Event Comment: DDialogue-Epilogue, an Address to the Town-Sparks and Keen, as Lord Chief Justice Joker and his Attorney General. Benefit for Sparks. Afterpiece: By Thomas Sheridan. [The Dialogue-Epilogue is Larpent MS 309.

Event Comment: By authority from the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Davis, Griffith. To begin exactly at 6 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Froment, principal dancer at the late Harmonical Meeting, Soho. By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain

Event Comment: Prologue by Garrick; Epilogue by Cumberland, spoken by Foote and Mrs Jewell. A Comedy Never performed [by Foote]. [Audience included Dr Johnson, Mr Colman, Mr Garrick, Dr Goldsmith, Mr Macpherson, Mr Stevens, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Lord Littleton....So much applause that the audience stopped the play and required one speech repeated (Theatrical Intelligencer).

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Gardner

Event Comment: Miss Younge having been a Season in Ireland is now return'd play'd Well & was receiv'd with Great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Potter, Theatrical Review: We must beg leave to point out a small error in her playing the part of Imogen; and which was too obvious to escape notice: --When Iachimo arrives from Italy...he is introduc'd to her by Pissanio who says..."Madam, a noble gentleman of Rome comes from my Lord with letters." And Iachimo on his first appearance informs her, that "the worthy Leonatus is in safety." These circumstances ought to awaken the highest joy and transport in Imogen, instead of which, we wer sorry to observe, she dropped a solemn curtsey, and without one joyous feature said, with the utmost langor, "Thanks good sir, &c." And even after she had read the letter...she addresses herself to him again with the same indifference. Rec'd Mrs Groath, 1 yrs. Rent to Xmas last #3, and from Mr Atkins on Acct #5 5s.; Advanc'd Mr Barry, Box Office keeper #15; Ditto to Mr Watson, Box Office Keeper #10 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #164 5s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: About Ten o'clock this Morning Orders came from the Lord Chamberlain to Shut up the House on Account of the Death of the Princess Dowager of Wales who died this Morn[in]g between 6 & 7 o'clock (Hopkins Diary). [Closed through Sat., Feb. 15. No record in Treasurer's Book save "The Princes Dowager of Wales died this Morning."] Theatres clos'd on 8 Feb. and reopen'd on 17th Feb. for Augusta Princess Dowager of Wales (Winston MS 10). Paid salary list, at #83 9s. 9d. per diem, #500 18s. 6d.; Mrs Abington's Cloaths acct, #2; Mr S. French, 1 1!2 days 7s. 6d.; Mr Weston's note to Mr Holman, #8 3s. (Treasurer's Book). [The cast scheduled for mainpiece was that of 4 Feb.; for afterpiece that of 30 Dec. 1771. The dance between was to have been Sailor's Revels of 8 Oct. 1771.

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Jewell. [First time for all the women in the characters of the mainpiece.

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Positively the last night of performing. Benefit for Mrs Williams and Mrs Weston

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Woodman, late of Covent Garden, left a Widow with five Children. By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. To begin at 6:00 p.m. [Public Advertiser, 21 Feb., contained a long letter concerning the small attendance on this occasion: "One of the finest Female Singers this Country has for many years produced is now, through a Series of Misfortunes as unavoidable as unforeseen, in a State of Wretchedness scarcely credible. [Her husband, a schoolteacher, died.] Alas! she had five helpless innocent to drink of the same bitter Cup, to harrow up all the Heartstrings of a Mother, and to tear her Soul unavailingly for that Support, of which she herself was depriv'd by the Death of their Father. [The expenses of the benefit performance exceeded the receipts of the house.] Calamity became heaped upon Calamity, and she is now weeping in a Prison, over her unhappy little ones, for a Sum not exceeding #50." Appeal is made for gifts to relieve her. On 23 May, Mrs Woodman released from prison, gave a Benefit Concert at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, concluding with an Occasional Musical Address to the Town called The Grateful Acknowledgment, written and the music compiled from a most eminent Master by Adam Smith, sung by Mrs Woodman.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Tragedy by Robert Jephson. New Scenes and Dresses. This Tragedy having been read by the Author's Friends in most of the great Family's in Town & puff'd up in Such a Manner that the Expectations of the Audience were so much rais'd that it fell far short of what they imagin'd-the four first Acts are heavy & want incident & Plot, the Writing is Clear & Nervous-the 5 Act has more incident & Plot but Writing not so Nervous: No Play had ever more Justice in the getting of it up Mr G. was not Sparing of his Labour & Attendance nor was any Expence deny'd for the Cloaths & Scenery both of which were Superb and it receiv'd with very great applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Paid Mr Wright per order #6 5s.; Mr Wallis on note #2 2s. (Treasurer's Book). [The Westminster Magazine for Feb. outlines the plot of Braganza, and comments favorably: "Upon the whole, Braganza, met with general and deserved applause; and we cannot help congratulating the Public on the acquisition of a truly dramatic Genius." The author, Colonel Jephson, was Aid-de-Camp to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Walpole wrote to Mason: "Braganza was acted with prodigious success. The audience, the most impartial I ever saw, sat mute for two acts, and seemed determined to judge for themselves, and not to be the dupes of the encomiums that had been so lavishly trumpeted. At the third act they grew pleased and interested; at the fourth they were cooled and deadened by two unneccessary scenes, but at the catastrophe in the fifth they were transported. They clapped, shouted, hussaed, cried bravo, and thundered out applause." Commends Mrs Yates, and hopes this will spark a new era in dramatic writing. Sweepingly condemns that of last fifty years.] Receipts: #250 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain, for one night only. A Scots Musical-Pastoral Comedy. Not acted this season. Benefit Walker and Stewart. [The Hartrys from Theatre Royal, Edingburgh.

Event Comment: By authority of Lord Chamberlin. By Desire of the Masons. With two additional Scenes

Event Comment: Benefit for Smith. Mr Lacy play'd Cyrus. Spoke too Low and wanted Spirit. Was receiv'd with Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Tickets delivered for Siege of Damascus, for that night, will be taken. The Bill For establishing a Fund for Decayed Actors of dl Theatre has passed the House of Lords (Winston MS 11). Receipts: #134 19s. Charges: #67 7s. 6d. Profits to Smith: #67 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlin. Benefit for Mrs Fisher. Deferr'd from 11 April

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Walker. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2]: by a Gentleman from Edinburgh [unidentified. Larpent MS 433; not published. Authors of Prologues unknown. Mrs Moss is identified on playbill of 22 Apr. 1777]. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:00. Tickets to be had of Walker, No. 4, New Round-court, Strand; of McIntosh, the King's Head, near Marybone-street; at the St. Andrew, Wapping; at the Mount-street Coffee-house, Grosvenor-square

Event Comment: By authority [of the Lord Chamberlain]. At the Desire of the most noble Order of Bucks. Benefit for West and Johnson. Tickets to be had of West at the Black Lion, Russel-street; of Johnson at the Golden-cross, Charing-cross. Tickets delivered by Comerford will be receiv'd. Doors to be opened at 5:00. To be begin exactly at 6:30. [Mrs West was from the China Hall, Rotherhithe. Author of Prologue unknown.

Event Comment: Oratorio [1st time in public. It had 1st been performed at Oxford, 8 July 1773, as part of the ceremony of the installation of Lord North as Chancellor.

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Moss, who performed Peggy in February and October 1776. [Author of Prologue unknown.

Event Comment: By Authority [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for a Gentleman, who, through unavoidable misfortunes, is reduced to take this method of soliciting the patronage of his Friends and a Generous Public. Tickets delivered for the 26th of April will be admitted. The Doors to be opened at 6:30. To begin exactly at 7:00

Event Comment: [Extra night] By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Mrs Jewell. The Out-standing Tickets of Mr Jewell [from his benefit on 3 Sept.], and those issued for King Richard III will be admitted

Event Comment: By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Digges. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Morning Post, 7 Oct.: Digges, far advanced in the autumn of his life, wanted that fire which is so indispensable to Macheath. His dress was beyond measure ridiculous, and his songs...discordant and tedious. [His 1st appearance as Macheath was at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 10 Oct. 1752.

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Stewart and Walker. Mainpiece [1st time; PAST 5]: Done into English, from the Original of Allan Ramsay, by Cornelius Vanderstop, Esq. As it has long been the Desire of the Nobility and Gentry to have this celebrated Piece performed in English, the Gentleman who has undertaken this ardent Task hopes it will give Satisfaction to the Public in general. [Text 1st published For the Author, 1777.] Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by James Stewart. Authors of Prologues unknown.]. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:00. No Persons whatever to be admitted behind the Scenes, nor any Money returned after the Curtain is drawn up. Ladies are desired to send their Servants by Five to keep Places. Tickets to be had at the Edinburgh Coffee-house and Jamaica Coffee-house, Cornhill; the St. Andrew, Wapping; and of Walker, No. 4, New Round Court, Strand

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. At the Desire of the Jerusalem Lodge. Benefit for Brother Harricks and Mrs Robinson. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:30. Tickets delivered by West will be admitted

Event Comment: By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Follet, Smith & T. Smith, late of the Bear, Westminster-bridge. Tickets to be had of Follet, No. 20, Little Wild-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields; of T. Smith at the Golden Cross, Charing Cross. T. Smith hopes to be honoured with the company of his brother Free Masons, Bucks, &c., Gentlemen of the Welsh Society, Hereford Society and West-moreland Society