Event Comment: [Bingham is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill.] Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Miles Peter Andrews, based on Le Bucheron; ou, Les Trois Souhaits, by Jean Francois Guichard. Music by Francois Hippolyte Barthelemon]: With New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Books of the Songs, Chorusses, &c. to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 17 Mar, 1778: This Day is published the Songs in Belphegor (6d.). [Text 1st published in Dublin: For the Booksellers, 1788.] Receipts: #196 0s. 6d. (156.5.0; 38.13.6; 1.2.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Jermoli. A new Comic Opera; the Poetry by Goldoni; the Finales and Airs by Piccinni and Paisiello. [Performed on 24 Jan. 1786 as Il Marchese Tulipano.] Tickets to be had of Jermoli, No. 29, Cockspur-street, Charing-cross

Event Comment: Benefit for Dodd. Public Advertiser, 21 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Dodd at his house in New Ormond-street, Queen's-square. Receipts: #245 7s. 6d. (102.15.0; 19.9.0; 0.7.6; tickets: 122.16.0) (charge: #68 19s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Moody. Public Advertiser, 16 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Moody at the New Inn Coffee-house, Wych-street. Receipts: #173 6s. 6d. [98.17.0; 12.18.6; 0.8.0; tickets: 61.3.0) [charge: #66 16s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Miss Hopkins'. Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2 (?), by Thomas Holcroft. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: The Music [by William Shield (European Magazine, Jan. 1782, p.59)] entirely new. Public Advertiser, 15 Apr. Tickets to be had of the Miss Hopkins', No. 7, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #129 8s. 6d. (61.15.0; 24.5.6; 0.1.0; tickets: 43.7.0) (charge: #66 11s. 6d.)

Event Comment: A Comic Opera [1st time; COM 3, by Antonio Andrei]. The Music entirely new by Sacchini

Event Comment: Benefit for the New General Lying-in-Hospital, in Store-street, Tottenham-Court-Road. Tickets delivered for Venice Preserv'd will be taken. Receipts: #149 1s. 6d. (66.4.6; tickets: 82.17.0) (charge: #115)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 150 years [acted 31 Jan. 1723]. Written by Beaumont and Fletcher [with alterations by George Colman elder. Prologue by David Garrick (Poetical Works, II, 354)]. The Musick by Purcell. New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 30 July 1778: This Afternoon at five is published Bonduca (1s.)

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of A New Pantomimical Piece (never performed), A Bartholomew-tide Entertainment; or, A Trip to Chatham. This was laid aside, and seemingly, never acted.

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; CO I, by Charles Dibdin, based on Annette et Lubin, by Charles Simon Favart and Jean Baptiste Lourdet de Santerre. Music by the author]. Books of the new Musical Piece to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 2 Oct.: This Afternoon at Four is published Annette and Lubin (6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by William Kenrick, based on The Country Lasses, by Charles Johnson]: With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. The Overture and the rest of the Music composed by Hook. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 2 Dec. 1778: This Day at Noon is published The Lady of the Manor (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With alterations [by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]. The new comedy of The Fathers [announced on playbill of 27 Nov.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of a principal Performer. Receipts: #123 6s. 6d. (89.14.0; 32.19.0; 0.13.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5]: By the celebrated Henry Fielding; and never yet performed or published. With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. [and incidental music by Michael Arne. Prologue by David Garrick. Epilogue by the same (see text)]. Public Advertiser, 12 Dec. 1778: This Day is published The Fathers (1s. 6d.). "This play was written by Mr Henry Fielding, some years before his death. Mr Garrick saw it at that time. Mr Fielding gave the only fair copy he had of it to his friend Sir Charles Williams, of whose judgment he entertained a high opinion. Sir Charles soon after went abroad, and the comedy was mislaid. Mr. Fielding communicated this circumstance to his family on his death-bed; and enquiry was made for it, but without effect. At length Mr Thomas? Johnes, Member for Cardigan, looking over Sir Charles's books, found a comedy in manuscript, which he read, and, approving, had it transcribed and sent to Mr Garrick for his opinion, who, like Archimedes, cried out, 'This is the lost sheep! This is Mr Henry Fielding's play!' Mr Garrick communicating it to Mr Johnes, Mr Johnes immediately sent the original manuscript, which was in Mr Fielding's hand-writing, to the family, with his best wishes for its success, promising to assist it to the utmost of his power" (Gentleman's Magazine, Dec. 1778, p.586). See also, for corroboration of the above and for other details, Wilbur L. Cross, The History of Henry Fielding, 1918, III, 99-104. Receipts: #210 11s. 6d. (186.6.0; 23.19.6; 0.6.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, ascribed to-Johnstone. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown]: With New Scenes and Dresses. Public Advertiser, 1 Jan. 1779: This Day is published Buthred (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: The new Tragedy [Buthred, announced on playbill of 11 Dec.] is obliged to be deferred on account of Wroughton's Hoarseness

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Merope, announced on playbill of 4 Jan. "We played last night Much Ado about Nothing, and had an apology to make for the change of three principal parts. About twelve o'clock Mr Henderson sent word he was not able to play. We got Mr Lewis from Covent Garden, who supplied the part of Benedick. Soon after Mr Parsons sent word he could not play. Mr Moody supplied the part of Dogberry; and about four in the afternoon Mr Vernon sent word he could not play. Mr Mattocks supplied his part of Balthazar...In the middle of the first act, a message was brought me that Mr Lamash (who was to play the part of Borachio) was not come to the House. I had nobody there that could go on for it, so I was obliged to cut his scenes in the first and second acts entirely out, and got Mr Wrighten to go on for the remainder of the part. At length we got the play over without the audience finding it out. We had a very bad house. Mr Parsons is not able to play in The School for Scandal to-morrow night; do not yet know how we shall be able to settle that" (Garrick, Private Correspondence, II, 328-29: Hopkins, prompter,in letter to Garrick, 6 Jan. 1779. He does not state who took Wrighten's place as the Sexton.).] On account of the sudden Illness of a Principal Performer, the new Pantomime [The Wonders of Derbyshire, announced on playbill of 4 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred till Friday. Receipts: #74 11s. (48.19; 25.10; 0.2)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the Author of Braganza [1st time; T 5, by Robert Jephson. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (see text)]. With new Scenes and Dresses. Public Advertiser, 15 Feb. 1779: This Day is published The Law of Lombardy (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #221 (196.19.0; 23.13.6; 0.7.6)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of A Trip to Scarborough, announced on playbill of 9 Mar.] 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT I, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]: With a new Scene invented and designed by DeLoutherbourg for the occasion. [Music composed by Thomas Linley Sen. Miss Wright is identified on playbill of 24 May; and see 19 Feb.] Public Advertiser, 27 Mar. 1779: This Afternoon at Four is published A Monody (1s. 6d.). Afterpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Receipts: #213 10s. 6d. (180.18.0; 32.6.0; 0.6.6). "Some of the verses [of the Monody] were responded [to] by the principal vocalists, accompanied by the band, who occupied an orchestra built on the stage, as at the oratorios. The whole of the performers [were] requested to appear in black clothes" (Parke, I, 17)

Event Comment: Public Advertiser, 22 Mar.: At the particular Desire of the Nobility and Gentry, the Subscribers to this Theatre, on account of the young Prince's Christening there will be no Opera to-morrow. This delay will prove very convenient for compleating the great Preparations which in every respect are necessary to present [the new] Opera [see 25 Mar.] in all the Magnificence it requires. [Prince Octavius, 8th son of George III, was christened on 23 Mar.

Event Comment: Benefit for Dodd. Afterpiece: With Alterations. Not acted these 50 years [acted 31 Dec. 1739]. Public Advertiser, 6 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Dodd at his house, New Ormond-street. Receipts: #272 4s. 6d. (117.4.0; 13.19.0; 2.1.6; tickets: 139.0.0) (charge: #66 15s.)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Robinson, but "A correspondent who was at Drury Lane theatre last night to see The Law of Lombardy congratulates the town on the acquisition of a new performer of the part which Mrs Robinson played. That lady being taken ill, Miss Farren, at very short warning, undertook it, and did it the most ample justice" (Gazetteer, 22 Apr.).] Receipts: #107 1s. 6d. (72.8.0; 31.1.0; 3.12.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. 3rd piece: Written by D. Garrick, Esq., with Additions. 4th piece [1st time; MF 2, by Charles Stuart]: The Overture and Music chiefly new, by Gehot, and Shield, who composed the music to The Flitch of Bacon. Public Advertiser, 3 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Wilson, No. 2, Henrietta-street, Covent Garden. Ibid, 29 Apr. 1779: This Day is published The Cobler of Castlebury (1s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Whitfield and Mrs Morton. Public Advertiser, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Whitfield, No. 14, New Crown Court, Russel Street, Covent Garden; of Mrs Morton, No. 15, same address

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5]: Written by the Author of Percy [Hannah More. Prologue by the author; Epilogue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (see text)]. Public Advertiser, 1 Dec. 1779: This Day is published The Fatal Falsehood [sic] (1s. 6d.). Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Charles Dibdin]: The Overture and all the Music composed by Dibdin. With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations to both Pieces. Books of the Entertainment to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 6 May 1779: This Afternoon at three is published The Chelsea Pensioner (1s.). The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]