Event Comment: The Flitch of Bacon [announced on playbill of 9 June] is obliged to be deferred. [Mainpiece: Prologue by George Colman, the elder.

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Kenny, Painter, Walker and Brownsmith for this Evening will be admitted. Public Advertiser, 28 Aug.: Palmer [being too much indisposed] to sustain so laborious a part as Gondibert, Albina [announced on playbill of 27 Aug.] cannot be performed

Event Comment: [This was a puppet show, rewritten by Charles Dibdin from his Comic Mirror; it consisted of 7 different acts, presented in 3 Parts. The audience was both misled into thinking that it was to be performed by actual persons, and made angry because of the "almost unintelligible manner of conveying [the various acts], as the singers were scarcely audible, and the objects very indistinctly visible.' A riot ensued. Lighted candles were thrown on the stage against the curtain, chandeliers broken, benches torn up. The audience was not "satisfied" until Colman the proprietor of the theatre, disclaimed any concern with the entertainment, and Dibdin made an apology. Although announced for repetition on 3 Mar., it was not again performed. (See Dibdin, II, 65; Morning Chronicle, 2 Mar. )]

Event Comment: "My father [George Colman elder] told me that, on the seventh of June, on which day and night desolation had attained its climax [because of the Gordon riots], and London is said to have been seen from one spot blazing in thirty-six different parts, the receipt of his playhouse exceeded twenty pounds. This sum appears somewhat of the smallest for the night's receipt of a Theatre Royal in London; but how, instead of twenty pounds-worth of spectators, twenty persons, or one person, could have calmly paid money to witness, in the midst of this general dismay, a theatrical entertainment, is astonishing' (Peake, II, 47)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The First Part of King Henry the Fourth, announced on playbill of 22 Sept.] Afterpiece: The Overture and the rest of the music composed by Dr Fisher. Paid Music 22nd Inst. #7 15s. 4d.; Properties 22nd Inst. 9s. 8d.; Wardrobe #6 11s. 6d.; Supernumeraries #1 19s.; Chorus Singers #1 5s.; Guard [master carpenter] for Scene Men #10 19s. 5d. Receipts: #194 13s. 6d. (193.18.0; 0.15.6)

Event Comment: [The playbill assigns Sir Harry Sycamore to Parsons, but he "being taken suddenly ill, Waldron undertook the part at a very short notice" (London Chronicle, 9 Oct.).] Receipts: #179 12s. (135.12; 44.0; 0.0)

Event Comment: [As afterpiece the playbill announces the 1st night of The Agreeable Surprise, but Miss Harper was ill, and the farce was changed. Its substitute has not as yet come to light. Public Advertiser, 4 Sept.: Miss Harper being somewhat recovered from the indisposition which prevented her performing yesterday evening...will attempt to go through her part in The Agreeable Surprise this evening.

Event Comment: [Miss Cleland, who was from the Edinburgh theatre, is identified in Lysons, Collectanea. Cleland was a stage name; her real name was Buttery.] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by James Messink]: To conclude with an exact Representation of the Procession at an Eastern Marriage [based on sketches made in India by Tilly Kettle, the portrait painter (Theatre Notebook, VIII, 6)]. The Scenery by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, Cipriani, Catton and others. The Music composed by [Michael] Arne. The Pantomime by Messink. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Public Advertiser, 12 Jan. 1782: The Openings between every Scene and all internal parts of the Theatre are now so crouded by people absolutely necessary in one character or another that were they not judiciously arranged and marshalled, they would stand in each other's way, and create inextricable confusion. All that appears before an Audience as moving with the ease, regularity and promptitude of clock-work is the result of much Contrivance and many exertions of bodily Labour. Ibid, 16 Feb. 1782: This Day is published The Choice of Harlequin (1s.). Receipts: #270 19s. (265/15; 5/4)

Event Comment: [In afterpiece the playbill assigns no parts, but "In the new Pantomime last Night, Pleasure was performed by Miss Morris (for whom it was originally intended, but kindly supplied by Mrs Morton [see cast on 26 Dec] during her illness)" (Public Advertiser, 17 Jan.).] Receipts: #225 14s. (220/9; 5/5)

Event Comment: A New Comic Opera in 2 acts; The Music by Sacchini. [Opera in place of I Viaggiatori Felici, announced in Public Advertiser, 1 Mar. Nonini, who is unidentified, was from the Opera, Lisbon.] Public Advertiser, 6 Apr.: To the credit of Sacchini, it is the best Burletta extant. It is in all parts excellent . . . while it amuses, it does not fail equally to interest