffs out an extra candle." Implies that such subconscious revelations of the character of the miser might well be used by the English.

Event Comment: [G$Goldsmith's Bee (1759, p. 9) glances at Yates's clowning in the part of the Mock Doctor in comparison with the stage business of the French actors in the same part. The Mock Doctor in France 'pleased with his latinate bamboozling of the clients, kicks up his legs, falling over backwards in his chair." The English actor just fingers his snuff box, and keeps pulling up his breeches.] Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Henry Jones. Afterpiece: [See note under cg play this night. During this year appeared An Essay Upon the Present State of the Theatre, in France, England, and Italy, a "work absolutely necessary to be read by every lover of Theatrical Exhibitions," printed for J. Pottinger. It contains twenty-two chapters on tragedy, thirteen on comedy, opera, authors, and the art of acting. Pages 147-51 discuss the obligation of English farces to French ones.] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: A Sacred Oratorio by Pope, set by Charles Barbandt. Benefit for the Composer. Box 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. To begin at Seven O'clock

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Musical Entertainment never perform'd before. The Music composed by Dr Arne. Full Prices. Boxes #53 (Account Book). [About 212 persons in Boxes. A profitable and popular afterpiece for Rich, but it cost him each night this season 10s. 6d. for Mr Wrexell for the Clarinet, and 5s. to Dell for the French Horn.] Receipts. #181 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Smith. Part of Pit will be laid into Boxes. Tickets sold at the Door will not be admitted. The Charges include House charge: #63, plus Wax Candles #1 5s. plus Extra Guards #1 5s. 6d., plus a French Horn and 2 Side drums 7s. Receipts: #83 4s. 6d. plus #174 7s. from tickets (Box 382; Pit 447; Gallery 118) (Account Book). Charges: #65 17s. 6d. (Account Book)