Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Elliot. This Comedy is intended to be perform'd only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Charges #64 5s. Balance to Miss Elliot #24 9s. 6d. [No tickets seem to have been delivered.] Paid a bill for the Funeral of Mrs Cable #3 8s., and for the funeral of Grace Gould, #4 8s. (Account Book). [The latter had long been a servant in the theatre, and this year was Wardrobe Mistress.] Receipts: #88 14s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: New Dances, new Clothes, new Decorations. A new serious Opera; music by several celebrated Composers. Pit and Boxes put together and no Persons to be admitted without Tickets, which will be delivered this Day, at Half a Guinea each; First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. Gallery, Pit, and Boxes open at Five. By their Majesties Command, no Person whatsoever to be admitted behind the Scenes or into the Orchestra. 6:30 p.m. Vivant Rex et Regina. [Notice repeated in the bills.] [Messrs. Vincent and Gordon, Managers of the Operas had noted (Public Advertiser, 9 Sept.) their engagement of singers: For the Serious Opera: Guarducci, first Man; Signora Campolini, first Woman; Savoi, second Man; Signora Querzioli, second Woman; Signora Piatti, third Woman; Michelli The Comic Opera: Lovattini, first Man; Signora Guadagni, first Woman; Savoi, serious Man; Signora Querzoli, serious Woman; Moriggi (Bass); Signora Piatti, third Woman; Michelli. Also engaged: Guglielmi and Alessandri, Composers; Pugniani, first Violin; Signora Coradini a new Dancer.

Event Comment: A new comic Opera. Music by Piccini. Pit and Boxes together and no Persons admitted without Tickets which will be delivered this day at the Office at 10s. 6d. Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. By their Majesties Commands no Persons whatsoever to be admitted behind the Scenes or into the Orchestra. Gallery Pit and Boxes open at Five. To begin precisely at 6:30 p.m. Vivant Rex at Regina. [Repeated.

Event Comment: A new comic Opera. The music by Several Composers. With new Dances, new Cloaths, new Decorations. Pit and Boxes together and no persons to be admitted without Tickets, which will be delivered at the Office of the Theatre at Half a Guinea. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. By their Majesties Command, no Persons whomsoever to be admitted behind the Scenes or into the Orchestra. The Galleries, Pit, and Boxes to be opened at Five. To begin at 6:30 p.m. Vivant Rex et Regina

Event Comment: The favourite comic opera. Music by Guglielmi. Pit and Boxes to be put together, and no person to be admitted without Tickets, which will be delivered this day at Half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. The Galleries, Pit and Boxes to be opened at Five. To begin at six precisely. By their Majesties Command, no Persons whatsoever can be admitted behind the Scenes or into the Orchestra

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Tickets to be had and places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Fosbrooke at the Stage Door of the Theatre, at Half a guinea each. Pit 5s. First Gallery 3s. 6d. Second Gallery 2s. Doors to be opened at Half past Five. To begin at Half past Six. N.B. Those ladies who have had boxes for the Oratorios and who intend continuing them are humbly requested to give notice to Mr Fosbrooke at the Stage Door. Rec'd Stoppages #1 1s. (Treasurer's Book). [The Westminster Magazine, Feb., p. 75, contained an article on the "Origin of Oratorios," followed by one on the Musical Powers of Handel, particularly relating to his Oratorios. The Morning Chronicle for 24 Feb. commented as follows on Miss Linley's performance in Acis and Galatea: "Miss Linley...gave every delight that the ear, the heart, or understanding could receive from Music...Miss Linley's manner of delivering Recitative is peculiarly distinct and sensible; a circumstance of infinite importance in a performance of this nature. Her voice is clear and melodious, and capable of truest expression as was peculiarly evident in the song of 'Must I my Acis still bemoan?'...Their Majesties' presence and apparent satisfaction lead us to hope that the Royal countenance and encouragement will never again be withdrawn to grace the innovations of foreigners on the only musical ground which is left for English genius to take root and flourish"( (Quoted in Hampden, Journal).]

Event Comment: A new Serious Opera. The Music by several eminent Masters; under the Direction of Giardini [who also composed the overture (see 14 Dec.)]. With magnificent new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations, both for the Opera and Dances. Tickets will be delivered at the Office in Union-court, Haymarket, at Half a Guinea each. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. By Their Majesties' Command, No Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Care will be taken that no Inconvenience shall arise from the Pavement not being compleated in the Haymarket, the Commisioners having promised to leave the Way safe for Carriages. The Nobility and Gentry will be so obliging to give Orders to take up and set down with their Horses Heads towards Pall-mall. The Door in Market Lane for Chairs only. Public Advertiser, 21 Sept.: Subscriptions are received by Messrs Hoare, in Fleet-street, and by Johnson at the Office in Union-court, Hay-market

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. Such Tickets as have been delivered for this Day cannot possibly be admitted this Evening, but will be received on Thursday, the Eighth of May. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]. Receipts: #243 9s. 6d. (242.18.6; 0.11.0)

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera; the Music by Paisiello [and "other eminent Composers" (libretto)]; under the Direction of Giordani. With magnificent new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations, both for the Opera and Dances. Tickets will be delivered at the Office, Union Court, Haymarket, at Half a Guinea each. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. By Their Majesties' Command no Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [same throughout season]. The Coffee Room will be open with Tea, Coffee, Lemonade, Orgeat, Ice, Creams, &c. which will be furished by Weltje, of St. James's Street. To prevent Inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their Carriages, they are respectfully intreated to give positive Orders to their Servants to set down and take up with their Horses Heads towards Pall-mall. The Door in Market Lane for Chairs only. [Public Advertiser, 13 Feb. 1778, prints a letter outlining a scheme-never realized-of having occasional plays at king's on non-opera nights acted by performers from both dl and cg, and by "the young Nobility of both Sexes."

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. Such Tickets as have been delivered for this Evening will be admitted on Thursday next, May 3. Receipts: #247 10s. (244.15.6; 2.14.6)

Event Comment: Opera [1st time; Past 3, author unknown]. The music [to Part I] composed by Giovanni Battista? Bianchi, [to Part II by] Rauzzini, [to Part III by] Giordani. With Grand Chorusses. With new Decorations devised and painted by Novosielski, and new Dresses. The Side-boards, with a cold Collation and all sorts of Wines, at 12 o'clock. The Performance under the direction of Vestris Sen., and to conclude with a Ball. Tickets, at 2 Guineas each, are ready to be delivered at the Office in Union-court, where Boxes may be taken. No Masks will be admitted. The Doors will be opened at 9:00, and the Performance to begin at 10:00. Books of the Performance will be given out (gratis) at the Theatre. Morning Herald, 7 June: The Omaggio, or homage paid by the vassals and tenants to their Lord, is naturally calculated to give free scope to lively, and sentimental music. In the former stile Bianchi and Giardini [sic] were equally succesful; and in the latter Rauzzini was surprisingly great, both as composer and performer...Slingsby would, in our opinion, have come out with as great a share of applause as the best of them, having to go through an English dance in his own stile, but by some unaccountable accident...the music-band stopped short when he was in the very climax of his exertions. The scenes are in the rural stile, with the addition of natural trees, flowering shrubs, &c., set in the neatest order...The company did not begin to move till about four, and by five the rooms were cleared. Public Advertiser, 7 June: The Vestris' gave incontrovertible proof of the variety of their powers...They did more, they shewed what this country had never seen-the possibility of presenting to the eye a large and extensive stage filled with dancers all in motion at the same time

Event Comment: A Serious Opera [1st time; ser 3, by Giovanni de Gamerra; a pasticcio, with music by Anfossi, Gluck, Alessandri, Martini, Sarti, Giordani]; the Music under the Direction of Anfossi. With new Scenes, painted by Novosielski, new Dresses and Decorations, both for the Opera and Dances. By their Majesties Command, no Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [same throughout season]. The Subscribers' Tickets are ready to be delivered at the Office in Unionstreet. To prevent Inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their Carriages, they are most respectfully intreated to give positive orders to their servants to set down and take up with their Horses Heads towards Pall-Mall. The Door in Market-lane for Chairs only

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Theodore. Tickets made out and delivered for the 1st of April will be admitted, and may be had of Mme Theodore, No. 5, Great Pultney-street, Golden-square. Public Advertiser, 15 May: The Ballet was founded on the French piece of Le Deserteur, of which there was retained a good deal of the

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Abington. Pit and Boxes will be laid together. Ladies and Gentlemen are most earnestly requested to come early, to prevent Inconvenience in getting to their Places, and to send their Servants to keep them by Four o'clock. "At the close of the entertainment Mrs Abington came forward, and delivered a short poetical address to her fashionable auditory [written by Maurice Morgann (Monthly Mirror, Nov. 1797, p. 263)], apposite to her feelings on the present occasion" (Morning Herald, 11 Feb.). "The character [of Scrub] throughout was well conceived, and executed with a sprightliness and degree of humour that kept the house in a continual roar of laughter" (Public Advertiser, 11 Feb.) "Mrs Abington's voice was in its usual tone; her manners and deportment were inattentive and torpid, rather than active and interesting" (Morning Post, 11 Feb.). "With all her endeavours to give new points to the character, she entirely failed. Her appearance en culottes, so preposterously padded, exceeded nature. Her gestures to look comical could not get the least hold of the audience, though they had seen her before in men's clothes, when playing Portia in The Merchant of Venice, where her figure, dressed as a lawyer in his gown, gave effect to her excellent delivery on mercy, and the audience had been always delighted. But this leu de benefice, comparatively speaking, was disgusting and absurd as she dressed the character ... However, I have heard it originated in a bet she had previously made" (Henry Angelo, Reminiscenes, 11, 281-82). Receipts: #406 13s. 6d. (249/9/6; 1/9/0; tickets: 155/15/0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Webb. Morning Chronicle, 17 July: Tickets to be had of Mrs Webb, No. 22, corner of Broad Court, Bow-street, Covent Garden. "Old Jack, instead of appearing with all that easy, flowing, negligent facetiousness which the poet has so inimitably pourtrayed, assumed the part of moral solemnity, and every joke was delivered with a sort of sententious dignity that destroyed its natural impression" (General Advertiser, 22 July)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author [i.e. compiler of the entertainment, identified in Oracle, 21 May, as LeTexier]. The Tickets, engraved by Bartolozzi, will be delivered in Lisle-street [LeTexier's home address] only, and no where else

Event Comment: A Comic Opera; the music chiefly composed by Paisiello. Under the direction of Storace. Pit 10s. 6d. Gallery 5s. No Money to be returned. The Doors to be opened at 6:30. To begin at 7:30 [same throughout season]. The subscriptions are received at Messrs Ransoms, Morland and Hammersley's only, upon whose receipt the tickets will be immediately made out, and delivered at the office of Jewell, treasurer. And the subscribers at the head of Boxes are intreated to observe that if the subscription money is not paid into the hands of the Bankers, before the opening of the Theatre, his Box will be considered as relinquished. N.B. The seats of the Pit and the Boxes will be entirely new furnished on the Opera Nights; and Gentlemen are most respectively [sic] informed that they cannot be admitted, either into the Boxes or the Pit on those Nights, unless they are in Afternoon dress. The Nobility are intreated to give directions to their servants to set down and take up the at Theatre with the horses' heads towards Pall Mall. The door in Market-lane for Chairs only

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Waldron, prompter. Mainpiece [1st time; TC 5, by Francis Godolphin Waldron. Larpent MS 1094; not published]: Founded on Shakespeare and Fletcher's Two Noble Kinsmen, by the Continuator of Ben Jonson's Sad Shepherd. With new Music composed by Dr Arnold. Copies of the Songs will be delivered gratis at the Theatre. Afterpiece [1st time; C 3, by Francis Godolphin Waldron, abridged from his The Maid of Kent. Larpent MS 1095; not published]: Written by the Author of Heigho for a Husband. Tickets and Places for the Boxes to be had of Waldron, No. 54, Drury-lane, and of Rice, at the Theatre

Event Comment: Benefit for the Four Youngest Orphans of the late Mr Palmer [see dl, 18 June]. As it is presumed that the well-known liberality of the Publick will be strongly excited on the present occasion, the Proprietor of the [Haymarket] Theatre has requested the use of the Opera-House for this Evening, that the largest number of persons who wish to patronize the undertaking may be accomodated with places. The Proprietor of the Opera-House has, with the utmost readiness, granted the request. Tickets to be had of the Miss Palmers, at Dixon's, Upholsterer, the corner of Bedford-Court, Bedford-Street, Covent-Garden; of Messrs Ransom, Morland and Co., Bankers, Pall-Mall; of Jewell, No. 26, Suffolk-Street, Charing-Cross, of whom, and of Rice, at the Box-Office, Places for the Boxes may be taken. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. "[His brother] R. Palmer attempted to deliver an address at the end of the play, but he was so much overpowered that he...left the address unrecited, and [his] part in the farce was given up to another performer" (Monthly Mirror, Aug. 1798, p. 117, which also records that the receipts were approximately #700)

Event Comment: A Comic Opera; the Music by Paisiello. The Dialogue, for the first time in this Country, will be delivered without the Music of the Recitative. "Nina [Bolla] performed for her benefit in a novel and singular manner, the dialogue being spoken in prose without recitative, which had not a bad effect; but this way of acting it was deemed an infringement of the rights of the English theatres, and after a few nights it was stopped by authority, as unlawful at the Opera" (Mount-Edgcumbe, 111-12). Tickets to be had of Mme Bolla, No. 6, Haymarket