Event Comment: This Comedy was written by Mr Kelly as soon as the Curtain was drawn up they began to hiss--a party was made against it--because he was suspected of Writing for the Court party. Much hissing. Mr Garrick call'd for. No play &c. Cry'd out, at last the play was got thro' with much hissing and Groaning When the play was given out again One Party was for it no more and Kelly's party was for it again so that no play at all was given out (Hopkins Diary). [See Criticism in "British Theatre" article, London Magazine, March, also an extended account of the attack upon the piece. This occurs also in the Town and Country Magazine, which mentions that since the curtain was not drawn up for the farce the audience received a refund.

Event Comment: Benefit for Waldron and Dimond. Rec'd stopages #15 16s. Paid salary list #525 12s.; Mr King's extra salary #3; Mrs Canning in full of salary not on list (10 Guineas paid 20 Nov. last deducted)-#32 10s.; Mr G. Garrick on Acct in full for this season #50; Mr J. French ditto #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #188 11s. 6d. Charges: #64 11s. Profits to Waldron & Dimond: #124 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. [Author of Address unknown.] 1st piece: By the Author of Love in a Village, &c. [Isaac Bickerstaffe]; not acted these 16 years [1st acted at DL, 24 Nov. 1770], by Veterans of the Stage. 2nd piece: By the late Samuel Foote, Esq. 3rd piece: By Garrick; not acted these 12 years. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00

Event Comment: Receipts: #120 (Cross); #124 4s. 6d. (George Garrick's Drury Lane MS Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Ye King's Command but not (by order) in ye Bills (Cross). Present His Majesty, 2nd time this season. [The George Garrick Drury Lane MS Treasurer's Book makes its first entry Mon. 30 Oct. 1749, indicating an expenditure to date of #1,733 2s. 7d. as against an income of #3,455 6s. 6d. and that Mon. was the twenty-ninth night of performance. The Treasurer's Book carries full entries until the 165th night, Sat. 28 April 1750. First itemizing of expenditures begins Wed. 1 Nov. 1749 as follows: Paid to Pipe & Tabor to Sat., 10s. 6d.; to 2 French Horns and a Kettle Drum, 15s.; to 12 1!2 lbs. Wax Candles, #1 11s. 3d.; To Properties and King's servants, #3 2s. 5d. [N.B. The use of extra musical instruments (horns, flutes, cymbols, kettle drum) averaged 6s. per night for the 165 nights. The season extended to 174 nights; so the approximate total cost for instruments came to #52 4s. Properties expense averaged 5s. per night. The approximate total cost was #43 11s. No further itemization of these will be made.] This month was publish'd The Rosciad; a Poem, by Charles Churchill (Gentleman's Magazine, Register of Books). Receipts: #70 (Cross); #73 2s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Middlesex Hospital. House Charges #84. [Profit to Hospital #10 11s. The Treasurer's Book does not break down charges as minutely as does the Covent Garden Account Book. They are lump sum affairs. Nor does Victor include ticket receipt analysis.] Paid George Garrick for use of the managers #169; B. Johnson's Head Bill #1 11s. 9d. Philips for men's cloaths #10 10s.; Costain for old point lace #1 15s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #94 11s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. House charges #66 3s. 6d. [Profit to Palmer #74 18s. 6d.] Afterpiece: Not acted for 14 years. [See 11 Feb. 1748.] Last till after the holidays. Paid George Garrick on account #50 and French on account #20; Salary list #290 12s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #141 2s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Beaumont and Fletcher [and altered by George Colman elder]. The Music by Purcell. New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice at the Theatre. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Servants to keep places are to be at the Door in Suffolk-street by Five o'Clock

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. King of Denmark. Richard-Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). For the King of Denmark.--Richard by Mr Garrick, for the first time these six years-Beyond discription fine, -his voice clear to the last (Hopkins Diary). No money taken at stage door. None returned after curtain is up. The doors (by particular desire) will be opened at half an Hour after Five. To Begin at Seven. Neville MS Diary: Hearing about 7 o'clock that Garrick did Richard III, one of his very capital characters which he has not done these 7 or 8 years, resolved (if I could get in to see him) to bear the abhorred sight of that woman-like painted puppy, the King of Denmark. After one unsuccessful attempt got into the Pit with the greatest difficulty after the third act. Garrick is inimitably great in Richard & very different from the other Richards I have seen; his expression of the dying agony of that wretch is beyond description. Some actors speak with as strong & loud voice in that scene as if they had received no wound & were not dying. One Lloyd, who waits on Garrick sometimes, observed that he himself says he never acted better in his life, modestly observing that something must be allowed to the improvement of his judgment. During the dance (for there was no farce) I was within a yard of the Danish tyrant

Event Comment: Ladies send servants by 5 to keep Places and prevent Confusion. Doors will be opened at half after five o'clock. To begin at half after 6 o'clock (playbill). Mr G. Voice and Spirits was never finer he never wanted Spirit or Voice thro' the whole part and Convinced the Audience that those Amazing powers he has always possess'd are now as brilliant as ever. Never was a part play'd with greater Propriety nor an Audience more lavish of their Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] [A full column letter for the Morning Chronicle this date from Theatricus to Garrick protested the fact that his announced benefit for the Theatrical Fund on the 30th of May would be all sold out to the highest bidders for tickets; that a nobleman offering ten Guineas for four box seats would get them in preference to the tradesmen who offered only a pound, the stated price of the tickets. Since charity was the cause this writer suggested that Garrick give a second benefit night to the Fund, with the hopes (1) that the Fund would be thereby vastly increased, and (2) that opportunity might be given for twice as many People to see a Garrick final performance. It was, perhaps, in response to this public request that Garrick gave a second Benefit night for the Fund on 10 June. The Morning Post, 29 May, noted: "The concourse of servants assembled yesterday morning at seven o'clock, at Drury Lane Stage Door, to take places for the approaching benefit, in which it is said Mr Garrick will again play Richard III , was astonishing, amounting to many hundreds, three fourths of which were not able to Succeed in their embassies' (Hampden, Journal).] Receipts: #307 3s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The People flock'd about the doors by Two o'clock. there never was a greater Overflow-Mr G. was never happier in Lear -the Applause was beyond description 3 or 4 loud Claps Succeeding one another at all his exits and many Cry'd out Garrick for Ever &c., &c. House (Hopkins Diary). [Kemble's note differs slightly.] Paid Mr Short, Chorus Singer #1 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Hannah More wrote to Mrs Gwatkin: The eagerness of the people to see Garrick is beyond anything you can have an idea of. You will see half a dozen duchesses and countesses a night in the upper boxes: for the fear of not seeing him at all, has humbled those who used to go, not for the purpose of seeing but being seen; and they now courtsy to the ground for the worst places in the house" (Hampden, Journal). [Letter to David Garrick, Esq on his appearance in Lear last night 13 May: The correspondent who signs himself Stock Fish and who claims to have been one of the survivors of the Black Hole of Calcutta, and who took a young lady from the country to see Garrick's last performance, blames him for endangering the lives of his majesties subjects for not providing proper bars, lanes, and queue lines to handle the crowds: "I went with intention to get into the Pit as the most eligible Part of the House (for your Boxes are always engag'd) and we got to the Door in Vinegaryard about five o'clock. Here the Passage to the first Door was too full for me to entertain any Hopes of getting in that Way, we therefore made for Catharine-street but the Multitudes of People waiting for the Opening of the Gallery-doors, rendered it impossible for us to get along through the Court; we therefore made a Circuit, and at length arrived opposite the Door in Catharine-street, where it was with Difficulty we could keep our Stands on a Foot Pavement....You will be absolutely inexcusable, if after this Warning you neglect to adopt some Method for the Security of the Lives of his Majesties Subjects on similar Occasions.--What think you of the following Scheme, viz. To keep the outer Doors next the Street shut, till the inner ones are opened ; and then, by a Proper bar, to prevent more than one at a Time entering, who shall there pay Entrance-money, and receive the Tickets of Admission through the inner Doors' (Public Advertiser 18 May).] Receipts: #308 1s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: This Tragedy is taken from ye French by ye Revd Mr Francis. A great Noise before ye play began, occasion'd by ye Music not playing what they lik'd, they being Palted wou'd not come into the Orchestra-a Branch knock'd down, Candles thrown &c.-Mr Garrick went on, order'd ye Music in, & all was quiet-went off with great Applause (Cross). Never acted before. Characters New Dress'd Mr Garrick is intitled to my sincerest Gratitude for his Performance as an Actor, and for his Punctuality as a Manager...his strong good Sence, with that Spirit of Theatrical Criticism, which is his peculiar natural Genius (Prefatory matter by Francis first in ed.). Receipts: 180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Wrote by one Mr Crisp. A Gentlewoman, who never appear'd upon ye Stage before did Marcia (Mrs Graham) & had deservidly great applause, the whole play went off, with General Approbation. Mr Carey had his fiddle broke by an apple playing the first Music--the Prologue & Epilogue much lik'd--both wrote by Garrick (Cross). Gentlewoman-Mrs Graham, afterwards Mrs Yates (Winston MS 8). Tuner Letter the 2nd pub. at 6d.--29 pages

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted these 30 years. This day publish'd. Price 1s. Reflections upon Theatrical Expression in Tragedy. [By Roger Pickering. This is a defense of the theatrical profession, "which in all countries is considered low and contemptible." Author's thesis: "A master of theatrical expression in all its extensive significancy must be possess'd of such accomplishments, as to set the profession above all contempt." Garrick is mentioned as best example. True tragic expression "requires Genius, Education, Reading, Experience...and a solidity of thought which never accompanies abject morals" (p. 11). Includes an interesting treatise on acting-sections on figure, voice, ear, memory, management of feet and legs. Comments on costume: "Taste in dress demands that an actor be conversant in the mode of dress ancient and modern, in other countries as well as in our own...Alexander and Cato were not masters of the snuff box, nor Greek women of French heels." The appendix asks why all our plays are not dressed in character in point of time and place, and why they do not contain at least one "scene" proper to the country. The author (p. 61) sees need for variety in acting same role, especially when a play has a continuous run of several nights. He calls (p. 77) for creation of appropriate mood for the play by selection of proper music between the acts. Wants a softening of the prompter's bell. Concludes by damning contemporary audience manners, especially those of the stage loungers (pp. 79-81).] Receipts: #314 (Cross)

Event Comment: bout this time in the month was printed a 42-page pamphlet, Reasons why David Garrick should not appear on the Stage, in a Letter to John Rich. This is high praise of Garrick: 'I am so blinded either by prejudice of admiration that I can see nobody else" when Garrick plays.] Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece extended to 5 acts from 3 (Winston MS 9). See Murphy letter to Garrick 2 Aug., in Boaden, Private Correspondence, I, 119, re his attempt to get Garrick to accept this play.] Way to Keep Him enlarged from the piece of 3 acts into 5, by the author, received with universal applause. Prologue by Murphy, heavy (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: Mr Garrick inexpressibly fine. Mrs Abington Beatrice, first time-very Great Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid Sparks and Co. Lace Bill #10 15s. Mr King (glassman) for lustres his bill #75 2s. (Treasurer's Book). [From the Gazeteer and New Daily Advertiser, 7 Nov.: "The desertion of the theatres in consequence of the disease with which so many are afflicted, has been productive of one agreeable effect, that of bringing Mr Garrick forward in Benedict much earlier than was expected. It cannot be a matter of surprise that Roscius should have escaped the infection and his spirits and constitution seems proof against the attacks of age itself; after above 30 campaigns, his ardour and execution appear rather to increase. Benedict owes all its consequence to his attachment; there is a peculiar turn of humour in this soldier that none but Mr Garrick has ever been able to enter into the true spirit of. Last night he supported the character with undiminished excellence, and in the speech where he meditates and then resolves on marriage, he soared beyond himself. Beatrice is Shakespeare's Benedict in petticoats, and very happily has got into the hands of Mrs Abington" (Quoted in Hampden, Eighteenth Century Journal).] Receipts: #264 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit Garrick. The Stage will be tubn'd into an Amphitheatre, where Servants will be allow'd to keep Places. Tickets 4s., 2s. 6d., 1s. 6d., but be had at Tom's Coffee-House, Cornhill; and at Mrs Garrick's in Mansfield St., Goodman's Fields

Event Comment: Benefit Harper's Widow. Six rows of the pit railed into the boxes. Rylands MS.: Duke &c. [present]. Garrick Play'd. Daily Advertiser, 7 May, stated that Mrs Harper's benefit on Saturday last because of the warm weather brought scarcely the charges of the theatre. Therefore Garrick made a voluntary offer to perform for her.] Receipts: #240

Event Comment: Tragedy reviv'd. As written by Shakespear. The Characters new Dress'd. [See G. W. Stone Jr., Garrick's Handling of Macbeth," pp. 609-28.] An Essay on Acting (London, 1744): In which will be Consider'd the Mimical Behaviour of a Certain Fashionable faulty Actor....A short criticism on His Acting Macbeth. [See especially first part, pp. 1-12, on Acting; second, pp. 12-27, on Garrick as Macbeth.

Event Comment: MMr Garrick did Richard (Cross). This day is publish'd, Dedicated to the Right Honorable John, Earl of Orrery, Sejanus a Tragedy, as it was intended for the stage, with a Preface; wherein the Manager's reasons for refusing it are set forth. By Mr Gentleman. Printed for R. Manby and H. S. Cox on Ludgate Hill. [Garrick turned it down and Gentleman accepted his judgment without animosity.] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: Some Hissing, tho' play'd Well-Garrick Kiteley &c. (Cross). Mainpiece: Written by Ben Johnson, never acted there. Characters Dress'd in the Old English@Manner. Receipts: #200 (Cross). We hear that His Majesty intended to go to the theatre Royal in Drury Lane this evening, to see the Comedy of Every Man in his Humour, wrote by Ben Johnson in 1598, acted the same year by the Lord Chamberlain's Servants, and dedicated to the great Mr Camden; and was reviv'd since the Revolution with Great Applause, having a new Epilogue spoken by Ben Johnson's Ghost , written by the late Earl of Dorset (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: HHarlequin Ranger oblig'd to be deferr'd. A new Dramatic Entertainment call'd Taste written by Mr Foote. The House was full as soon as open--before the first Music, several Speeches were made in ye Pit, moving the Farce might be acted before the Play, wch was insisted on by some, & oppos'd by others Cross, Cross, Prompter &c. was often call'd--The Curtain went up, & ye Clamour encreas'd, ye farce &c. Mr Mossop (who did Zanga ) came off--I went on, & spoke--Gentlemen, I perceive the farce has been desir'd before ye Play, wch cannot be comply'd with, for ye performers in ye Farce, having nothing to do in the Play, are not come--a great applause follow'd--Mr Mossop went on again--but ye noise renew'd, & he retir'd again, & wanted to undress wch I prevented; Mr Lacy (Manager) then went on, # spoke to ye same effect I had done--The play was then call'd for, & it went on with Applause--Tho' I believe Audience wish'd it over--The play done--Mr Garrick spoke ye Prologue in the Character of an Auctioneer , with surprising Applause--when he had done, he made this Apology--Gents--a performer being taken ill, the Author, Mr Foote, is here & will if you please, perform his part, this he spoke in a Hesitating manner, & was greatly applauded--the first Act went off well, & Mr Worsdale, a painter (to whom Mr Foote had given the profits of the farce) play'd a Woman's part, & was greatly received--When Mr Foote came on--he made this Speech--Gent: I have left the Stage some time, nor have I any hopes of Profit from this Piece, but as a performer is taken ill, I had rather appear my self, than have so many people, whom Curiosity has drawn together, b disappointed--Great Applause--In ye Second Act, the people grew Dull, & towards ye End, hiss'd greatly, wch I believe wou'd not have been, had not Mr Foote, bid Blakes pull off his Wig at ye Discovery of Mr Puff --vide Farce--it ended with ye usual Noise, when given out, of No more--Encore &c. &c. Sunday we had great debates about it, & at last it ended it shou'd be play'd no more 'till Mr Worsdale's benefit & an advertisement was put in the paper to signifie that as ye Farce was not so well receiv'd as was expected, the Author had withdrawn it to Alter &c. &c. we put up--We were told on Monday it wou'd be call'd for by the Audience; but no such thing happen'd. The fact concerning the performer's being taken ill is this--At ye practise, the Night before, Mr Foote seem'd dissatisfied with Mr Yates in the part of Puff, so got Mr Garrick next Day, to prevail with Mr Yates to let 'em say he was sick, that Mr Foote might have occasion to do the part (Cross). Mr Goodfellow begs leave to acquaint his friends that through the Indisposition of two of his principal performers, he is compelled to postpone his Benefit to a farther Day; Timely notice of which shall be given in this paper; Tickets deliver'd out for Monday the 13th Instant will then be admitted.--As the sole intent of this Benefit is to satisfy his creditors, who are to share the profits arising from it, he humbly hopes to meet with encouragement, and assures those ladies and Gentlemen who honour him, that the whole performance shall be carried on with the utmost decorum, and will be free from all danger of interruption (General Advertiser). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Taken from a Midsummer Night's Dream written by Shakespear. The Songs from Shakespear, Milton, Waller, Dryden, Lansdown, Hammond. Music-Smith. [First edition Text by John Christopher Smith; see Garrick to James Murphey French, Dec. 1756; H. Walpole to R. Bentley 23 Feb. 1755.] Besides our own Singers, we had Sg Guadagni, Sga Passerini, Miss Potier [i.e., Mrs Vernon], and Savage's Boys. Very great Applause; Sabatini danced after it and fell down, not hurt (Cross). [See A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Hands of Garrick and Colman, G. W. Stone Jr, PMLA (June 1939).] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

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