Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Oratorio: Composed by the late Dr Arne. At Playhouse Prices [see 10 Mar.]. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Tickets for the Boxes to be had at Messrs Longman and Broderip's, in Cheapside and the Haymarket; and at the Stage Door of the Theatre, in Suffolk-street, where Places may be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells [whose 1st appearance in tragedy was at this theatre, 30 Apr. 1783]. Public Advertiser, 29 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 5, York-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #143 17s. (33/4/0; 24/0/6; 0/10/6; tickets: 86/2/0) (charge: #114 8s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. [Kean's 1st appearance was at this theatre, 22 Mar.] 2nd piece: The Music compiled by Dr Pepusch. 4th piece: A Ballet Tragi-Comique, composed by Signor Novestris [i.e. George Colman, the elder]. Gazetteer, 23 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Charing-cross

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Raeburn, Stewart and Rae. Mainpiece: In its original state. Afterpiece: Written by the Author of the Prologue. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:00. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice at the Theatre; and tickets to be had at Rae's, No. 4, Wardour-street, Soho

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Under the Direction of Delpini. Subscription tickets [for 5 nights] to be had of Weltje, confectioner, St. James's-street, and of Rice at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, author unknown. MS: Larpent 651; not published]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice at the Theatre; and Tickets to be had of Mrs Williams, the Artificial Flower Warehouse, Store-street, Bedford-square. [Mrs Williams is identified in Morning Post, 11 Feb.]

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. Public Advertiser, 15 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Charing-cross. [Miss Bannister's 1st appearance at this theatre was on 28 Apr. 1784.] Receipts: #321 9s. (118/6; 22/18; 2/4; tickets: 178/1) (charge: #113 7s. 3d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Booth. Mr Booth respectfully hopes his close Attention to the several Departments he occupies in the Theatre will be a sufficient Excuse for his not personally waiting on his Friends. [Public Advertiser, 22 Mar., notes that since Wild's accident [see 11 May] Booth had been acting as prompter.] Public Advertiser, 14 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Booth at his house in Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT I, compiler unknown]: The Music compiled from the most eminent Masters

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild [prompter]. Public Advertiser, 7 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 17, Bow-street, Covent Garden. The unfortunate circumstance of breaking his leg . . . has prevented his attending the theatre the whole season [and see 18 Apr.]

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister. Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by Leonard Macnally, based on A Mad World, My Masters, by Thomas Middleton. MS: Larpent 729; not published. Introduction by the author (Town and Country Magazine, June 1786, p. 328]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre [composer unknown]. Morning Herald, 11 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bannister, No. 29, Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #273 4s. 6d. (180/6/0; 7/9/6; tickets: 85/9/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs T. Kennedy. Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. Many Tickets of Mr Kennedy's having been stolen, he gives public Notice that no Tickets sold at the Doors or Avenues of the Theatre will have Admission this Evening. Morning Chronicle, 19 May: Tickets to be had of Kennedy, No. 44, Great Queen-street. Receipts: #108 4s. 6d. (41/1/6; 5/3/0; tickets: 62/0/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Paid the Duke of Bedford One Year and 9 Mos. Rent for the Theatre, the House in Bow Street, and the House in the passage #336 17s. 6d. Receipts: #180 (176.16; 3.4)

Event Comment: "Friday night, about 20 minutes before eight o'clock, on the conclusion of the third act, a very serious alarm took place at Drury Lane Theatre. A fire broke out at an oil-shop, the corner of Little Brydges-street. The flames appearing through the windows at the back of the upper gallery, the alarm of fire spread through many parts of the house. [The audience was dismissed, those in the boxes] passing over the stage into Russel-street...Some of the box and pit company continued for a time on the stage with the performers, some of whom were dressed in character, others half dressed, and the appearance [was] truly motley" (Public Advertiser, 5 Feb.). Receipts: #133 12s. (129.10; "An Alarm of Fire prevented the 2nd Acct."; 3.12; tickets not come in: 0.10)

Event Comment: Benefit for Browne. [Miss Eccles, who was from the York theatre, is identified in European Magazine, July 1787, p. 64.] Public Advertiser, 16 July: Tickets to be had of Browne, No. 13, King-street, Covent Garden

Event Comment: By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. 3rd piece: Written by A. Murphy, Esq. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Tickets to be had at the Shakespeare, Covent-garden; the Chapter Coffee-house, Paternoster-row; the Horn Tavern, Doctors Commons; the Theatre, where Places for the Boxes may be taken; and at Abbott's Academy, Bridges-street, Westminster

Event Comment: Benefit for Farren. Public Advertiser, 6 May: Tickets to be had of Farren, No. 73, Gower-street. Account-Book, 16 May: Received Farren's benefit deficiency #33 7s. 6d. [Reckoned as follows: Farren disposed of #209 12s. in tickets; this sum he kept. Money [i.e. tickets sold at the doors of the theatre] amounted to #71 12s. 6d. From this money he was obliged to meet the house charge of #105, and hence owed the treasury the amount stated above.] Receipts: #281 4s. 6d. (69.".0; 2.10.6; tickets: 209.12.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Delpini. 3rd piece: 1st time at that Theatre [1st acted at the Royalty, 13 Aug. 1787]. Delpini's Grand, Tragic, Comic, Pantomimical Entertainment in 2 acts. With new Dresses and Decorations. The Music composed by Gluck, the Airs and Duett by Reeve. Public Advertiser, 9 May: Tickets to be had of Delpini, No. 17, Tavistock-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #224 11s. (114.2; 7.18; tickets: 102.11)

Event Comment: Benefit for Coinde, Ballet-Master. Tickets to be had of Coinde, No. 37, Silver-street, Golden-square. [The above is the playbill in World, 1 July. On 2 July no newspaper carries a playbill for this night. The theatre, therefore, was perhaps dark.

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. 1st piece: In 3 Acts. Not acted these 4 years. 3rd piece: Never acted at this Theatre. Public Advertiser, 22 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lewis, in Bow-street. Receipts: #346 0s. 6d. (254.19.6; 3.8.0; tickets: 87.13.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for a Fund for the Relief of those who, from their Infirmities, shall be obliged to retire from the Stage. [Prologue by Thomas Hull.] Gazetteer, 19 May: Tickets to be had of Hull, Treasurer to the Institution, No. 31, Bow-street, Covent-Garden. The Fund at Covent Garden Theatre was instituted in the Year 1765, and confirmed by Act of Parliament, 1776. It has been almost entirely supported by the weekly Contributions of the respective Members, and no Application has been made ot the Public towards its Increase for the space of 19 Years. Notwithstanding the utmost Oeconomy has been practised to promote the Advancement of this Fund, the whole capital Sum hitherto amassed is now become so inadequate to the unavoidable annual Disbursements that the Committee hold it incumbent on them to solicit the Patronage and Encouragement of the Public, at the within specified Performance. "The capital of this fund, invested in various stocks, amounted to #27,710 in the year 1824" (Brayley, 14). Receipts: #128 11s. (104.15; 15.16; tickets: 8.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Delpini. [Mrs Delpini's 1st appearance at this theatre was on 28 May 1789.] Public Advertiser, 26 May: Tickets to be had of Delpini, No. 17, Tavistock-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #285 2s. (153.2.6; 5.9.6; tickets: 126.10.0)

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for the Widow Fearon, and her Eight Orphan Children. Tickets to be had of Mrs Fearon, No. 6, Spur-street, Leicester-Fields; and of Brandon, at the Theatre, where Places for the Boxes may be taken. [Fearon had died 30 Sept. 1789.] Receipts: none listed

Event Comment: Benefit for Barrymore. A new Edition of [The Country Girl] to be had at the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 27 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Barrymore, No. 11, Bedford-street, Bedford-row. Receipts: #305 0s. 6d. (84.4.0; 25.13.6; 5.0.0; tickets: 190.3.0) (charge: #115 6s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Theodore D'Auberval. Tickets to be had of Mme Theodore D'Auberval, No. 52, Poland-street, Oxford-road. 2nd ballet: With new Decorations painted by Munich [recte Moench], late painter to the Theatre in the Haymarket, and new Machinery by Bernard. The Dresses entirely new, invented and executed by Lupino

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Broadhurst. 3rd piece [1st time; M. ENT 1, author unknown. Larpent MS 910; not published]: Overture and Music entirely new, composed by Percy, with some airs from Andreozzi and Stevens. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 24 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Broadhust at Mr Percy's, No. 13, Tavistock-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #202 9s. (52.5.6; 3.17.6; tickets: 146.6.0)