Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Greville. Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Greville, No. 1, Queen's-court, King-street, Covent-garden. [This was Mrs Pinto's last appearance on the stage (but see 12 May 1786).]

Event Comment: "Of [Holman's] faults his manner after the death of Tybalt was the most censurable: horror and concern for an action should not be expressed by appearing out of breath" (Public Advertiser, 29 Nov.). Receipts: #204 11s. (203/5; 1/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Abington. Pit and Boxes will be laid together. Ladies and Gentlemen are most earnestly requested to come early, to prevent Inconvenience in getting to their Places, and to send their Servants to keep them by Four o'clock. "At the close of the entertainment Mrs Abington came forward, and delivered a short poetical address to her fashionable auditory [written by Maurice Morgann (Monthly Mirror, Nov. 1797, p. 263)], apposite to her feelings on the present occasion" (Morning Herald, 11 Feb.). "The character [of Scrub] throughout was well conceived, and executed with a sprightliness and degree of humour that kept the house in a continual roar of laughter" (Public Advertiser, 11 Feb.) "Mrs Abington's voice was in its usual tone; her manners and deportment were inattentive and torpid, rather than active and interesting" (Morning Post, 11 Feb.). "With all her endeavours to give new points to the character, she entirely failed. Her appearance en culottes, so preposterously padded, exceeded nature. Her gestures to look comical could not get the least hold of the audience, though they had seen her before in men's clothes, when playing Portia in The Merchant of Venice, where her figure, dressed as a lawyer in his gown, gave effect to her excellent delivery on mercy, and the audience had been always delighted. But this leu de benefice, comparatively speaking, was disgusting and absurd as she dressed the character ... However, I have heard it originated in a bet she had previously made" (Henry Angelo, Reminiscenes, 11, 281-82). Receipts: #406 13s. 6d. (249/9/6; 1/9/0; tickets: 155/15/0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: "The simple melody of 'Cease your funning' need alone be adverted to in proof of the pathos of Mrs Billington's manner; and when it was encored, the repetition had every mark of variety" (Morning Herald, 22 Feb.). Receipts: #218 7s. (217/0; 1/7)

Event Comment: [Seymour is identified in European Magazine, Oct. 1787, p. 315. Address by Edward Hickey Seymour (London Chronicle, 4 Oct.).] "The clock striking two -instead of the usual folly of a small table bell, when Macbeth's drink was ready -forms an alteration of much good sense and propriety" (World, 2 Oct.). "Of the Lady Macbeths [since the time of Garrick] Mrs Siddons has exhibited the most happy effect of her skill -has shown a portrait of Lady Macbeth which before existed but in imagination. Mrs Yates claims the second place of eminence; her deportment and manner were equal to Mrs Siddons, but very inferior to her in pathos and energy. Mrs Pope's performance lays claim to praise, particularly in the sleeping scene, but there is a certain delicacy and tenderness associated with the powers of that lady which prevents her giving a glowing picture of that female fiend. Mrs Bates's performance was sufficiently marking and bold in some passages, but the whole wanted uniformity and finishing" (Public Advertiser, 4 Oct.). Receipts: #225 (224.5; 0.15)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. "Desdemona was happily pourtrayed by Mrs Pope, particularly...her manner of receiving the blow from Othello, by shewing she felt it as for the loss of her husband's affection rather than the indignity offered her sex" (Public Advertiser, 21 Apr.). Public Advertiser, 31 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Pope at his house in Half-Moon Street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #184 9s. 6d. (125.10.0; 3.13.6; tickets: 55.6.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells, mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Frederick Reynolds. Prologue by Robert Merry. Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews (World, 16 May)]. Morning Herald, 30 Mar. 1793: This Day is published The Dramatist (1s. 6d.). Public Advertiser, 29 Apr: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No 15, Beaufort Buildings, Strand. Receipts: #291 8s. 6d. (173.19.0; 9.9.6; tickets: 108.0.0)

Event Comment: The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 3 May 1790]. Paid Say for Tallow Candles last Season #88 6s. 3d. "That beautiful and best drawn character that the world ever saw, Sir John Falstaff, was mangled by Ryder. He substitutes savageness to jollity, and stiff mimicry to the natural debauchery that should hang as easily on Sir John as the Roomy mantle he moves in...Lewis gave us more the manner of the pretty man of fashion than of a dissipated hero" (Prompter, 4 Nov.). Receipts: #168 1s. 6d. (164.12.6; 3.9.0)

Event Comment: [As afterpiece the playbill announces The Follies of a Day, but "In consequence of an accident to Miss Farren The Follies of a Day was unavoidably postponed, in lieu was represented The Liar [which is also listed in the Account-Book]. Mrs Kemble being indisposed, Miss Collins personated Miss Grantham in a manner which greatly added to Miss Collins's reputation" (Diary, 11 Oct.). And see 10 May 1791.] Receipts: #289 7s. 6d. (239.15.0; 48.7.6; 1.5.0)

Event Comment: "There is no peace between the opera theatres; the Haymarket rather triumphs. They have opened twice, taking money in an evasive manner, pretending themselves concerts; the singers are in their own clothes, the dancers dressed, and no recitative--a sort of opera in deshabille (Walpole [31 Mar. 1791], XIV, 399-400)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wood, Percey, Cameron, Wilson, George, Woollams. Kemble Mem.: Benefit for the Boxkeepers. A New Edition of the [mainpiece] to be had at the Theatre. "Went to play. Mrs Jordan in 'Rosalind.' I am still of opinion, there is more in her person and natural manners than in her acting. Her merit lies out of her part. The words set down by the author she does not repeat with great propriety of tone, emphasis, or gesture, than others. But she has of these, certain peculiarities, which indicate dispositions, such as take strong hold of the affections, at least of the male part of her audience; and therefore, when the part is of a sort to admit a large portion of these, she produces a great effect. The true acting of the part may, in many instances, not require what she throws into it, but it may admit it; and if the expression so thrown in is of the sort described, the effect of the whole will be improved, though the part is thereby neither better nor worse acted" (Windham Diary, 28 May 1791, 227). Receipts: #363 4s. 6d. (33.5.0; 9.5.6; 2.13.0; tickets: 318.1.0) (charge: #117 1s. 7d.)

Event Comment: [Prologue by John Peter Roberdeau (European Magazine, Aug. 1791, p. 141).] "Of Palmer Sen.'s? acting the chief fault is...a manner by far too juvenile. He has very much the turn of countenance and mode of speech suitable to Falstaff, but his gait has no appearance of debility or infirmity, and is such as any man might use, incumbered by the same dress" (Gazetteer, 21 June)

Event Comment: [This is the only occasion in the 18th century when a play was acted in London on this date. "The performance at the Haymarket on the 30th of January has been noticed by his Majesty in a manner which is still a topic of conversation in the higher circles...There will be no more theatrical performances on the 30th of January" (London Chronicle, 28 Feb.). On 3 Feb. the Lord Chamberlain wrote to Sheridan as follows: "Sir--Information has been received at this Office that Theatrical Entertainments were exhibited at the Theatre, under your direction, in St. James's Haymarket on the 30th of Last Month, contrary to all precedent, and repugnant to Decency, being the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of King Charles the First. I do not know by what Authority such a Step was taken but, as Chamberlain of His Majesty's Household, think it my Duty to desire that you will be pleased to Cause the Practice to be discontinued in future. I am, Sir, Your Obedient, Humble Servant, Salisbury" (MS Letters to Sheridan from Various Correspondents,II, 64, in Harvard Theatre Collection). The Morning Chronicle on 31 Jan. offered another opinion: "It gave us infinite pleasure that last night we happily broke through one of the most absurd fasts in the calendar. The Managers of Drury Lane, with proper regard to the public, rescued them from the common dullness of a 30th of January." But the absurd fast remained in force until 1843.] Receipts: #339 18s. (291.4; 40.0; 8.11; ticket not come in: 0.3)

Event Comment: 2nd piece: The Characters will be dressed in the Habits of the Times. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "The Eustache de St. Pierre of Bensley was his Chef d'oeuvre: it suited the sourness of his aspect, his nasal intonation, and the general bluntness of his manner" (Monthly Mirror, 1796, p. 185)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. 2nd piece: Written by Edward Jerningham, Esq., with Alterations and Additions (interspersed with Music, after the manner of Rousseau's Pygmalion). The Music composed by Hook. The subject of the above Performance is taken from a remarkable incident in the Life of Margaret . Morning Herald, 2 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Pope at her house, No. 5, Half-moon-street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #368 15s

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. At the particular Desire of his Excellency the Ambassador [see 7 May] from the Sublime Porte:. 3rd piece: At End of Act I of the DIVERTISEMENT. Written by Edward Jerningham, Esq., with Alterations and Additions, interspersed with Music, after the manner of Rousseau's PYGMALION. Morning Chronicle, 19 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Pope, Half-Moon-street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #231 17s. (138/14; 3/3; tickets: 90/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With new Dresses and Decorations. "[Miss Wallis] does not seem to have chosen any particular model to govern her acting, like most of the female candidates of late years, who have generally founded their manner upon the style of Mrs Siddons" (London Chronicle, 9 Oct.). Receipts: #228 1s. 6d. (224.5.0; 3.16.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Banti. A Grand Serious Opera (1st time in this country [1st performed at Vienna, 1767]), accompanied with Chorusses and Dances. The music entirely by Gluck. With entirely new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Books of the Opera now to be had at the Office of the Theatre, and at Beckett, Bookseller, Pall Mall. Morning Chronicle, 28 Apr.: To be performed exactly in the same manner as it was represented at Paris, under the direction of Gluck himself. Tickets to be had of Mme Banti, No. 3, Hay-market. Bartolozzi having presented Mme Banti, for her night, with a Ticket designed on purpose and engraved by himself, she proposes to give one of the engravings along with each Box and Pit Tickets, separately from the Ticket which will be admitted at the door. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:15 [see 20 June]

Event Comment: 2nd piece: The Customs of the Tribunal, &c., as 23 Oct. 3rd piece: Representation of the Indian Manner, &c., as 26 Oct. Receipts: #130 9s. 6d. (123.14.6; 6.15.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [altered by John Philip Kemble]: With new Scenes, Dresses, Decorations, and Machinery. In Act I, at the opening will be introduced, for the First Time a Battle between the Macedonians and the Persians. In Act IV, the Royal Banquet. [These were included in all subsequent performances.] The Scenes designed and painted by Marinari. The Dresses and Decorations by Johnston and Miss Rein. The Machinery by Cabanel. "[In the last scene] the expiring tone with which [Kemble] pronounces 'Cover me'; his shivering, when wrapt round in the imperial robes; his wan and wasted countenance; the manner of his labouriously drawing his legs together, and their aguish knocking when they meet, surpass all description" (Monthly Mirror, Jan. 1796, p. 180). Receipts: #375 2s. 6d. (306.14.6; 67.3.0; 1.5.0)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; MF 2, by Prince Hoare]: The Music principally composed by Shield [and selected from Paisiello]. The Overture by W. Parke. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. 3rd piece: Representation of the Indian Manner, &c., as 26 Oct. 1795. Account-Book, 22 Feb.: Paid Hoare in full for Lock & Key #210. Receipts: #197 10s. (195.6; 2.4)

Event Comment: Benefit for Master Welsh. [2nd piece in place of The Sultan, advertised on playbill of 10 May. Medley is identified in MS list in Kemble playbills of new performers for this season.] "A riot took place this evening, occasioned by the performance of Skirmish by a new actor. This person, wanting every quality requisite for the stage, performed so very much to the dissatisfaction of the audience, that the piece was mutilated in such a manner that for some time it was insisted on that the whole should be repeated more perfectly and by another actor. This being impossible, some mischief was threatened, but after a short time the disturbance ceased" (European Magazine, June 1796, p. 396). Morning Herald, 30 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Master Welsh, No. 9, St. Margaret-street, Westminster. Receipts: #292 4s. (84.11.6; 47.15.6; 12.14.0; tickets: 146.19.6; odd money: 0.3.6). (charge: free)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: The principal parts of the Compilation from The Choice of Harlequin. The Magic Cavern, The Enchanted Castle, The Sylphs, The Sorcerer. The Music compiled from, and composed by Michael Arne, Shield, J. C.? Bach, Spofforth, &c. The Scenery, Machinery and Decorations are partly new, and the rest completely repaired by Hodgins, Phillips, Hollogan. Blackmore, and assistants. Receipts: #210 14s. 6d. (209.16.6; 0.18.0)