Event Comment: NNeville MS Diary: Went to ye Pit to see ye
Beggar's Opera-oblig'd to stand till ye play was over-Read some parts of ye Opera which I borrowed at
Davies's, before it began and between the acts.
Barry is a good
Macheath, but most persons who have se
en him when young observe that he has not ye activity and fire he th
en had. He sings tolerably as does
Mrs Dancer; but both are greatest in ye acting part. Mrs D. is ye best
Polly I ever saw, having that sensibility which your mere singing Pollys generally want.
Mrs Mahon did
Lucy with great ease and propriety, and has a good deal of expression in her countenance.
Thomson has a force and mellowness of voice very suitable to ye character of
Lockit. I do not think
Weston excels in
Filch.
Shuter raised vast applause by adding, after
Trapes has said "done under the Surgeon's hand'--"Oh dreadful and in such weather too!"
Bannister in
Mat added--"Die hard"--and
Palmer in
Budge--"Die game--" ew Hornpipe, and at ye end of ye Opera the
H. Peasant by $Miss Froment">Mrs Gardner's pretending to get drunk in
Mrs Slam is new. We had at ye end of Act 2 the
Fing., of Act 3 a
New Hornpipe, and at ye end of ye Opera the
H. Peasant by $Miss Froment, with
Duke and No Duke-of which I am tired