Event Comment: Alteration of Shakespeare's Play by Garrick. New Scenes and Habits. Full Prices

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted this season. Tomorrow will be Reviv'd the second part of King Henry the 4th, New Dress'd in the Habits of the Times (playbill). [In a letter 14 Nov. 1762, T. H. suggested to Garrick a scenic device for the last scene of Act II, of the Wonder, a device he had noted in the Portuguese theatres in Lisbon, to give a view of a number of gallants passing before the window of a lady": two large windows to be made in the scene, cover'd with gauze to give a transparancy and the effect of glass, the windows to be barrel likewise in imitation of a casement (Harvard, D. Garrick, Original MSS (1930) No. 6. TS 1116.256.3).

Event Comment: [R+Rich's Register lists The English Merchant.] Paid Blandford (tallow chandler) #49 8s. 10d. Paid George Garrick for use of the managers #15 15s.; Paid French on account #20; Advanced to Granier on note #4 2s. 10d.; to Keen on note #4 4s. Rec'd stopages 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Sylas Neville (Neville MS Diary): With difficulty got into the Pit at Drury Lane, where I stood at the side so jambed up that I could not read the newspaper I carried: But I saw the play very well. It was Rule a Wife and Have a Wife, with the Farce of the Devil to Pay. Duke by Havard, Cacafago by Love, very well. Copper Capt. by Palmer, pretty well. Old woman pretty well by Mrs Baddeley, Astifania by Mrs Pritchard excellently, tho she is too old for the first part of this character. Leon inimitably by Garrick. I think he shows a good deal of Abel drugger, [both published and unpublished portions of the Neville Diary.] Receipts: #261 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: TThe Stratagem not acted for 3 years. Archer not acted by Garrick for 5 years. [See 20 May 1766, and 13 Oct. 1762.] I had not time to dine, Garrick being to play. Tho' I got into the Pit 15 minutes past 4, oblig'd to stand in the well....Scrub very well by Weston....The play was very well performed. The Doctor very well done by Love (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Mr Garrick's first appearance this Season having been at Bath for his health. Play'd finely--called for Prologue, an Apology (Hopkins Diary). Benedick, Mr Garrick (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: Mr Garrick Bays 1st time these four years Very fine House (Hopkins Diary). Mrs King many years actress and dancer will leave the stage at her Benefit. Garrick [will] play for her (Winston MS 10). Paid Marshall & Co. (plumbers) #11 9s. 6d.; Mr Racket (taylor) #20 6d.; Mr Hatsell (mercer) #29 6d.; Mr Ireland (upholsterer) #34 7s.; Barrow & Co (oil merchants) #88 10s.; Printer's Bill #8 12s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #280 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Duke, and the Princesses Amelia, Caroline, and Louisa. Rylands MS.: Garrick Play'd, Duke Attended. Died 31 July, aged 77, Ben Johnson (Winston MS. from Burney's Actors MSS). [See benefit for his daughter 15 Dec.] Receipts: #171

Event Comment: Benefit Macklin. Stage form'd into Front and Side Boxes. N.B. As Mr Macklin has reason to believe that several of his tickets are counterfeited, and will be offer'd for sale in the streets and passages leading to the theatre, he begs leave to give this publick caution of the fraud; and humbly desires that Gentlemen and Ladies who have taken places, to send for tickets to the Theatre, or to Mr Macklin at his House in Bow Street.--Daily Advertiser. Winston MS.: In 1743 Macklin, Mrs Woffington, and Garrick took house No. 6 Bow St.--a joint establishment

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of Several Ladies of Quality. Paid Garrick in full for his performance this season #175. Paid for carpentry at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre 12s. 6d. (Account Books, Egerton 2268). Receipts: #82 16s. 6d

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear. Play to begin at 6 o'clock. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Hobson at the Stage-Door of the Theatre. As the Admittance of Persons behind the Scenes has occasioned a general Complaint on Account of the frequent Interruptions in the Performance, tis hop'd Gentlemen won't be offended, that no Money will be taken there for the future. [This notice appears on succeeding bills for the season and will hence not be repeated. See note on public objection to nonadmittance behind scenes 22 Feb. 1748.] Receipts: #150 (Cross); #I26 12s. (Clay MS). Nichols Literary Anecdotes, II, 319-20: There is one part of theatrical conduct which ought unquestionably to be recorded to Mr Garrick's honour, since the cause of virtue and morality and the formation of public manners are very considerably dependent upon it, and that is the zeal with which he ever aimed to banish from the stage all those plays which carry with them an immoral tendency, and to prune from those which do not absolutely on the whole promote the interests of vice such scenes of licentiousness and libertinism as a redundency of wit and too great liveliness of imagination have induced some of our comic writers to indulge themselves in, and to which the sympathetic disposition of an age of gallantry and intrigue had given a sanction. The purity of the English stage was certainly much more fully establish'd during the administration of this theatrical minister than it had ever been during preceding managements; for, what the publick taste had itself to some measure begun, he, by keeping that taste within its proper channel, and feeding it with a pure and untainted stream, seems to have completed; and to have endeavoured as much as possible to adhere to the promise made in the prologue which was spoken at the first opening of that theatre under his direction, @Bade scenic virtue form the rising age@And truth diffuse her radiance from the stage.

Event Comment: CCross: Mr Garrick first play'd Jaffier very fine-G: Applause. Genest, IV, 237: Barry's figure was pleasing and commanding in Pierre beyond description; but in a critical view he was not suited to the character. Receipts: #195 (Cross); #190 11s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By desire. Powel: Rec'd of Mr Wolfall [Woodfall?] for a ticket for the season to admit one into any part of the house, behind the scenes and to Benefit nights excepted--#15 15s. N.B.: These tickets us'd to be no more than ten guineas each before Mr Garrick's time, as for example Mr Ibbeston upon Ludgate hill, and Mr Tinker gave no more for theirs. Receipts: #170 (Cross); #166 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: [P$Potter reprinted his letter of 18 Jan., and added the footnote: "The person who took the House was a man of genteel appearance, said his name was William Nicholls, and directed letters to be left for him at the Bedford Coffee House, Covent Garden."] [The Prologue and Epilogue spoken by the children of the Prince of Wales on their performing Cato at Leicester House, printed in the General Advertiser.] [This day published] A Letter to Mr G-k, relative to his treble Capacity of Manager, Actor, and Author; with some remarks upon Lethe. All Three! All three! Gay. Sold by W. Reeve in Fleet St.; and A. Dodd, at the Peacock opposite St. Clements Church in the Strand (General Advertiser). [This day published] Lethe, A Dramatick Satire, by David Garrick as it is perform'd at Drury Lane. Printed for P. Vaillant, facing Southampton Street in the Strand. Receipts: #140 (Cross); #144 17s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Pit and boxes laid together, and Front and Side Boxes built on Stage [see 7 March]. Tickets to be had at Mr Barry's, the corner of Bow St., Covent Garden. Mr Garrick first play'd Iago (Cross). [He had played it in Dublin 28 Feb. 1746.] Receipts: #289 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Bridges. Tickets to be had of Mr Bridges at Mr Courteen's in Bow St., Covent Garden; and of Hobson at the stage door. Publish'd this day at 1s. Miss in Her Teens; or, the Medley of Lovers, a Farce in Two Acts, as it is performed at Drury Lane. Written by Mr Garrick. Printed for J. and R. Tonson. Receipts: #140 (Cross); charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: It being the first time of Mr Garrick's playing since his Marriage, the Jests in Benedick were receiv'd with uncommon applause: he married Mad. Viollete, on ye 22d of June: 1749 (Cross). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: The Play of Hamlet is oblig'd to be deferr'd. [An extra notice appeared in the General Advertiser: This evening the Play of the Provok'd Wife will be perform'd at Drury Lane, the parts of Sir John and Lady Brute to be performed by Garrick and Mrs Pritchard."] Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Garrick's New Occasional Prologue publish'd this day in the papers, ending with "Sacred to Shakespeare was this spot designed,@ To pierce the Heart and humanize the mind. But if an empty house...&c." Receipts: #15O (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece "Reviv'd" with proper Decorations. 'Tis hoped no Gentlemen will take it ill they cannot be admitted this night upon the stage, or in the Orchestra on account of the Scenery and Music, that are made use of in the play. [These two notes appear throughout the run of the play, and will not be mentioned further.] The Audience excus'd Mr Garrick speaking the Prologue (Cross). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 years [see 15 Oct. 1743]. Garrick-Osmyn, Pritchd-Zara; Almeria-Bellamy ($Cross). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Suppos'd Garrick's Benefit (Cross). This day publish'd at 1s. Every Man in his Humour, a Comedy written by Ben Johnson [sic] with alterations and additions, as it was perform'd at Drury Lane (General Advertiser). [Inspector No 298 comments on a blemish in the performance of Richard III, where the character of the Lord Mayor has Buffoonry in the handling." Taswell frequently acts it thus, but perhaps is not to blame, the decision as to the manner of the part probably having been made by the Manager (Daily Advertiser and Literary Gazette, 13 Feb.)] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Garrick did Loveless & Miss Houghton (from Covent Garden) Amanda-well-[applause] (Cross). Receipts: #160 ($Cross)

Event Comment: SShuter having engag'd with Mr Rich Garrick in Bayes said you are a good Actor & I am sorry you have left me-a Clap (Cross). Both plays put up for last time of performing this season. Full prices throughout performance. No money returned after curtain is up. Tis hoped no gentlemen will take it ill that they cannot possibly be admitted behind the scenes or into the orchestra, the Entertainment depending chiefly upon the Machinery and Music. Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Garrick being hoarse went not so well as expected (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted these ten years. An Historical Play written by Shakespeare. The Characters New Dress'd. Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. The greatest crowd I ever saw since the Delevals play'd. This (tis said) was Mr Garrick's Benefit (Cross). Receipts: #220 (Cross)