Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe, altered from his The Banditti (see 28 Nov. 1781). Text in his Dramatic Works, Vol. 1 (T. Woodfall, 1798)]: With new Scenes [by Carver (O'Keeffe, u, 38)], Dresses, and a new Overture. The Selected Airs by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Giardini, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan, the Irish Bard. The Overture and New Airs composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [This was Sga Sestini's 1st appearance on the English-speaking stage. For several preceding seasons she had been a member of the Italian opera company performing at the King's.] "Sestini . . . was handsome, sprightly, and a good actress, if great exuberance of gesticulation, activity of motion, and affected Italian smorfie could make her one; but her voice was gritty and sharp (something like singing through a comb), and she was nothing of a singer, except for lively comic airs. Yet she was . . . long a favourite with the mass of the public, though not with the connoisseurs" (Mount-Edgcumbe, p. 33). Account-Book, 30 June 1783: Paid O'Keeffe in full for The Castle of Andalusia #368 18s. 6d. Receipts: #166 2s. 6d. (165/9/0; 0/13/6)

Event Comment: Benefit Leigh and Hall. Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear. Afterpiece: a new Farce, (never Acted before). At their Leigh-Hall? Great Booth in Bird-Cage Alley

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By the Author of the Register Office [Reed]. By Permission and Particular Desire. The tragedy was originally written in Italian by Sg Fonidoso Dellarundo, of Civita Vecchia, and bequeathed by him, at his Decease, to an English Gentleman, with whom he had contracted an intimate Acquaintance. It was translated into English by the celebrated Mr Rone, and (considering the difference of the idiom between the two languages) it is thought equal at last, if not superior to the original (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: By Authority (being the only time of performing it this Season). A Scots Musical Pastoral. Benefit for Lauder. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. 7 p.m

Event Comment: By Authority, and at the desire of several Persons of Distinction. A Scots Musical Pastoral. 6:30 p.m. Being the last time of Performing. [Advance notice 14 Dec. Public Advertiser.

Event Comment: By Authority. Benefit for Lauder, a Scots Musical Pastoral, not done these two Years for that Night only. Tickets delivered for 15 Feb. will be taken

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Altered into Three Acts. "All the comic part of the play is cut out" (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1795, p. 123). Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by William Pearce]: The Incidents principally selected from the legendary Ballads of the 13th Century. The Scenery, Machinery, Music, Dresses and Decorations entirely new, and in correct conformity to the Times. The Pantomime invented by Mr Lonsdale. The Songs written by Mr O'Keeffe. The Overture and the Music (with the exception of a few Antient Ballad Tunes) by Reeve. The Dances invented by Byrn. [The concluding Grand Scene regulated by Thomas Harris (Monthly Mirror, supra).] The Scenery painted by Hodgins, Lupino, Phillips, Thorne, Hollogan, Blackmore, and assistants. The Machinery by Sloper and Goosetree. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [For a further assignment of the Vocal Characters and for a more detailed synopsis, see 4 Jan. 1796.] Account-Book, 16 Jan. 1796: Paid Goosetree for the Keep and Hire of Horses for the Pantomime #15 13s. Receipts: #321 19s. (318.10; 3.9)

Event Comment: By command of several of the Nobility and Gentry. No Person to go into the Box or Pit, but the Subscribers. The first gallery 3s., the upper gallery 1s. 6d. At 6 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Written by Colley Cibber. [The Old Maid for 8 May 1756 reviewed this performance of Lethe, or possibly the one with the same cast on 30 April. The reviewer was 'particularly diverted with Mrs Clive's Italian Song, in which this truly humorous actress parodys the Air of the Opera, and takes off the action, of the present favorite female at the Hay-Market, with such exquisite ridicule, that the most zealous partisans of both, I think, must have applauded the comic genius of Mrs Clive, however they might be displeased with this application of it." The reviewer is lukewarm in praise of the "New Character"..."What is there new in a Lord's having Gout, loving a bottle, pretending to taste, or being follow'd by a flatterer?"] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb. Text: T. N. Longman and O. Rees, 1800. Miss Waters is identified in the Songs]: The Scenes, Music, Machinery, Dresses, and Decorations are all entirely new. The Music composed by Mazzinghi and Reeve. The Scenery painted by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Backmore, &c. [based on drawings of Indian scenery by Thomas Daniell]. The Machinery and Decorations by Cresswell, Sloper, Goostree, &c. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs, also describing the Scenes and Spectacle of the Return from the Tiger Hunt, to be had at the Theatre, price six pence. "The whole [forms] an exhibition of the utmost grandeur...The expense attending the decoration must have been immense...The dailogue is certainly not of the first description of writing, but it forms, on the whole, a very safe vehicle for some of the best music the English stage has for some time been able to boast"(Morning Herald, 13 Nov.). Account-Book, 27 Dec.: Paid Cuthbert for Wheels, &c. for the Elephants #13 18s. Receipts: #364 7s. 6d. (363.19.6; 0.8.0)

Event Comment: Benefit Estcourt. For the Entertainment of several Persons of Quality and Officers of the Army

Event Comment: By Authority, The last time of performing it this Season, A Scots Musical Pastoral...as written by Allan Ramsay. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. To begin at 6:30 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. Afterpiece [1st time; M. ENT 3]: The Dialogue and part of the Songs written by Richard? Wilson. The Overture, new Music and accompaniments composed by Reeve. The Songs, Duets, Glees compiled from Arnold, Rogers, Giordani, Shield, Hook, Dibdin, W. Wilson, Stevens, Broderip and David Rizzio. [Larpent MS 908; not published. Prologue probably by Richard Wilson. Epilogue by Joseph Haynes.] Public Advertiser, 14 May: Tickets to be had of Wilson. No. 10, Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #354 14s. 6d. (165.17.6; 5.4.0; tickets: 183.13.0)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Earl of Essex, advertised on playbill of 23 Dec.] Afterpiece [1st time; P 1]: Composed, prepared and directed by Mark? Lonsdale. With new Music, Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations. The Dances by Byrn. The Music partly composed new by Shield [the printed score (Preston and Son [1794]) contains rest of new music, by Aylward , Atterbury, Spofforth, Howard, with overture by Gretry (from Evenements Imprevus)]; the rest selected by Goodwin from the works of Haydn, Aylward, Baumgarten, Boccherini, Pleyel, Gluck, Reeve, Dr Arne, Ware, Leffler Jun. & Spofforth. The Scenery (with very few exceptions) expressly designed and executed by Richards, Walmsley, Phillips, Lupino Jun. and Hodgins; assisted by Byrne, Holland, Thorne, Hollogan and others. The Dresses under the direction of Dick. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #286 1s. (270.8; 15.13)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 1, by John O'Keeffe and George Colman, the elder. Synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 20 Aug.]: The Music by Dr Arnold. The Scenes by Rooker. Books of the Songs [T. Cadell] to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 1st piece [1st time; MD 2, by Samuel Birch]: The Musick by Attwood. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. 2nd piece [1st time; INT 1, by George Colman, ynger. This was the 1st scene from Colman's New Hay at the Old Market, slightly revised; in subsequent seasons it was acted under the title of Sylvester Daggerwood]: By Permission of the Proprietor of the Theatre Royal Hay-Market. 3rd piece: With a Sea Fight. [The playbill assigns Sneer to Palmer, but "The Public are most respectfully informed that Palmer being too ill to perform this Evening, the character of Sneer will be attempted by Benson, who humbly hopes for their usual indulgence" (printed slip attached to Kemble playbill).] Oracle, 4 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 65, Gower-street, Bedford Square. Receipts: #613 12s. (332.0.6; 45.19.6; 4.3.0; tickets: 231.9.0) (charge: #221 19s.)

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but as the play was entered in the Stationers' Register, 26 June 1673, it was probably acted in May 1673 or earlier. For a discussion of its possible dates, see Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 403. A song, The day is come, I see it rise, set by Robert Smith, is in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673. Dedication to the edition of 1673:...though it succeeded on the Stage

Event Comment: Benefit Stoppelaer and Jenkins

Event Comment: This Day is Publish'd at 2s. sew'd The British Theatre. Containing the lives of the English Dramatic Poets, with an Account of all their plays. Together with the Lives of all of most of the principal Actors, as well as Poets. To which is prefix'd a short view of the Rise and Progress of the English Stage. Printed for R. Baldwin

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Charles Dibdin. Text (G. Kearsley, 1785) lists cast as above, but omits La Fleur (see 10 Feb.)]: The Music entirely new, composed by Dibdin. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #154 5s. 6d. (105/19/0; 47/14/6; 0/4/6; tickets not come in: 0/7/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb. Text 1st published (unauthorized), Dublin [1790]. Sga Storace had 1st appeared in concerts from 1774 to 1778, and at king's on 24 Apr. 1787 and thereafter]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The new Music composed by Storace, the rest compiled from Linley? Sen., Purcell, Sarti, Paisiello, Martin y Soler?, Pleyel, &c. The Scenes designed and executed by Greenwood. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "In her own particular line on the stage [Sga Storace] was unrivalled, being an excellent actress, as well as a masterly singer. She settled entirely in England, and after quitting the opera (to which she was frequently recalled in times of distress, as was too often the case), she engaged at Drury Lane, where the English opera was raised to an excellence not known before, by her singing, with that of Mrs Crouch, Mrs Bland, Kelly, and Bannister, and under the direction of her brother Stephen Storace, who composed, or rather compiled, several very pretty operas, of which the Haunted Tower, and the Siege of Belgrade still remain favorites, and are frequently performed" (Mount-Edgcumbe, 65). Account-Book, 4 Jan. 1790: Paid Cobb on Acct. of the Purchase of the Copyright of the Haunted Tower #157 10s.; 27 Feb. 1790: Paid Cobb in full for Copyright #52 10s. Receipts: #219 9s. 6d. (200.13.0; 17.14.6; 1.2.0)