Event Comment: By Permission. For this Night only. Benefit for Jacobs and Owenson. To begin at 7:00 p.m. [The Public Advertiser, 20 Sept., omits Hamilton] and Walker but adds Jacobs, Everard, and a Young Gentleman 1st time on that Stage.

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: By Authority [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for a Gentleman, who, through unavoidable misfortunes, is reduced to take this method of soliciting the patronage of his Friends and a Generous Public. Tickets delivered for the 26th of April will be admitted. The Doors to be opened at 6:30. To begin exactly at 7:00

Event Comment: [Author of Prologue unknown. In afterpiece the playbill assigns Leander to Mahon, but "after the play Hull made a genteel apology for the non-attendance of Mahon...who, by some unaccountable accident, was not arrived in town, at the same time begging their acceptance of a young Gentleman' (Morning Post, 23 Sept.). For Bowles as Leander see 10 Oct.] Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Sarjant (only) at the Stage-Door. No Persons admitted behind the Scenes, nor any Money returned after the Curtain is drawn up. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 13 Oct.]. Receipts: #187 13s. (186.4; 1.9)