Event Comment: Farce not so much hiss'd (Cross). This month published A Defence of Mr Garrick in Answer to the Letter Writer [See 13 Oct.], 37 pp. [Closes with the paragraph: "Nor need I take notice of your accusation against the manager for his neglect in the Decorations of the Scenery, since it is notorious to everyone who has eyes, that the scenes at Drury Lane are as well adapted to the Representations, and as well executed, as any Covent Garden can boast of (though you are pleased to assert the contrary) Pantomimical Decorations not excepted."] Receipts:#100 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. I slept [?] at Drury Lane before the play & was at my Office, it was a cold frostly night (Hailey, "Brietzcke Diary," Vol. 197, p. 69). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. I was at Drury Lane Gallery to see Everyman in his Humour and the Pantomime farce of Harlequin's Invasion which was a medley of nonsense. See George (as usual) there and Capt. Stevens (Hailey "Brietzcke Diary," Vol. 197, p. 69). Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Unhappy Sufferers by the late Dreadful Fire in King's Stredt, Covent Garden (playbill). We gave our Night's pay for ye Sufferers by the fire in King's Street Covent Garden Sun: ye 23d. of Dec. (Cross). Sisters diner at Mrs B's. I slept [slipt?] in after the play at Drury Lane & see them in the Gallery, where I had a few words with Mr Williams (Hailey, "Brietzcke Diary," Vol. 197, p. 69). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Receipts: #146 2s. Paid Meares #5 16s. 6d.; Monck #1 10s.; Hargreaves (smith) #13 6s. 11d.; Kemp, six nights for lamps, #9 12s. At the Bedford tonight & slept [slipt?] in at Covent Garden Mr Bettenson was at the Bedford, we were talking about the Count, a poor man that comes there slept in after the play at Drury Lane Gallery (Hailey, "Brietzcke Diary," Vol. 197, p. 69)

Event Comment: Was at Drury Lane to see The Desart Island & the Way to Keep Him two new pieces wrote by Mr Murphy, the latter pleas'd me but the first quite the reverse (Hailey, "Brietzcke Diary," Vol. 197, p. 70)

Event Comment: PPublic Advertiser: In the afternoon died Mr Richard Cross, Prompter to the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, whose Abilities in his Station were equal to any in the Theatre, and whose Integrity would have done credit to any Profession

Event Comment: Never Acted before. A Tragedy [By John Home]. I went to my Office and then slept [?] in at Drury Lane w here I see Mr and Miss Hayes, Lady Lindores who I see into a coach, I slept in at Covent Garden Gallery before the play, but see nobody I knew so I would not stay, otherwise I would have went out as I had set my mind on the Beggar's Opera for once more, but waived it all & went to my Office (Hailey Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 72)

Event Comment: For the Author. By Command of the Prince of Wales. The Prince of Wales was at Drury Lane to see the new tragedy of Aquileia. I went there at 9, but it was all over and done & met Miss Smith coming from thence with Capt. Johnston. I think it very unnatural for her to be going to plays when her sister is but just laid in the Grave (Hailey, Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 142)

Event Comment: Full prices. Last time of performing till Easter Holidays. Receipts: #214 11s. Paid Kemp #6 8s.; Meares #0 10s. 6d.;Mr Platt for mahogany chair frames (12), #9 12s.; Paid Rich #50; Paid 10 night's Rents for Oratorios #100. I was to see the Jovial Crew and the Fair again, at the Gallery at Covent Garden, where I see Mrs Viebert, Miss Meredith & Mr Madan. Slept in at Drury Lane Gallery where I see the best part of Catherine & Petruchio for King's Benefit (Hailey, Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 210)

Event Comment: Benefit for Foly (Box lobby doorkeekper) and Veal (First Gallery doorkeeper). British Chronicle, 16 May: Yesterday Foulkes, a Beadle of Vere St Clare Market fell from the upper gallery of Drury Lane play house into the pit & expired immediately. The seat on which he fell was broke in half. British Chronicle, 16 May: It is said Mrs Pritchard is appointed Dresser to her intended Majesty for the Royal Wedding

Event Comment: The Managers of the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane intended to have opened their House next Saturday [13 Sept.]; but as the Weather continues so fine they shall defer it 'till next Week. The Day of Opening the season, with the Play, will be advertised on Monday next in this Paper (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: I slept [sic. q: step?] in at Drury Lane before the Play began, which was the first time of being in the Play House this season. Miss Allen was there & Pocock with some girls (Hailey, Brietzcke Diary, N & Q, Vol, 199, p. 260)

Event Comment: MMr Larpent...called upon me at Somerset House & went to Drury Lane & see Richard 3rd & Harlequin's Invasion & sat in the front Boxes. It was the first play I have seen this winter & I think I shan't be in a hurry to go again till there is better Co[mpany]y in the Boxes. It was not over till 11, went to the Turk's Head & home (Hailey, Brietzcke Diary, N & Q, Vol. 199, p. 260)

Event Comment: Did I tell you that the Archbishop tried to hinder the Minor from being played at Drury Lane? For once the Duke of Devonshire was firm, and would only let him correct some passages, & even of those the Duke has restored some. One that the Prelate effaced was 'You snub-nosed son of a bitch.' Foote says he will take out a license to preach Sam Cant against Tom Cant. (Walpole to Montagu, 24 Nov.). [See also Duke of Devonshire's statement to Garrick concerning the alteration of some lines, Private Correspondence, ed. Boaden, I, 120. See Gentlemen's Magazine, p. 502: Extracts from Christian and Critical remarks on a droll or interlude, call'd the Minor, said to be acted by authority; and Mr Foote's answer. Ten columns of alternate attack and justification.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A Tragedy [by Henry Brooke]. New dressed in the habits of the times. This tragedy was wrote by Mr Brooks and performed some years ago at Dublin. The first four Acts went off heavy, the last very well--Miss Mowat made her first appearance in this Piece at Drury Lane--Prologue by Mr Murphy heavy. Epilogue by Mr Garrick, great applause (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: Music composed by Dr Arne. Pit and Boxes will be laid together at Half a Guinea, and no person to be admitted without Tickets, which may be had at Dr Arne's in the Piazza next the Church, Covent Garden, and of Varney at the Stage Door of the Theatre. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. [Information concerning this Oratorio appeared in the Public Advertiser, 23 Feb.. "on Saturday last the New Oratorio called Judith, composed by Dr Arne, to be at Drury Lane on Friday, was rehearsed at the House of a Lady of Quality, where was present a numerous Assembly of the First Distinction, who honoured it with the highest approbation. We are assured that in the Sacred Oratorio, Sg Tenducci has obtained Permission from his Plaintiff, to sing the part which Signora Eberhardi was so obliged as to understudy for him, in Case he could not obtain such Indulgence."

Event Comment: Full Prices. There will not be room behind the Scenes for more than the persons acting in the coronation, [Others] cannot possibly be admitted. The coronation of their Majesties was followed by a stage representation of it at both houses...Garrick knew that Rich would spare no expense in the presentation of his show; he knew too that he had a taste in the ordering, dressing, and setting out these pompous processions, superior to his own; he therefore was contented with the old dresses which had been occasionally used from 1721-1761. This show he repeated for near forty nights successively, sometimes at the end of a play, and at other times after a farce. The exhibition was the meanest, and the most unworthy of a theatre, I ever saw. The stage was...opened into Drury Lane; and a new and unexpected sight surprised the audience, of a real bonfire, and the populace huzzaing and drinking porter to the health of Queen Anne Bullen. The Stage in the meantime, amidst the parading of Dukes, duchesses, archbishops, peeresses, heralds &c. was covered with a thick fog from the smoke of the fire, which served to hide the tawdry dresses of the processionalists. During this idle piece of mockery, the actors, being exposed to the suffocations of smoke, and the raw air from the open street, were seized with colds, rheumatisms, and swelled faces. At length the indignation of the audience delivered the comedians from this wretched badge of nightly slavery, which gained nothing to the managers but disgrace and empty benches. Tired with the repeated insult of a show which had nothing to support it but gilt copper and old rags, they fairly drove the exhibitors of it from the stage by hooting and hissing, to the great joy of the whole theatre....Rich...fully satisfied [the publick's] warmest imaginations (Davies, Life of Garrick, I, 365 ff.)

Event Comment: I Went With Mallet to breakfast with Garrick; and from thence to Drury-Lane house, where I assisted at a very Private rehearsal, in the Green-room, of a new tragedy of Mallet's, called Elvira. As I have since seen it acted, I shall defer my opinion of it till then; but I can't help mentioning here the surprising versatility of Mrs Pritchard's talents, who rehearsed, almost at the same time, the part of a furious Queen in the Green-room, and that of a Coquette on the stage; and passed several times from one to the other with the utmost ease and happiness. I dined with Darrel, saw The Way of the World afterward (Edward Gibbon's Journal, ed. D. M. Lowe (New York, n.d.) pp. 185-86). [Apparently Mrs Pritchard rehearsed Millamant in the morning.

Event Comment: Benefit For the Author. A Riot to demand the same [half-price after third act] agreed to (Cross Diary). [Advertised for Drury Lane that particulars will be published in a few days on the charge of innovation in prices which last night prevented the play being heard.] When Holland appeared for the Prologue-hiss'd. Garrick appeared and agreed to take half-price at the end of the third act to all performances except the first [Winter] of a New Pantomime (Winston MS 9)

Event Comment: [This month the periodical, The Beauties of All Magazines Selected (London, 1763) quoted from the Theatrical Review Remarks on that Part of Dramatical Entertainments called Singing," A garrulous article concluding: The millions must be pleased-if audiences were only to be entertained with sensible exhibitions, or if only sensible people composed those audiences, whew! in what a sickly and consumptive state would be two thirds of the first rate salaries in every theatre!' (p. 76). This month publish'd An Appeal to the Publick in behalf of the Manager. Price 1s. Printed for Wilson. Hear all; and then let Justice hold the Scale. Shakespeare. A rather full description of the Fitzpatrick half-price riots, exonerating Garrick and the players. This month (probably) was published Theatrical Disquisitions; or, a Review of the late Riot at Drury Lane Theatre, 25, 26 January 1763, By a Lady (32 pp.). A calm defense of the acting profession, and a scourge of Fitzpatrick as a coward and a great nuisance. She prefers seeing plays to reading them. Holds Garrick blameless for reviving the Chances after failure of Eastward Ho. Comments at length on brilliance of contemporary stage costume in comparison with that earlier in the century.

Event Comment: The Characters New Dressed. Play never acted before. [See Three Original Letters to a Friend in the Country on the Cause and Manner of the late Riot at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. See also two letters in The Theatrical Review; or, Annals of the Drama, 1 March 1763. This number includes (pp. 117-25) a critique on the Discovery. Critic found it a piece of much merit particularly in the perusal," but on stage frequently tedious and heavy owing to a scarcity of incident and an uncommon lengthening of the acts."

Event Comment: As frequenters of the Theatre have often complained of the interruptions in the performances occasioned by a crowded stage at the Benefits-the Performers will have no building on the stage, nor take any money behind the scenes being willing to forego that advantage, for the sake of renderin the representations more agreeable to the Publick [a front-page notice for Drury Lane Theatre in the Public Advertiser this day]

Event Comment: Books of the Opera to be sold at the Theatre. Nothing under FULL PRICE can be taken. Opera not perform'd this season. [A riot this night in which the benches were torn up. Led by Fitzpatrick against the abolishment of the custom of admitting at half-price after the third act. See previous disturbance at Drury Lane. No more plays at cg until 3 March 1763 while repairs were being made to theatre. See Gentleman's Magazine, Feb. 1763, Historical Chronicle, Th. 24: A riot happened at Covent Garden theatre occasioned by a demand being made for full prices at the opera Artaxerxes. The mischief done was the greatest ever known on any occasion of the like kind; all the benches of the boxes and Pit being entirely tore up, the glasses and chandeliers broken, and the linings of the Boxes cut to pieces. The rashness of the rioters was so great, that they cut aWay the wooden pillars between the Boxes, so that if the inside of them had not been iron, they would have brought down the Galleries upon their heads. The damages done amount to at least #2000. Four persons concern'd in the riot have been committed to the gatehouse. The Beauties of All Magazines Selected, for March 1763 (p. 142) reprinted from the Ledger a humorous account of this riot as told by a sailor in fabricated seaman's language: As soon as the foresheet was clewed up...As to my 5s., why the owners are welcome to it towards repair, for you stripp'd plank, timbers, and scantlings,-you gutted her; she look'd like a French prize, after a yard-arm engagement."