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: 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: [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: 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; 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: Artaxerxes [announced on playbill of 21 May] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of a principal Performer. Afterpiece [1st time; C 3, by Elizabeth Inchbald. Prologue by Henry Sampson Woodfall, Jun. (see text)]: Taken from the celebrated piece called Guerre Ouverte; ou, Ruse Contre Ruse [by Antoine Jean Bourlin, dit Dumaniant]. Public Advertiser, 1 Dec. 1787: This Day is published The Midnight Hour (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #74 5s. (70.2; 4.3)

Event Comment: Benefit for the London Hospital. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken at the Stage Door of the Theatre; the Doors of which will be opened at 5:30, and the Performance to begin precisely at 6:30. No Money to be returned after the Curtain is drawn up, nor will any Person be admitted behind the Scenes. [Master Braham is identified in Grove. Address by Arthur Murphy (Town and Country Magazine, July 1787, p. 324).] This was the opening night of this theatre, which had been built by and was under the management of John Palmer. Following the afterpiece he explained to the audience the objections of the proprietors of dl, cg and hay to his opening the theatre. He said that he had from the Lieutenant of the Tower of London what he considered to be sufficient permission, but that he would nevertheless close the theatre temporarily. Palmer's difficulty was that he had no really legal permission from anybody for the performance of actual plays. See 3 July, and for further details the head-note to this season. World, 18 July, prints an official accoudting for this night from the theatre's treasurer: Receipts were #273 12s.; paid for music, advertisements, servants, &c. #37 10s.; lost in bad silver #1 19s.; paid the London Hospital #234 4s.; the players acted without salary

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Elizabeth Inchbald. Larpent MS 789; not published. Prologue by Henry Sampson Woodfall Jun. (London Chronicle, 17 Dec.); Epilogue by Frederick Pilon (Public Advertiser, 19 Dec.)]. [Miss Blower had 1st appeared at dl, 27 Apr. 1782, and thereafter in Dublin.] Receipts: #180 7s. 6d. (169.19.0; 10.8.6)

Event Comment: "Miss Hilligsberg cannot be praised enough for her exertions and sucess in the execution of [the second] ballet, which has given her an opportunity of making herself perfect in her profession [this being her 1st season on the stage]...The scenery has no doubt by Noverre, and if it is not more magnificent it is not for want of genius on his part, but to spare the purse of the Managers...The Palace of Cupidv for the reception of Psiche in the first, and that of Venus in the last act, with the appearance of Jupiter, &c. in the skies, were very well executed, and beautifully arranged by the actors" (Public Advertiser, 7 Feb.). Receipts: #202 11s. (non-subscription]

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; C 3, by John Philip Kemble, based on 'Tis Well It's No Worse, by Isaac Bickerstaffe]. Morning Chronicle, 13 Mar. 1789: This Day is published The Pannel (1s.). Receipts: #204 8s. (165.3.0; 38.1.6; 1.3.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. Some of the Airs compiled from the best Masters. The rest of the Music, the Overture, Accompanimedts, &c. by Linley? Sen. [Mrs Edwards was from the hay.] Receipts: #197 16s. 6d. (169.19.0; 26.14.6; 1.3.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Ryder. Public Advertiser, 20 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Ryder at his house, No. 5, Bow-street, Covent-garden. 1st piece: The Overture, Airs, &c. by Dr Arnold. The selected by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Giardini, Bertoni, Dr Arne, Carolan the Irish Bard. 2nd piece: 1st time Here. Translated from the French of La Bonne Mere, by Horatio Edgar? Robson, and at this Time reading with great success and general applause by LeTexier in Lisle-Street [and 1st acted at the hay, 22 Aug. 1788]. 3rd piece [1st time; F 2, by Thomas Ryder, altered from The Man of Parts, by Isaac Jackman; not published]. Receipts: #271 0s. 6d. (191.15.6; 5.7.0; tickets: 73.18.0)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Miss Farren, "but on account of the sudden indisposition of Miss Farren her part in the play was read by Mrs Ward, who gave it with great effect, and having studied Miss Farren's manner, was a very tolerable substitute" (Diary, 2 May).] Afterpiece [1st time; C 3, by John Philip Kemble]: Taken from [The Country Lasses; or] The Custom of the Manor [by Charles Johnson]. Diary, 6 May 1789: This Day is published The Farm House (1s.). And see 6 May. Receipts: #165 3s. (125.12.0; 34.18.6; 4.12.6)

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: Mainpiece [1st time; C 3, by Elizabeth Inchbald, based on Le Philosophe Marie, by Philippe Nericault, dit Destouches]. Public Advertiser, 1 Aug. 1789: This Day is published The Married Man (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 2nd piece [1st time; C 3, by Thomas Bellamy; on 24 Aug. and thereafter reduced to 2 acts. MS: Larpent MS 841; not published]. Public Advertiser, 4 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 2, Frith-street, Soho

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), author unknown. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: Consisting of the most Approved Scenes of the following Pantomimes: The Witches, The Cauldron, The Genii, Fortunatus, Queen Mab, The Elopement, &c. The Music from Eminent Masters. The Scenes by Greenwood. [This is not the same as the pantomime of the same name acted at cg, 26 Dec. 1776.] [In mainpiece the playbill retains Barrymore as Claudio, but "Benson [was] the substitute of Barrymore in Claudio" (London Chronicle, 28 Dec.). Dubois, in the afterpiece, was from Sadler's Wells.] Receipts: #217 4s. 6d. (186.9.0; 28.16.6; 1.19.0)