Event Comment: JJuliet is now the talk of ye Town, & tho' there are critics, in general meets with approbation (Cross)

Event Comment: MMacklin has built two magnificent Rooms, ground floor [one] for Coffee, the other a [meeting] Room (Winston MS 8). [The Tuner pub. at 1s. by Dr Hiffernan. Fifty-three pages touching on theatre in general but particularly on Boadicia. There is no plot in the play...Boadicia is a monster well deserving what she suffers; therefore is neither an object of Terror or Compassion: but of Detestation. Sh deserts us in the third act...Tender-hearted Venusia is introduc'd to be whined to death...There is scarce any sentiment throughout; no moral to be deduced...the Diction...favors more of the level, languid, and underepic, than of the vigorous marrowy, tragic style...Never was Author more oblig'd to Performers, they acted to the full amount of his meaning; the Matter often fail'd Mr Garrick's continued and vigorous exertion."] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit and support of the General Lying-In Hospital for Married and Unmarried Poor Objects in Duke Street Grosvenor Square

Event Comment: Soon as Mr Garrick appear'd, a great Clap, with some hissing upon wch he said-Gentlemen it is impossible to go on with these hisses, I don't know what offence I am guilty of-they clap'd greatly-& he proceeded-Let one Gentleman speak for the rest & I'll give an Answer-there was a moments pause, & then a general cry of-Go on with the Play &c., all ceased-& all continu'd quiet (Cross). Receipts: #190 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A new farce by Doctor Heffinal [sic] for his benefit. O Sad! (Cross). Tickets at Forrest Coffee House, The Bedford, and Randall's, and author's lodgings at Mew's Coffee House. To the Printer of the Public Advertiser, 24 April: Sir, Let this suffice for a general answer to all unfriendly whispers or paragraphs against the new farce to be performed tonight at Drury Lane -its author never previously Caballed, never published his sentiments of any stage performance till after the run -then neither the writer nor manager could be injured -its principal characters are Lady Protea, a coquet alarmed at the apprehension of dying amid; Lord Epigram Strainwit, a pert coxcomical witling; Dr Matho, a Virtuoso, Antiquarian, and in love; Dreadnought Broadside, a sea-officer and strenuous Antigallican. I am &c. Receipts: #90 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for the General Lying-In Hospital in Duke St., Grosvenor Square

Event Comment: Benefit for the General Lying-In Hospital for married and unmarried Women, in Duke's St., Grosvenor Square. Ladies desired to send servants by 3 o'clock. Tickets to be had at Arthur's, the Bedford, and the Temple Exchange Coffee Houses and also at the aforesaid Hospital. Tickets delivered for The Revenge will be taken. Next Week will be publish'd a Key to Lilliput in a letter to the Author of the Dramatic Entertainment. "Open Locks, whoever Knocks." Receipts: #266 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece by Mr Foote (Cross). [Foote advertised that persons in the Author were fictitious, some having said his past friends were introduced. See Theatrical Review, 1757, and Public Advertiser this day: "Whereas it has been represented to the Managers of Drury Lane that Mr Foote in his new Farce call'd the Author, intends introducing the Character of a Gentleaan for whom he has the greatest esteem and regard, he thinks it incumbent upon him to assure the Public, that all the persons in that piece are fictitious and general. Samuel Foote."] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: [For Cross' comment, see dl.] Receipts: #203 8s. 6d. Paid Barry one third of the surplus of this night's receipt over and above #80 allow'd for the charges:-#41 2s. 10s. Paid Lambert (Scene Painter) 3 month's salary to 16 Nov. last:-#25 (Account Book). [Lee, who seems to have entered earlier on a percentage-of-Box-Receipts: basis for his salary, received only one-third of receipts above a house charge of #100.] The Tragedy of King Lear was presented on this stage; King Lear by Mr Barry, and Cordelia by Mrs Bellamy; The latter was received with universal satisfaction; but on the former's appearance, after a thundering Peal of Applause, a few misguided persons made it necessary for Mr Barry to inform the audience that it ever had been his study to contribute his utmost to the entertainment of the town, and that all reports of his having been exorbitant in his demands were injurious and totally groundless. Upon this he was desired with one general acclamation to proceed in the play. The disturbers of the public were ordered to be silent or to be turned out of the house; and this great actor proved, by the improvement he has made in this character, that excellent as he is, he is still capable of reaching new strokes of perfection; and in the conclusion of the play the applause he met with was the tribute of hearts gratefully agitated through the whole performance with a variety of passions thrown into a ferment by powers most wonderfully suited to tenderness and compassion (London Chronicle, 3-6 Dec.)

Event Comment: Benefit for General Lying-In Hospital. Pit and Boxes to be laid together at half a guinea. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 2s. 6d. To begin at half an hour after Six. Tickets deliver'd out for the 27th will be taken

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. [The London Chronicle 1758, p. 462, comments fully and very favorably on the performance of The Wonder, specifying the acting of Garrick, Miss Macklin, Palmer, and Mrs Davies, adding: "To this comedy was added a Pantomime Entertainment called Harlequin Ranger, which in spite of whatever may be urged to the contrary, I think diverting. And though it is against the general opinion, Woodward's pantomimes are, in my judgment, much superior to Rich's."] Receipts: #180 (Cross); #153 9s. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Benefit for ye General Lying-in-Hospital. Afterpiece a new farce (Cross). Part of Pit laid into Boxes & Amphitheatre on Stage. Ladies are desired to send their servants at 3 o'clock. Receipts: #320 (Cross); Charges #84 (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: This Day Publish'd elegantly printed in one Volume Octavo (Dedicated to the Right Hon. Garret, Lord Mornington) A General View of the Stage, by Mr Wilks, of Dublin. Printed for J. Coote. [Contains 355 pages on the stage and its usefulness in presenting tragedy, comedy, opera, farce and pantomime. Discusses the art of acting, reviews plays and parts. Chapter VI on [Dress and its propriety" suggests the growing interest in historical authenticity in costume: [The judicious propriety in 'dress' adapted with sufficient exactitude to the age, time, and circumstances of [the] character...may be call'd the last colourings and finishings of [the] picture; and in this case very much will depend on knowledge of ancient history and historical paintings." Thirty-two pages praising Garrick the actor, and discussing in some detail all the characters he had performed to that time.

Event Comment: Benefit for General Lying-In Hospital. Pit and boxes Half a Guinea. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d

Event Comment: Calculated for the use and entertainment of the town in general, but particularly the admirers of The Minor, and more especially those who have been present at the humorous representations of that piece. 'The plain roast and boiled of the theatres will never do at this table. We must have huge seasoned ragouts, and rich sauces.' Perhaps I may produce something that may hit your palate--What think you of a Mimick? Vide the Introduction of The Minor. Nothing will be taken under full prices. No admittance behind the scenes. Care will be taken to keep the house cool. To begin exactly at Seven

Event Comment: On Monday next at Noon there will be a general Practice on the stage of the new comic Opera call'd Il Filosofo di Campagna

Event Comment: Benefit for the General Lying-in Hospital. (Upper Gallery 3s. 6d.) 3428 helpless women have already been received and preserved, besides 800 out-patients supplied with medicine &c. and many soldiers' and seamens' wives have been taken out of the streets penniless, starving and with Labour pains upon them and admitted at several hours of the night or day without any letter or recommendation whatever. [Long advertisement in Public Advertiser for all to support this charity and at the same time have the "opportunity of seeing a very pleasing Burletta."

Event Comment: Farce in two acts never performed before. Full prices. [See advertisement to Reed's 1761 edition where he accuses Foote of taking the character of Mrs Cole in the Minor from Mrs Snarewell.] A new farce wrote by one Reed, a ropemaker, brought out by Mr Foote--went off tolerable--hissed a little at the end (Hopkins MS Notes). [See advertisement for the Universal Register Office General Advertiser 18 Oct. 1750: This Office being much approv'd and encouraged especially by Ladies and Gentlemen in the Country, we have daily enquiries by those who are just come to town, and many letters from those in the country to procure houses and lodgings, both furnished and unfurnished, for single Gentlemen, Ladies, and Families for the winter; and also boarding houses as well in French Families as in English Families." Announces its books open to any who wish to register there. The afterpiece met with trouble from the Licenser. Larpent MS 189 and 196, indicate the exceptionable passages to be those using profanity, and those of Mrs Snarewell's capable of double entendre, principally about the comfort she received from Mr Watchlight who was called twice out of bed to pray-"so ernest in his ejaculations, &c."

Event Comment: On Monday next there will be a general practice of the new Comic Opera Le Pescatrici at noon on the Stage (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: On Monday morning next at nine will be a general practice of the Opera Il Mercato

Event Comment: On Friday morning at nine o'clock will be a general practice of the new Opera Tolomeo