Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. The Comedy in 2 acts taken by Miss Pope from Mrs Sheridan's Discovery. House charges #64 17s. [Profit to Miss Pope #115 5s.] Paid B. Johnson's Head bill 18s. 7d.; Manager's subscription for St George's #10 10s.; Soldier's practice for Alexander 8s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [Neville attended this night and in his Diary compliments all the performers and dancers. I am afraid Vernon's attempt to imitate old Shuter will prove vain. He added something to the introduction to the Cries tonight."] Receipts: #180 2s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comic Opera [by R. B. Sheridan] never perform'd. The Music partly New and partly selected from the most eminent composers. With a New Overture, Scenes, Dresses, and Other Decorations. Books of the songs in the Opera to be had at the Theatre. [This note repeated on subsequent bills.] Afterpiece: Not acted these 10 years. [See 19 May 1767.] [Reviewed in the Westminster Magazine for Nov. which commented on the witty dialogue and effectiveness of the music. It was "puffed" gently in the Public Advertiser 22 Nov.: "Receiv'd with every mark of approbation that could be given. It will be repeated tomorrow evening with the Farce of the Apprentice."

Event Comment: hay Benefit for Sheridan. Mainpiece: As written by Mr Brooke, not acted these eight years

Event Comment: Tragedy never acted. By James Thomson. Characters New Dress'd. But as it is rather more fashionable to run mad about Mr Thomsons's play, I will change my theme and talk to you of Tancred. I want much to know how you like it, at this distance I would lay any wager you do not like it so well as your sister does, who certainly cannot be your sister and not have been to see it long ago. Everybody agrees that no play was ever so much improved in acting, at least since the Booths and Bettertons. That first scene expecially, where Siffredi discovers to Tancred who he is, pleased me almost beyond anything I ever saw, indeed even before I saw it, that scene was my favourite. But what do you think of the story, and what of the style?-A Series of Letters between Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, I, 60 (dated strangely 2 March). [On 26 April, the Daily Post published a letter by Bellario on Tancred and Sigismunda, discussing the kind of support it received]: A very remarkable new Lord of the Treasury was proud of appearing its Foster Father, and attended at the public rehearsals; the first night of the performance this celebrated person and his friends in the Box with him (all very lately most flaming Patriots) were seen clapping their hands at the following remarkable speech: First of You All...To Quit Mistakes. [The letter also discussed political aspects of the play, then the poetry of the lines. The author heard that three hundred lines were cut out after the first performance, and was of opinion that double that amount would have been beneficial.

Event Comment: Benefit Sheridan. Tickets of Sheridan at his lodgings at Mr Ebral's, Apothecary, in Bridges St., Covent Garden; of Mr Dodsley, Bookseller, in Pall Mall

Event Comment: Benefit Sheridan. As his benefit was not appointed till last Friday, he humbly hopes that such Ladies and Gentlemen, as he shall omit to wait upon, will impute it rather to a want of time, than to a want of respect and knowledge of his duty. Tickets to be had of Sheridan at Mr Grignon's. Watchmaker, in Russell St., Covent Garden; at the Bedford Coffee House; and at Mr Dudley's, Bookseller, in Pall-Mall

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy [by R. B. Sheridan] never perform'd. New Scenes and Dresses. [Gentleman's Magazine for Jan. states: "Tuesday 17, Was performed for the first time at Covent Garden a comedy call'd The Rivals, said to be written by Mr Sheridan. Some objections being made both to language and character, the author has thought proper to withdraw his piece for correction, and it has since been played with applause." See 18 and 28 Jan. The Westminster Magazine, Jan., remarked: "This comedy was acted so imperfectly, either from the timidity of the actors on a first night's performance, or from an improper distribution of parts, that it was generally disapproved....The author promised some alterations, which implied that he would be glad the Town would suspend judgment till a farther hearing" See 28 Jan. John Hampden quotes from Lloyd's Evening Post, 18 Jan., the Morning Chronicle and Morning Post of the same date, and the London Chronicle of 19 Jan. articles damning the casting and the imperfectness of the actors, the impudence of Shuter in particular, and the fatigue of the audience.

Event Comment: WWilliam Hint in a Letter (Daily Gazetteer, 31 Oct.): Mr Sheridan? was cast most improperly, into the part of Horatio; which naturally call'd for Mr Delane? in that house....but why was Mr Garrick? left out of the play. Would he not have look'd, spoke and acted Lothario?

Event Comment: WWilliam Hint in letter (Daily Gazetteer, 31 Oct.): Here again we find Mr Delane ill cast for the sake of casting Mr Sheridan?; Still worse, Need I say how much better this play would have been acted had Mr Delane? play'd Pierre, and Mr Garrick? Jaffier

Event Comment: Benefit Sheridan. Lodgings at Watchmaker's opposite Tom's Coffeehouse, Russell St., cg

Event Comment: In a fews days will be reviv'd at Covent Garden, the Tragedy of Phaedra and Hippolytus, in which Mr Sheridan will perform the part of Theseus, and Mrs Woffington that of Phaedra. Sg Francel and Sga Rossina Balbi, two Italian Dancers, arrived on Friday last from the Court of Bareith in Germany, and are engaged to perform at the same theatre

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A Tragedy [by John Moncrieff] never acted before. [The Biographia Dramatica states it was brought on by Moncrieff's friend Sheridan, who altered it to suit his purposes and lopped off the whole fifth act.

Event Comment: Benefit for Sheridan. Othello not acted for 5 years. [See 14 May 1759.] Miss Piercy in running off the stage, which was greatly crowded, fell down and broke her arm (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: Mr Sheridan's Night. Mainpiece: Not acted these 8 years. [See 29 March 1770.

Event Comment: Benefit for Thomas? Sheridan. Mainpiece: Written by Congreve and now carefully revised, and corrected, by expunging the exceptionable passages, not acted these twenty years. [See 25 May 1758.

Event Comment: [In Afterpiece Elizabeth was originally called Miss Doiley.] Receipts: #238 (191.7.0; 44.18.0; 1.7.6; tickets not come in: 0.7.6)

Event Comment: [Mrs Siddons's 1st appearance as Queen Elizabeth was at Liverpool, 10 Sept. 1777.] Receipts: #317 9s. 6d. (334.2.6; 36.2.0; 1.2.0; ticket not come in: 0.3.0)

Event Comment: "...Richard III, which I saw performed at Drury-lane theatre at the beginning of the present season...The dresses of the characters which here make their appearance are in the usual half-and-half mode, made up from portraits of Charles I's reign, and from unrestrained fancy. Richard's habit, indeed, shews a faint hint, at the costume of his day; but how modernized! A fancy cap and feather,with a milliner's white-ribband rose, sewed thereon. A deep ruff, of that make not known until the reign of James I From the neck depends a ribband With the George: this decoration never seen in paintings till about the fashions of the abovementioned monarch's court. On his legs and feet, white silk stockings, white shoes, and red roses. These latter ornaments unknown before Elizabeth or James I's modes of dress prevailed; at any rate, they should have been white ones to have accorded with the party-badge in his cap." Writer signing himself "An Artist and an Antiquary" in Gentleman's Magazine, Apr. 1800, p. 319. Receipts: #225 16s. 6d. (178.3.6; 47.12.0; 0.1.0)