Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by James Wild. Text (no publisher, 1790)]: Being a Collection of favorite Scenes from the Following celebrated Pantomimes: Harlequin Sorcerer, Mother Shipton, Choice of Harlequin, Lord Mayor's Day, Druids, Fryar Bacon, Harlequin Freemason, Norwood Gipsies, Omai, Magic Cavern, and Harlequin Rambler. With new Dresses and Decorations. The Original Scenery, Machinery, &c. painted by Lambert, Dall [both deceased], Carver, Hodgins and Richards-and now all repaired and repainted. The Music selected by Shaw from Pepuch [sic], Dr Arne, Dr Arnold, Dr Fisher, ?M.? Arne, Vincent, Dibdin and Shield. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 31 Dec.: Paid Wild for his Attention to the Pantomime #30; Boyce for Ditto #15; Shaw for Ditto #10. Receipts: #233 5s. 6d. (204.8.6; 28.17.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild, prompter. 2nd piece [1st time: M. INT 1]. 3rd piece: As it was originally performed upwards of 50 nights in the Year 1789. Being a Selection of favorite Scenes form the following celebrated Pantomimes: Harlequin Sorcerer, Mother Shipton, Choice of Harlequin, Druids, Friar Bacon, Harlequin Freemason, Omai, Magic Cavern, and Harlequin Rambler. The machinery of the Peacock by Sloper. With the original Scenery painted by Lambert, Dall, Carver, Hodgins and Richards. The Music selected from Dr Arne, Dr Arnold, Dr Fisher, M.? Arne, Vincent, Dibdin and Shield. Morning Chronicle, 4 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 46, Drury-lane. Receipts: #399 19s. 6d. (205.18.0; 16.4.6; tickets: 177.17.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Composer [Dr Arne]. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Boxes (by desire) Half a Guinea. Pit 5s. First Gallery 3s. Upper Gallery 2s. Tickets to be had of Dr Arne, in the Piazza, next the Church, in Covent Garden. Places to be taken of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door

Event Comment: Two Young Lady's made their first Appearance in the Characters of Polly & Lucy Pupils of Dr Arne--Miss Wellers figure is very well for Polly but she wants Spirit & is apt to Sing out of Tune. Mrs Bradley is Tall & a good figure for Lucy and acquitted herself very well in that character they both met with Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly: Two young Gentlewomen appeared in the characters of Polly and Lucy,--brought out by Dr Arne,--Miss Weller and Mrs Bradley.--Miss Weller's figure was very well for Polly; but she is a piece of still life, sings out of tune and will never make an actress.--Mrs Bradley,--very tall, and appears to have blackguard requisites enough for Lucy, but will not do for anything else--Hopkins Diary No 7. Mrs Bradley is since married to Mr Prior the Builder.--J. P. Kemble."] Paid Renters #8 [this payment occurs each playing night of the season, 188 times in all, and will not be further noted]; Mr Carver, six days, #6 [a weekly payment outside the pay list throughout the season. Presumably to scene painter. No further noted]; Mr S. French, 6 days, #1 10s. Renters total for season #1592. Carver total for season #088 (Treasurer's Book). [see account of Miss Weller and Miss Bradley in Town and Country Magazine (Theatre XXXVIII): The first performed the part of Polly, and the latter that of Lucy. Their figures are both genteel, and their countenances expressive. Miss weller was much confused upon her first entrance; but from the melody of her voice, tho she did not raise it sufficiently in many parts, there is reason to believe, when she was got the better of her terrors of facing an audience, that she will be an acquisition to the stage, at least as a vocal performer. Miss Bradley's performance of Lucy with great spirit, vivacity and Propriety' and her singing being so well suited to the character, she so much eclipsed Polly, that the audience formed a more indifferent opinion of her abilities than she deserved."] Receipts: #220 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [A humorous parody on Alexander's Feast. Music composed by Dr Arne.] Complete Books with the parody on one side and Dryden's Ode on the other, that the allusions may be traced throughout, and the words of the Catches and Glees are to be had at the Theatre. 1s. Dr Arne's last night this season

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. The Music by Purcel and Dr Arne, with the additional Airs and Chorusses by the late [Thomas] Linley Jun. [Gazetteer, 9 Nov., notes that the music for the Chorus of Spirits was composed by Purcell, for Ariel's song by Dr Arne, for the storm scene by Linley Jun.] Receipts: #162 11s. (126/10/0; 35/19/6; 0/1/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Young. Afterpiece: Not acted in 20 years. Music by Dr Arne. [See John Lockman's Reflections concerning Operas, &c." in his introduction to his edition of Rosalinda (London, 1760), p. iv: 'A gentleman, well known for his musical compositions, is of opinion, that the reason why the Opera Rosamond tho' adorned with all the graces of lyric poetry, does not please from the stage, so much as might be expected, is owing to a circumstance that forms a beauty in the drama itself; I mean the suppos'd poisoning of Rosamond at the end of the second act, and her appearing no more upon the stage. Whilst this sheet was at press, I was told that Mr Arne has reduc'd this opera into one act, and set the whole anew; and so managed matters, that Rosamond appears throughout the whole drama. Tis said that the music of this new Rosamond is as delightful as that of another performance of Mr Arne's which now affords the town so agreeable an Entertainment."

Event Comment: Benefit for Love. Mr Love Hiss'd in the Scotchman. Dumont by Mr Powell (Hopkins). Characters Dress'd in Habits of Times. Mr Love was hissed very much in the Scotchman, and the Farce hissed at the end (Hopkins Diary-MacMillan). No building on stage. On Saturday Othello with a New Burletta call'd Music A-La-Mode, or Bayes in Chromatics For the Benefit of Vernon. [The principal characters were to have been played by King, Vernon, Packer, Fox, Mrs Mrs Dorman, and Miss Young (Public Advertiser, 13 April). But it was deferred at the last minute and seems never to have been performed. Larpent MS 237 lists the parts: Dr Crochet, Player-Packer; Squire, Justice; Damon; Daphne, Chorus of Shepherds and Nymphs. $J. P. Kemble thought it a burlesque at the expense of Dr Arne (professor of nonharmonic music). The Player wants in it to banish all but four plays (Tamerlane, London Cuckolds, George Barnwell, and Twelfth Night) and fill stage performance with music.] Receipts: #208 14s. 6d. (MacMillan); charges: #64 4s. [Profit to Love: #144 10s. 6d.

Event Comment: Benefit for Bransby and Burton ["Died Miss Weller, aged 19, pupil of Dr Arne, appeared at dl as Polly, and Carissa, in School for Fathers" (Winston MS 10, from Dr Burney's Newspapers)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; burl 2, by Charles Dibdin, based on The Loves of Mars and Venus, by Peter Anthony Motteux]: With New Scenes and Dresses. The Music chiefly composed by Dibdin. [Dr Arne and Dr Arnold each wrote one air.] Books of the Burletta to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 5 Feb. 1778: This Day at Noon is published Poor Vulcan! (1s.). [The playbill lists Reinhold in place of Mahon, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted and a MS annotation substitutes Mahon's.] Receipts: #232 5s. 6d. (230.2.6; 2.3.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Miles Peter Andrews and William Augustus Miles; Larpent MS 485; not published; Synopsis of plot in London Magazine, July 1779, pp. 306-7]: The Airs partly selected from Dibdin, Giordani, Dr Arne, &c. The Overture and New Music composed by Dr Arnold. With New Dresses and Decorations. The Scenes painted by Rooker. Songs of the Opera to be had at the Theatre

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 for Quick. Mainpiece: With (1st time) Alterations and Additions by the Author [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture, Airs, &c. by Dr Arnold. The selected [music] by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan. The new additional Songs by Shield. Public Advertiser, 22 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Quick, Broad-court, Bow-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #325 8s. 6d. (164.6.6; 3.19.0; tickets: 157.3.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Ryder. Public Advertiser, 20 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Ryder at his house, No. 5, Bow-street, Covent-garden. 1st piece: The Overture, Airs, &c. by Dr Arnold. The selected by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Giardini, Bertoni, Dr Arne, Carolan the Irish Bard. 2nd piece: 1st time Here. Translated from the French of La Bonne Mere, by Horatio Edgar? Robson, and at this Time reading with great success and general applause by LeTexier in Lisle-Street [and 1st acted at the hay, 22 Aug. 1788]. 3rd piece [1st time; F 2, by Thomas Ryder, altered from The Man of Parts, by Isaac Jackman; not published]. Receipts: #271 0s. 6d. (191.15.6; 5.7.0; tickets: 73.18.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: The Overture, Airs, &c. by Dr Arnold. The selected, by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan. [Afterpiece in place of Animal Magnetism, advertised on playbill of 21 Sept.] Receipts: #199 6s. 6d. (197.5.6; 2.1.0)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill omits Anna, but "Mrs Rock was a wretched Anna" (Thespian Magazine, Feb. 1793, p. 195). Miss Morris is identified in European Magazine, Jan. 1793, p. 69; and see 14, 16 Nov.] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2(?), author unknown. Text (i.e. synopsis of action), For the Booksellers, 1793. Larpent MS 964 contains Songs only]: Partly New, and partly a Selection of Scenery, Machinery, Tricks, and Business, from the most approved Pantomimic Productions of Lunn, Rich, Woodward, Messink, Rosamond [i.e. Rosoman], Lalauze, &c. The Music chiefly compiled [by Thomas Goodwin] from Pepusch, Galliard, Dr Arne, Vincent, Dibdin, Dr Arnold, Fisher, the rest by Shield. The selected Scenery and Machinery re-painted, and the several new ones designed and executed by Hodgins, Pugh, Walmsley, Lupino, &c. The Dances by Byrn, who will for the first time introduce a Burlesque Pas de Russe. With new Dresses, Machinery and Decorations. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [In afterpiece the playbill lists Follett, but he "having received an injury at the morning's rehearsal, afforded that excellent actor, Munden, the opportunity of giving the Public an additional proof of the versatility of his talents: -he undertook the part of the Clown [i.e. Clodpole ], and performed it so well that he will probably be obliged to retain it" (Morning Herald, 21 Dec.). He was probably omitted from the Vocal Characters (see 21 Dec.).] Receipts: #258 10s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Gibbs. 3rd piece [1st time; M. ENT 2, by James Roberts]: End of Act I A Grand View of the British Fleet and the French Prizes entering Portsmouth, and an appropriate Procession. The Piece to conclude with a representation of the Town, &c. of Portsmouth, as illuminated on the glorious occasion. With a Transparency of Earl Howe. [These were included in all subsequent performances.] The selected Musick by Mornington, Handel, Dr Arne, Boyce, Pleyel, &c. A Naval Overture, and the new Musick, by Dr Arnold. The Scenery by Rooker. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 24 Oct. 1794: This Day is published RULE BRITANNIA! (1s.)

Event Comment: [From The London Evening Post: Married: Michael Arne, music composer and son of Dr Arne, to Miss Wright, a celebrated singer of Drury Lane Theatre."] Paid Mr Evans on Wardrobe acct #10 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #133 17s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Conductor-Dr Arne. The Theatre thoroughly aired a week before the performance. Music of the Interlude composed by Arne. [Advertized as "Mr Foote's Theatre in the Haymarket."] At the Instance of several persons of Quality, by permission of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Catch Society at the Thatched House, St James's St. Pit and Boxes 5s. First gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. To begin at 7 p.m. Books of all Catches and Glees and Capochio and Dorinna to be had at the Theatre for 1s