Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Acasto to Murray, but "An apology was made for Murray, who was prevented by illness from playing Acasto, which, at a short notice, was taken by Hull" (True Briton, 14 Oct.).] "This whole of [Mrs Spencer's] performance was marked by such unaffected simplicity that it was almost impossible to consider it as the mere fiction of the scene. This lady is really a great aquisition to the house" (True Briton, ibid). Receipts: #254 6s. 6d. (244.18.6; 9.8.0)

Event Comment: [Murray's 1st appearance as King Lear was at Bath, 21 Feb. 1788; when Miss Campion, Mrs Spencer's as Cordelia was at Dublin, 23 Mar. 1790] Receipts: #192 16s. (190.10; 2.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 12 years. [See 24 Jan. 1758.] Prologue written by Paul Whitehead. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Sarjant (only) at the Stage-Door. No persons can be admitted behind scenes, nor any Money returned after curtain is drawn up. To begin exactly at 6 o'clock. [Customary note in succeeding bills.] Receipps: #190 14s. (Account Book). @The New Occasional Prologue@As when the merchant to increase his store@For Dubious seas, advent'rous quits the shore;@Still anxious for his freight, he trembling sees@Rocks in each buoy, and tempest in each breeze@The curling wave to mountain billow swells,@And every cloud a fancied storm fortells:@Thus rashly launch'd on this Theatric main,@Our All on board, each phantom gives Us pain;@The Aatcall's note seems thunder in our ears,@And every Hiss a hurricane appears;@In Journal Squibs we lightning's blast espy,@And meteors blaze in every Critic's eye.@Spite of these terrors, still come hopes we view,@Hopes, ne'er can fail us--since they're plac'd--in you.@Your breath the gale, our voyage is secure,@And safe the venture which your smiles insure;@Though weak his skill, th' adventurer must succeed,@Where Candour takes th' endeavor for the deed.@For Brentford's state, two kings could once suffice;@In ours, behold! four kings of Brentford rise;@All smelling to one nosegay's od'rous savor@The balmy nosegay of--the Public favor.@From hence alone, our royal funds we draw,@Your pleasure our support, your will our law.@While such our government, we hope you'll own us;@But should we ever Tyrant prove--dethrone us.@Like Brother Monarchs, who, to coax the nation@Began their reign, with some fair proclamation,@We too should talk at least--of reformation;@Declare that during our imperial sway,@No bard shall mourn his long-neglected Play;@But then the play must have some wit, some spirit,@And We allow'd sole umpires of its merit.@For those deep sages of the judging Pit,@Whose taste is too refin'd for modern wit,@From Rome's great Theatre we'll cull the piece,@And plant on Britain's stage the flow'rs of Greece.@If some there are, our British Bards can please,@Who taste the ancient wit of ancient days,@Be our's to save, from Time's devouring womb,@Their works, and snatch their laurels from the tomb.@For you, ye Fair, who sprightlier scenes may chuse,@Where Music decks in all her airs the Muse,@Gay Opera shall all its charms dispense,@Yet boast no tuneful triumph over sense;@The nobler Bard shall still assert his right,@Nor Handel rob a Shakespear of his night,@To greet the mortal brethren of our skies [upper galleries]@Here all the Gods of Pantomime shall rise:@Yet midst the pomp and magic of machines,@Some plot may mark the meaning of our scenes;@Scenes which were held, in good King Rich's days,@By sages, no bad epilogues to plays.@If terms like these your suffrage can engage,@To fix our mimic empire of the stage;@Confirm our title in your fair opinions,@And crowd each night to people our dominions.@--(Poems and Miscelaneous Compositions, Ed. Capt. Edward Thompson, 1777) Covent Garden opened with the Rehearsal with alterations. I was in the Pit. Powell, from Drury Lane, one of the new managers who have bought the patent from Rich's heirs, spoke an occasional Prologue. Shuter did Bayes pretty much to my liking, adding many crochets of his own.... Entertainment The Mock Doctor,...Young Jasper pretty well by one Massey, being his first appearance on that stage (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for Phillimore, Spencer, Mrs Pulley & Miss Armstrong. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Receipts: #298 19s. (34/8; 8/10; 0/11; tickets: 255/10) (charge: #115 10s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wells. Public Advertiser, 9 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 417, Strand. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Edward Topham, with incidental music by James Hook. Prologue-Epilogue by Edward Topham {Public Advertiser, 21 Apr.)]. Morning Herald, 25 Apr. 1786: This Day is published The Fool (1s.)-Receipts: #174 15s. 6d. (45/3/0; 20/14/6; 0/2/0; tickets: 108/16/0) (charge: #108 13s. 9d.)

Event Comment: This Play is alter'd by Capt. Thompson and a New Sea Character introduc'd which was well perform'd by Mr Weston. the Play Concludes very properly with a Representation of the Grand Naval Review the same as was introduc'd in Alfred--the whole was receiv'd with very great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Paid Housekeeper's Bill #3 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Mainpiece a Reviv'd Comedy, with Alterations and Additions, and a New Medley Overture of Favourite Sea Tunes (playbill). Receipts: #245 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Martyr. By Special Desire of the Turkish Ambassador [Yussuf Adijah Effendi]. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, probably by William Pearce. Text (Glindon and Co., 1795)]: The Music composed by Shield, Reeve, &c. The Dance and Procession by Byrn. With a Naval Medley Overture composed by Dr Arnold. In the course of the Piece will be represented the Engagement in which the brave Captain Robert? Faulknor fell [in an action off Guadeloupe on 5 Jan. 1795] between the English Frigate the Blanche and the French Frigate La Pique. To conclude with the Funeral Procession of Capt. Faulknor (composed by Byrn), accompanied by a new Dead March (composed by Shield). Morning Chronicle, 21 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Martyr, No. 16, Martlett-court, Bow-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #402 10s. (201.0; 5.19; tickets: 195.11)

Event Comment: This Comedy written by Mr Kelly was brought on the Stage by Capt. Addington as his own was well perform'd & receiv'd with great Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Rec'd stopages #24 12s. 6d.; Paid salary list #529 2s.; Mr King's extra salary #3; Miss Brooker, 8 weeks not on list #8. (Treasurer's Book). [Mainpiece reviewed favorably by the Westminster Magazine: "He that cannot relish such a pleasing picture of Manners with such powerful Sentiments, so interesting a Fable, and so striking a Moral, must be a churl indeed."] Receipts: #244 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Masque [by Capt. Edward Thompson] never perform'd. With New Music, Dresses, Scenery, and Decorations. The Music composed by Fisher. The Scenes painted by Dall and Carver. Books of the songs to be had at the Theatre. [The Westminster Magazine for March also lists Boreas -Reinhold; Carlos -DuBellamy; Traverse -Mahon; Druid -L'Estrange, and tells the story of the play. The reviewer did not approve of the piece, since for him it lacked unbounded fire of fancy, originality of idea, language, and character. He approved of Fisher's music.

Event Comment: [Palmer's 1st appearance as Capt. Duretete was at Liverpool, 18 Aug. 1773. As afterpiece the playbill announces The Prize, but "The Public are respectfully informed that on Account of the sudden Indisposition of Bannister Jun. The Prize cannot be performed. This Evening will be presented Tit for Tat" (printed slip attached to Kemble playbill). In it "Barrymore being Ill, Benson play'd Villamour" (Powell).] Powell: New Ballet rehearsed at 12. Receipts: #117 12s. (71.0.6; 41.13.6; 4.18.0)