Event Comment: Windham Diary (30 Jan. 1784), 41: On the Wednesday 1 went to see Mrs Crawford in 'Belvidera', and found her much as I expected, though her disparity was very great. I can perhaps better conceive the delusion that, aided by a little prejudice [in favor of Mrs Siddons] and the recollection of Mrs C. in better times, could hesitate about the preference. The chief faults that I should find would be, that her articulation was cramped and timid, her tones sometimes colloquial and vulgar, her action confined, and her countenance inexpressive. A new man of the name of Pope performed; I pronounced him in my own judgment as inferior, upon the whole, to Brereton. [Henderson's 1st appearance as Pierre was at Bath, 14 Oct. 1773.]

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), author unknown. MS not in Larpent; not published]: The Scenery, &c., partly new and partly selected from old and approved Pantomimes. Receipts: #205 7s. (156/6/0; 46/16/6; 2/4/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Rossi. Tickets, half a guinea each, to be had of Mme Rossi, No. 33, Pall-mall. 2nd ballet: With Grand Chorusses; the original Music by Matthew Locke is entirely preserved; the rest partly new [by Barthelemon], partly compiled from the most favourite Scotch Airs. "We cannot think last night's effort among the most successful . . . Lepicq and Rossi were the Macbeth and Lady--and considering the narrow boundaries of their art, which is tongue-tied, they discoursed 'with most miraculous organs.' Still, however, the whole of the material questions of the scene were agitated with all the disadvantages of contrast with comparative inefficience" (Public Advertiser, 18 Mar.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Leonard Macnally. Prologue by ---- Chalmers. Epilogue by ---- Norris (see text, but London Chronicle, 4 Apr., says by Thomas Morris). In 1792 this was acted at this theatre reduced to 3 acts]. Public Advertiser, 30 Apr. 1785: This Day is published Fashionable Levities (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. 1st piece [1st time; PREL I, by John Dent. On 16 Aug. acted at HAY under its 2nd title]. 2nd piece: As altered in 3 acts by Garrick. [Kean was from the HAY.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time in London; co 3, 1st acted at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 30 Jan. 1784. MS: Larpent 703, not published]: Written by [Robert] Jephson [with lyrics by Sir Nathaniel Barry (Larpent MS). In 1787 abridged by John O'Keeffe as Love and War]. With new Scenes and Decorations. A new Overture by the celebrated Haydn. The Airs by David Rizzio, [J. C] Bach, Paisiello, Duni, Carolan, Shield and Tenducci [i.e. "The Music partly compiled by Tenducci; the new Airs composed by Shield" (notice on playbill of 11 May)]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [Afterpiece in place of The Lying Valet, announced on playbill of 11 May.]

Event Comment: Benefit for Walker, Danby, Miss Barnes & Miss Burnett. Tickets delivered for the 18th Instant will be admitted. Receipts: #268 14s. 6d. (50/0/0; 20/0/6; 0/12/0; tickets: 198/2/0) (charge: #109 10s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Waldron. 1st piece: Originally written by the celebrated Monsieur de Beaumarchais, and perform'd innumerably, often at Paris; translated and adapted to the English Stage by the very ingenious Mr Holcroft, Author of several admired Dramatic and other Works; and perform'd with unbounded Applause during Half the Season last Winter at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. 2nd piece: Never acted here; written by Mr O'Keeffe, set to music by Mr Shield, and performed with unceasing Applause at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. 3rd piece: To conclude with the Representation of the Siege of Gibraltar, Elliot's Red Hot Balls, &c. Tickets to be had of Waldron, at the Cock and Magpie

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By the Author of The Son-in-Law, Agreeable Surprise, &c. [John O'Keeffe]

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Thomas Holcroft]: The Overture and the rest of the music entirely new, by Shield. With new Dresses, &c. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 22 Nov. 1785: This Day is published The Choleric Fathers (price not listed). Receipts: #240 4s. (238/3; 2/1)

Event Comment: [Mrs Siddons's 1st appearance as Mrs Lovemore was at Bath, 31 Oct. 1778. Afterpiece in place of The Humourist, announced on playbill of 25 Nov.] "[Mrs Siddons's] retort courteous, mimicry of laugh, and listless indifference of Lovemore were truly excellent . . . [Miss Farren's] descriptions of Ranelagh Ladies meeting, &c. were highly seasoned, and had an excellent counterpart in Smith's appendix" (Public Advertiser, 28 Nov.). Receipts: #232 2s. 6d. (219/3/0; 12/17/0; 0/2/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb]: Some of the Airs compiled from the best Masters [Purcell, Sacchini, et al.]; the rest of the Music, the Overture, Accompaniments, &c. by Linley [Sen.]. [The scenery by Greenwood {Public Advertiser, 15 Dec). In 1792 this opera was altered by the author as The Algerine Slave.] Public Advertiser, 11 Jan. 1786: This Day is published The Strangers at Home (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #200 1s. (183/6/0; 16/10/0; 0/5/0)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Wells, but she "was so ill last night that she could not perform the part of Jane Shore. It was undertaken by Mrs T. Kennedy" (Public Advertiser, 21 Dec.).] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'Keeffe]: The Pantomime, and the whole of the Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, &c. designed and invented by Loutherbourg, and executed under his superintendance and direction by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, Catton Jun., Turner, assisted by two other celebrated artists [all subsequent playbills have "a celebrated artist"; he was the Rev. Matthew William Peters (Public Advertiser, 16 Dec.)]. The Music entirely new, composed by Shield. Books containing a short account of the Pantomime, as well as the Recitatives, Airs, Duets, Trios and Chorusses, and a Description of the Procession, to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. [This was the last theatrical piece for which De Loutherbourg designed the scenery. For a detailed account of it see "De Loutherbourg and Captain Cook", by Ralph G. Allen, Theatre Research, IV, 195-211.] Account-Book, 17 Oct.: Paid De Loutherbourg on acct. #120; 20 Dec.: Paid Goodwin for copying Music #10 14s.; 14 Feb. 1786: Paid O'Keeffe in full for Omai #40. Receipts: #309 19s. (302/7; 7/12)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by John Burgoyne, based in part on Le Pere de Famille, by Denis Diderot. Prologue by the Hon. Richard Fitzpatrick; Epilogue by the author (see text)]: With a Variety of new Scenes [by Greenwood (Daily Universal Register, 16 Jan.)], Dresses, and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 4 Feb. 1786: This Day is published The Heiress (1s. 6d.). "It rarely happens that all the characters of a piece are so well sustained" (Morning Chronicle, 16 Jan.). "We never saw a play more admirably performed in all its parts" (Gazetteer, 16 Jan.). "In point of performance the comedy had every advantage" (Morning Herald, 16 Jan.). Receipts: #226 2s. (205/10; 20/7; 0/5)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2]: Written by the Author of The Poor Soldier [John O'Keeffe. Text 1st published in his Dramatic Works, Vol. IV (T. Woodfall, 1798)]. With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. The Airs partly compiled, the new Music, Overture, and all the Accompaniments composed by Shield. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 6 Apr.: Paid O'Keeffe in full for Love in a Camp #105. Receipts: #189 2s. 6d. (175/1/6; 14/1/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years [acted 22 Jan. 1784. Epilogue by John Wolcot (European Magazine, May 1786, p. 369)]. Afterpiece: With Additional Songs, &c., as 28 Apr. Morning Herald, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Pope at his house, Half-Moon Street, Piccadilly. "There is a mellow richness in [Pope's] voice superior to any other performer on the stage" (Candid Strictures, p. 47). Receipts: #255 16s. 6d. (156/13/0; 2/14/6; tickets: 96/9/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Phillimore, Spencer & Danby. Morning Chronicle, 22 May: Tickets to be had of Phillimore, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden; of Spencer, The Garrick's Head, Bow-street, Covent Garden; of Danby, Wardourstreet, Soho. Receipts: #251 15s. (26/9/0; 13/0/6; 0/17/6; tickets: 211/8/0) (charge: #107 8s. 11d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Some Airs compiled from best Masters. Rest of Music, the Overture, Accompaniments, &c. by Linley? Sen. Afterpiece: With a Sea-Fightv and Processionv. [These were included in both subsequent performances.] Receipts: #201 16s. (154.15; 45.18; 1.3)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Leonard Macnally, adapted from the same, by Michel Jean Sedaine. Not in Larpent MS; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Chronicle, 17 Oct. For text of abridged version see 21 Oct.]: Taken from the celebrated French Opera of that Name. With the original Overture, Airs, Duetts, Trios, Chorusses and Finale, by the celebrated Gretry. To which are added Compositions by the following Masters; Anfossi, Bertoni, Duni, David, Rizzio, Carolan, Tenducci, and Shield. With new Dresses, Scenery and other Decorations. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [The printed score (Longman & Broderip, c. 1786) indicates that the music was adapted by Shield; it does not refer to Duni, Rizzio or Tenducci, but includes Philip Hayes and John Wilson. After the 1st 4 performances the mainpiece was reduced to an afterpiece of 3 short acts; see 21 Oct.] Account-Book, 28 Nov.: Paid Macnally in full for Coeur de Lion #121 18s. 6d. "Inchbald we thought [was] rather hardly dealt with. His voice happened to fail him in a particular turn of the tune he was singing, and some of the audience were ungenerous enough to disconcert him so far that he made a modest bow and retired [leaving his part unfinished. In consequence of this] a duet that was to have been sung by the King from the battlements of the castle, and Blondel without the walls, on which the turn of the fable hinged, was omitted; a circumstance that could not but materially affect the intrinterest, as it destroyed the connexion of the fable" (Morning Chronicle, 17 Oct.). [The following day Inchbald withdrew from his engagement at cg.] Receipts: #249 12s. 6d. (247.11.6; 2.1.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Frederick Pilon. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (see text). In 1794 reduced to an afterpiece of 3 acts]. Public Advertiser, 30 Nov. 1786: This Day is published He Wou'd be a Soldier (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #246 6s. (243.5; 3.1)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by Miles Peter Andrews. Larpent MS 752, as The Castle of Wonders; not published; synopsis of action in Morning Post, 27 Dec.]: With new Music, Scenes, Machinery, Dresses, and Decorations. A few of the Airs compiled from Purcell, Travers, Sacchini, &c. The Rest of the Music composed by Shield. The Scenery and Machinery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and many Assistants. To conclude with a Representation of the Inside of a Nabob's Palacev. Books of the Songs [which assign only Colombine ] to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Account-Book, 6 Mar. 1787: Paid Shield in full for Compositions #100. Receipts: #242 4s. (239.8; 2.16)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by James Cobb. Prologue by the author (see text)]. Public Advertiser, 22 Jan. 1787: This Evening be published The First Floor (1s.). Receipts: #227 (187.0; 39.4; 0.16)