Event Comment: [in mainpiece the playbill assigns all parts as 7 Oct., but "The Public are respectfully informed that Kemble, being confined with a complaint in his Throat which prevents his having the Honour of appearing before them, the Character of Macbeth will be performed by Palmer; Macduff [by] Wroughton; Banquo [by] Packer" (printed slip attached to Kemble playbill). Powell also notes these changes, and adds, "Jones [acted] the Physician".] Afterpiece: With Alterations. Powell: New Ballet rehearsed at 10; Nobody at 12. Receipts: #201 3s. (144.9.6; 54.6.6; 2.7.0)

Event Comment: Not Acted these Sixteen Years. Written by Shakespear. Receipts: #99 14s. Davies, Dramatic Miscellanies, I, 139: The first play acted at Lincoln's-inn Fields, which fixed the attention of the public, was The Merry Wives of Windsor. This comedy was so perfectly played in all its parts, that the critics in acting universally celebrated the merit of the performers. The characters were so well adapted to the abilities of the actors, that no play had been represented with equal skill and propriety at that theatre

Event Comment: The King's Company. This performance is known through a document summarized in The Theatrical Inquisitor and Monthly Mirror, July 1816, p. 25, and summarized in Fitzgerald, A New History, I, 145. Although this performance is the first certainly known, it is probably not the premiere, for the attendance (see below) was too small for the premiere of a new work by John Dryden. Since the play was entered in the Stationers' Register, January 1678, the first production was probably not long before this performance. The document in The Theatrical Inquisitor gives this information: The King's Box, no receipts; Mr Hayles' boxes, #3 (probably 15 spectators); Mr Mohun's boxes, #1 12s. (probably 8 spectators); Mr Yeats' boxes, 12s. (probably 3 spectators); James' boxes, #2 (probably 10 spectators). Mr Kent's pitt, 82 spectators, and Mr Britan's pitt, 35 spectators, a total of 117, paying #14 12s. 6d. Mr Bracy's gallery, 42 spectators; and Mr Johnson's gallery, 21 spectators; a total of 63 spectators, who paid #4 14s. 6d. Mr Thomson's gallery, 33 spectators, paying #1 13s. The total attendance appears to have been 249; the receipts were #28 4s. The house rent came to #5 14s. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 11) gives a cast which is identical except for omissions

Event Comment: "The represention announced for last night at this Theatre was Twelfth Night; but as Mrs Jordan found herself too ill to perform, new bills were issued, and the substitute was to be The Siege of Belgrade. About the middle of the day, however, Mrs Jordan found herself well enough to perform, and the other bills were circulated, importing that the play was to be Twelfth Night. But, in the afternoon, Mrs Jordan found herself too ill to perform, and a message was sent again to the theatre, signifying the melancholy disappointment. It was then too late to make any other change, and Twelfth Night was represented, Mrs Goodall reading the part of Viola. There was considerable difficulty in collecting the performers, after these repeated changes. Barrymore could not be found, and Caulfield dressed for Orsino; but when he was ready to appear Barrymore arrived, and took the part. It was then discovered that Phillimore was absent, and Caulfield was doomed to dress once more, for Phillimore's character; but soon after Phillimore came to the house. Mrs Kemble being indisposed, Miss Mellon undertook her part of Maria ...The Audience (a large one) indeed grumbled a little at this kind of dramatic hocus pocus, but on the whole, were not churlish in their testimonies of satisfaction" (True Briton, 13 Jan.). Receipts: #222 19s. (160.4.0; 58.11.6; 4.3.6)

Event Comment: Compos'd by Mr Smith--the Introduction, which was a Dialogue in Prose, between Mr Havard & Yates, Much hiss'd & dislik'd. The Opera had great Applause. Miss Young recover'd (Cross). The Opera never performed before with songs from Shakespear, Dryden, &c. The Music by Mr Smith. [The Bill lists no cast or actors. The cast has been retrieved by Hogan from the 1756 ed. plus the musical score published by J. Walsh. Note some parts were doubled. See "Shakespeare's Tempest at Drury Lane During Garrick's Management", G. W. Stone Jr, Shakespeare Quarterly, Winter 1956.] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: LLondon Daily Post and General Advertiser, 27 Nov.: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Last Night there was a great Number of Persons of Quality and Distinction at the Theatre in Goodman's Fields, to see the Play of Richard the Third, who all express'd the highest Satisfaction at the whole Performance, several hundred Persons were obliged to return for want of room, the House being full soon after Five o'clock