Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Edward Topham, with incidental music by Shield. MS not in Larpent; not published. Prologue by George Colman, the younger (European Magazine, May 1786, p. 370)]. "An old and established rule among the youth of Westminster [School will] not permit any exhibition on the stage reflecting upon their body ... In the second act Mrs Wells made her appearance in the dress of a Westminster scholar, when a general uproar [instigated by the scholars] took place, and the [rest of the] piece was prevented from being heard" (Town and Country Magazine, May 1786, p. 235). Public Advertiser, 8 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 188, Oxford-street. Receipts: #282 17s. (166/0/6; 21/19/6; tickets: 94/17/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: [Mathews was from the Royal Circus. Prologue by George Colman the elder (Colman, Prose, ui, 269).] Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice, at the Theatre. Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Hunt the Slipper is unavoidably postponed. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; c 5, by James Johnstone, based on Minna von Barnhelm, by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. Prologue by George Colman, the elder (see text). Epilogue by the author (Morning Chronicle, 25 July).] Morning Herald, 10 Aug. 1786: This Day is published The Disbanded Officer 1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: The Lord Chamberlain sent an order, between four and five in the evening, to the two theatres to cease representing any plays, till after the funeral of the late Princess Amelia [daughter of George II; she died on 31 Oct.] (Morning Chronicle, 2 Nov.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, By John O'Keeffe. Prologue by George Colman elder (Colman, Prose, III, 276)]. The curtain was obliged to be dropt before the piece was finished, amidst the disapprobation of a very splendid and numerous audience" (Public Advertiser, 29 Jan.). Receipts: #219 6s. 6d. (216.5.0; 3.1.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Edward Topham. Larpent MS 772; not published; synopsis of plot in Public Advertiser, 3 May. Prologue by George Monck Berkeley (European Magazine, June 1787, p. 411)]. Public Advertiser, 24 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 417, Strand. Receipts: #257 3s. 6d. (160.4.6; 5.7.0; tickets: 91.12.0)

Event Comment: The Young Quaker [announced on playbill of 18 Aug.] is obliged to be deferred on Account of the Indisposition of Miss George

Event Comment: Benefit for Edwin. 2nd piece [1st time; F 2, by George Colman, elder, based of L'Avocat Patelin, by David Augustin de Brueys. This is usually ascribed to William Macready. But on the title-page of his copy (K-D 295 in Huntington Library) J. P. Kemble has written "This Piece was not written by Mr Macready." Public Advertiser, 29 Aug. states that "Colman...presented Edwin upon this occasion with a new Farce, taken from a celebrated French Play." World, 15 Oct. 1787 refers to Colman's dislike of L'Avocat Patelin, but adds, "When [he] came to translate it himself, he found reason to alter his opinion."]. Public Advertiser, 25 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Edwin, No. 19, Piazza, Covent Garden

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Brunton. Mainpiece: Written by Sheridan. Public Advertiser, 13 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Brunton, No. 5, George-street, York-buildings. Receipts: #260 18s. 6d. (156.12.0; 7.1.6; tickets: 87.5.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister. 2nd piece [1st time; INT I, by George Colman, elder]: A much admired Scene from The Genius of Nonsensev. Public Advertiser, 18 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bannister, No. 2, Frith-street, Soho

Event Comment: Benefit for Edwin. Tickets delivered for Wednesday last, the 15th inst., will be admitted. Public Advertiser, 4 Apr.: Tickets [for 15 Apr.] to be had of Edwin, No. 19, Piazza, Covent-Garden. Mainpiece: Written by Dr Goldsmith. Afterpiece: By Permission of [George Colman elder, owner of the copyright]. Receipts: #326 1s. 6d. (228.6.6; 9.13.0; tickets: 88.2.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: 1st Time at this Theatre. [Prologue by George Colman, elder.] Receipts: #241 19s. 6d. (237.5.0; 4.14.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wood, Cameron, Percey, George, Woollams. Receipts: #272 12s. (13.4.0; 7.11.6; 2.6.6; tickets: 249.10.0) (charge: #105 19s. 10d.)

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 6:00, and begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. [Address by George Colman, ynger (London Chronicle, 21 June).

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister. 2nd piece [1st time; SAT 1, author unknown. Larpent MS 877; not published. Author of Prologue unknown]. [Monologue by George Colman, ynger (European Magazine, Aug. 1790, p. 151.] Gazetteer, 7 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bannister, No. 2, Frith-street, Soho

Event Comment: Gazetteer, 20 Sept.: [On Saturday morning] official notice was given from the Lord Chamberlain's Office to shut the Theatres [because of the death of the Duke of Cumberland, brother of George III]

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. Mr Palmer most respectfully informs the Publick, the Lord Chamberlain having given Permission, Mr Colman having liberally granted the use of the Theatre, and his Brethren kindly consented to perform, that [there] will be presented...[as above. This benefit had originally been arranged for 20 Sept., but because of the death of the Duke of Cumberland, the theatre on that night was dark.] Tickets to be had of Palmer, No. 3, London Road, St. George's Fields; and of Rice, at the Theatre, where Places for the Boxes may be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. End I afterpiece: A Grand Representation of Mount Vesuvius, at the Time of an Eruption. Oracle, 28 Feb: Tickets to be had of Palmer, No. 3, London Road, St. George's Fields. Receipts: #340 5s. 6d. (144.1.0; 22.0.0; 4.4.6; tickets: 170.0.0) (charge: #126 4s. 11d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wood, Percey, Cameron, Wilson, George, Woollams. Kemble Mem.: Benefit for the Boxkeepers. A New Edition of the [mainpiece] to be had at the Theatre. "Went to play. Mrs Jordan in 'Rosalind.' I am still of opinion, there is more in her person and natural manners than in her acting. Her merit lies out of her part. The words set down by the author she does not repeat with great propriety of tone, emphasis, or gesture, than others. But she has of these, certain peculiarities, which indicate dispositions, such as take strong hold of the affections, at least of the male part of her audience; and therefore, when the part is of a sort to admit a large portion of these, she produces a great effect. The true acting of the part may, in many instances, not require what she throws into it, but it may admit it; and if the expression so thrown in is of the sort described, the effect of the whole will be improved, though the part is thereby neither better nor worse acted" (Windham Diary, 28 May 1791, 227). Receipts: #363 4s. 6d. (33.5.0; 9.5.6; 2.13.0; tickets: 318.1.0) (charge: #117 1s. 7d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. [Address by George Colman, ynger (European Magazine, Sept. 1791, p. 227).] Oracle, 19 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Haymarket. Receipts: #236 (Gazetteer, 5 Sept.)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Berry. Afterpiece: Written by the late Samuel Foote, Esq. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Tickets to be had at Mrs Richman's@Masquerade@Warehouse, Oxford-street; of Berry, at the George in the Haymarket; and of Rice at the Theatre, where Places for the Boxes may be taken. No Money to be returned