Event Comment: A little hissing during the farce, & at the End ye Audience call'd, no more &c.--& insisted upon another farce being given out wch Mr Blakes did--farewell Taste (Cross). The Book of the Entertainment will be sold in the theatre, and at R. Francklin's in Russel Street, Covent Garden (playbill). [The publication of Taste was dedicated to Francis Delaval, and includes in prefatory remarks Foote's distinction between Comedy and Farce: As the follies and absurdities of men are the sole objects of Comedy, so the powers of Imagination (Plot and Incident expected) are in this kind of writing greatly restrainded. No unnatural assemblages, no creatures of the fancy can procure the protection of the Comic Muse; men and things must appear as they are. To Farce greater liberties are permitted. I look upon Farce to hold the same rank in drama that Burlesque does in other poetry. It is employed either in debasing lofty subjects, or in raising humble ones.'] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: TThe Sorcerer, a Pantomime Entertainment, originally performed at the Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, is preparing, with alterations, at Covent Garden (The scenes painted by Mr Lambert) and will be performed one day next week. [Another letter appeared in the General Advertiser on innocent entertainment for the lower classes (see 29 Jan. 1752), but severely criticized the existence of Prize fights, Cock-pits, and Gambling houses as the real nuisances and nurseries of theft and disorder."] It is whispered that the Townwill shortly be entertained with a phenomenon of the Monosyllable Fun,--the match between Sir Alexander Drawcansir, Kent. and their Lownesses of Grub Street, being certainly to be decided on the Stage; great bets depending on this Battle, it is thought the Knowing ones will be taken in (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: RRichd 3d (by Mossop) & Anatomist was put up but: Mossop being taken ill, after many Messages it was resolv'd to do ye Con. Lovers & Harl. Ranger. Small bills were printed & deliver'd at ye Doors to signify the Change & all went well. Mr Rich's Ent: of ye Sorcerer came out this day (Cross). Receipts: #120 (Cross). [The small bill referred to by Cross read as follows:] @Theatre Royal in Drury Lane@This night being the@11th of February@Richard the Third@(On Account of the Indisposition of a Principal Performer)@Is Oblig'd to be Chang'd to@The Conscious Lovers@and@Harlequin Ranger@with Dancing@By Mad Auretti@

Event Comment: The Twelfth Day. At the Particular Desire of Several Persons of Quality. Boxes 4s. Pit 2s. 6d. Gallery 2s. [Repeated in bills for this theatre.

Event Comment: Pit and boxes to be put together, and no person to be admitted without Tickets, which will be deliver'd this day, at the Office in Covent Garden Theatre, at Half a Guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries to be open'd at Half an Hour after Four c'oclock. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Half an Hour after Six [repeated]. This day is publish'd Compos'd by Handel, at 10s. 6d., The Oratorio Joshua, in Score...Printed for J. Walsh, in Catherine St. in the Strand

Event Comment: Benefit for ye Author (Cross). Tickets to be had of the Author at his lodgings the Angel in King's Street, Covent Garden; A Millar, over-against Catharine Street, in the Strand; and at the Stage Door of the theatre, where places may be taken (playbill). We hear Mr Ross is to perform the part of Romeo in the Play Romeo and Juliet for his benefit, which is to be on Thursday, the 31st of March (General Advertiser). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. By Particular Desire. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Servants admitted to keep places on the Stage. Ladies are desired to send servants by 3 o'clock. Play to begin at 6. Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Pritchard in Great Queen Street, and at the stage door of the theatre. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Mossop. Tickets to be had of Mr Mossop, at his Lodgings in Southampton Street, Covent Garden; and at the stage door of the theatre. Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mad Auretti. Pit and Boxes together & Amphitheatre on stage. Tickets and Places to be had of Mad Auretti at her house in Leicester Fields; and at the Stage Door of the Theatre. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. Last time of performing Mainpiece this season. Tickets to be had of Mrs Ward, next door to the Chapel in Little Wild-Street, near Drury Lane; and at the Stage Door of the Theatre, where places for the boxes may be taken. Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bencraft and Mrs Vincent. Mainpiece: Containing the Memorable Battle of Agincourtv; with the total overthrow of the French Armyv; and many other historical passages. Tickets to be had of Mrs Vincent at the Cock and Turk's Head, in Bedford St., Covent Garden; of Bencraft at the corner of the Piazzas; and of Mr Page at the Stage Door of the Theatre

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Palmer. Tickets at his lodgings, at Mr Watson's Linnen Draper, Corner Charles St., Covent Garden; and at Stage Door of Theatre. [Ray inserted a long plea for benefit support on the General Advertiser, saying that Mr William Barton, who keeps the Black Swan Tavern on Bartholomew Lane, will do his visiting and deliver his tickets for him since he, Ray, is so ill.] Receipts: #78 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Leviez. No Building on stage. Tickets at his, the lowest House on the Right-Hand in Beaufort Buildings in the Strand; and at Stage Door of Theatre. Receipts: #125 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pritchard, Treasurer. Tickets his house next the Chapel in Great Queen St., Lincoln's Inn Fields. This day publish'd at 1s.A Poetical Epistle from Shakespear in Elysium, to Mr Garrick at Drury Lane Theatre. Printed for J. Newberry (General Advertiser). Old Jack Ray, dy'd (Cross). Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Scrase, Costollo, and Wilder. Tickets and places to be had at the Stage Door of the theatre. Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: Yesterday arriv'd Sg Casimo Maranesi and Sga Bugiani, two celebrated Italian Comic Dancers from the Opera at Paris, and will soon make their appearance at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden

Event Comment: Afterpiece: noise still (Cross). [See 6 Nov.] Mainpiece: It appears that Mr Garrick is solicitous to banish vice from the theatre, by his having first omitted to exhibit that scandalous piece the London Cuckolds on the evening of the Lord Mayor's Day [9 Nov.] contray to immemorial custom, and the practice of the other house. He has also made a vigorous attempt to exclude folly but the friends of folly appeared to be so numerous, that he could not effect his purpose (Gentleman's Magazine, Nov. 1752, p. 535). Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: [Benefit] for 3 orphan Daughters of a Cit of London (Cross). Tickets to be had at Will's and the Union Coffee House in Cornhill; Grigsby's behind the Royal Exchange; Seagoes in Holborn; the Bedford in Covent Garden; George's in the Haymarket, and at the Stage Door of the Theatre, where places for the Boxes may be taken. Receipts: #264 (Cross)

Event Comment: [L+Letter from Henry Woodward, Comedian, The Meanest of all Characters To Dr John Hill, Inspector-General of Great Britain, the greatest of all characters completely damns Hill as unsuccessful player, apothecary, doctor, scholar, writer, and gentleman. It ran to three editions in the year.] We hear great interest is being made to succeed Mr Serjeant Shore, deceased, as Serjeant Trumpet to his Majesty, which is in the gift of his Grace the Duke of Grafton as Lord Chamberlain; and that the contest lies chiefly between that excellent performer, Mr. Valentine Snow, Trumpet to the First Troop of Horseguards; Mr. Debourg, the violin; and Mr Beard, of the theatre Royal in Drury Lane (Public Advertiser). Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire; Afterpiece: By Desire. The Tragedy of Don Sebastian, King of Portugal, written by Dryden; and the Rehearsal, written by the Duke of Buckingham, are reviving at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, and will be play'd there soon alternately. Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: We hear that a new piece of Machinery representing a Fountain, which has been preparing a considerable time will soon be exhibited at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden

Event Comment: Benefit for a Widow & Children (Cross), who are fallen into great distress (Winston MS 8). Tickets to be had at Mr Gladman's, a Trunk-maker, Charing Cross; at the Amsterdam Coffee House, behind the Exchange; at the Rainbow and Janeways in Cornhill; at Anderton's and the Temple-Exchange, in Fleet St.; at George's, Temple Bar; Somerset Coffee House, Strand and at Stage Door of the Theatre. Receipts: #97 (Cross)

Event Comment: [Benefit] (Toll) for Goodfellow who play'd Hamlet (Cross). Tickets to be had at the Ship Tavern, at Ratcliff-Cross; the Swan in Ratcliff-Highway; the Black Lyon, in Russel St. Covent Garden, and at the Stage Door of the Theatre. Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: [The afterpiece] An Arabian Night's Entertainment produc'd in two parts with New Scenes, Habits, Music & Decorations. Full Prices. Went off with great applause (Cross). It is hop'd no Gentlemen will take it ill that they cannot possibly be admitted behind the Scenes or into the Orchestra, the Entertainment depending chiefly upon the Machinery and Music. [Repeated on all Genii Bills this season.] This new entertainment...hath fully decided the controversy and fix'd the superiority of Pantomime to Drury Lane Theatre, as it had before had of almost everything else;...for beauty of scenery, elegance of dress, propriety of music, and regularity of designs, it exceeds all the boasted grandeur of Harlequin Sorcerer, or of any I have seen either separate or collective. The last scene beggars all description; the most romantic Eastern account of sumptuous palaces are but faint to this display of beauty, this glow of light, this profusion of glittering gems, which adorn the whole, and much exceeds all expectations. I rejoice and congratulate myself that I am not of that modern way of thinking (or rather seeming to think) that nothing can deserve the epithet good from their superior taste, but while I am pleased will own it, and not endeavor to gain the character of a critick, ar the expense of violation of my senses (Scourge No. 14, quoted in the Gentleman's Magazine, Dec. 1752, p. 582). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Any Person of whatever Party, Perswasion, Countenance, or Country, who is able to entertain the Publick in a singular and agreeable Manner, may enter into present Pay and good Quarters, with Mrs Midnight's Band of Originals, by applying to her at the Theatre in the Haymarket, any evening at five 'oclock. [Notice repeated.] Sixteenth Day