Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid George Garrick #50; Paid Mr Guy (plumber) #53 15s.; Mr Debrose, (linen draper) #20 11s. 6d.; Scott (copper lace) bill #158 15s. 6d.; Hewetson (silver lace) bill #42 8s.; Gastrill (mercer) 2 bills, #227 2s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #196 2s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [R+Rich's Register lists The English Merchant.] Paid Blandford (tallow chandler) #49 8s. 10d. Paid George Garrick for use of the managers #15 15s.; Paid French on account #20; Advanced to Granier on note #4 2s. 10d.; to Keen on note #4 4s. Rec'd stopages 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Sylas Neville (Neville MS Diary): With difficulty got into the Pit at Drury Lane, where I stood at the side so jambed up that I could not read the newspaper I carried: But I saw the play very well. It was Rule a Wife and Have a Wife, with the Farce of the Devil to Pay. Duke by Havard, Cacafago by Love, very well. Copper Capt. by Palmer, pretty well. Old woman pretty well by Mrs Baddeley, Astifania by Mrs Pritchard excellently, tho she is too old for the first part of this character. Leon inimitably by Garrick. I think he shows a good deal of Abel drugger, [both published and unpublished portions of the Neville Diary.] Receipts: #261 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Arne. Afterpiece: By Desire. House Charges #68 16s. 6d. [Profits to Mrs Arne #150 18s. 6d.] Tickets deliver'd for The Beggar's Opera will be admitted. Dido oblig'd to be defer'd a few days. Paid 1 year's Watch for St Martin's #10 2s.; Reynolds Oil bill #46 4s.; Carpue (silk dyer) #7 9s. 6d.; Jennings (glover) #13 12s.; Vernon on note #21; Chorus 1 night #2 5s. 6d.; Hautboy 5s.; Salary list #294 2s. 8d. [Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #219 14s. (Treasurer's Book). At 4 dined at the Chop House in St Clements. At 5 went to Drury Lane to see the Tempest for the benefit of Mrs Arne the prettiest performer at the house...She has a sweet little voice...A grand Dance of Fantastic Spirits in different shapes. At the end of the play a Double Hornpipe by Mr Walker and Miss Tatley. We had the entertainment of Daphne and Amintor with dancing by Sg and Sga George, Sg Tessoni, Miss King, &c. Having a seat in the third row of the Pit, was much pleased as all the principal characters were well played and the scenery is very fine. Had I been later in going, I should not have got in (Neville MS Diary)

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: Benefit for Miss Pope. The Comedy in 2 acts taken by Miss Pope from Mrs Sheridan's Discovery. House charges #64 17s. [Profit to Miss Pope #115 5s.] Paid B. Johnson's Head bill 18s. 7d.; Manager's subscription for St George's #10 10s.; Soldier's practice for Alexander 8s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [Neville attended this night and in his Diary compliments all the performers and dancers. I am afraid Vernon's attempt to imitate old Shuter will prove vain. He added something to the introduction to the Cries tonight."] Receipts: #180 2s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Comedy in 2 Acts [by George Colman] never perform'd before. [Reviewed, not too favorably in Monitor No IV, (14 Nov. 1767).] Receipts: #192 7s. Account Book)

Event Comment: [C$Colman published in the Public Advertiser this day extracts from the Oxonian in Town showing what favorable things were said of the Irish in it. He apparently did so to forstall a predicted riot by Irishmen who feared their nation was slandered because the scoundrels in the play were Irish. See E. R. Page, George Colman, The Elder (New York, 1935), p. 168. Monitor No V (21 Nov. 1767) includes a letter from Timothy Calfskin requesting refund of 4 shillings since his wife was frightened by the noise of the "wild Irish" and ran from the playhouse.] Receipts: #191 4s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By command of their Majesties. Did not go to see Garrick play Archer that I might avoid the abhorred sight of George and his family (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Shortly will be publish'd Expostulations with George Colman, by Jane Lessingham. Gave Duke of Gloucester's Footmen by Malm #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #200 13s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. K. & Q. Richard-Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). Neville MS Diary: Garrick played Richard III. In attempting to get into the Pit was forced into the 2 shilling gallery Passage & after being squeezed abominably for an hour got into the street. Should not have received much pleasure if I had got in, as that calf headed son of a whore, George etc. was there

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Abington. Afterpiece: A Farce in 2 Acts, never acted, taken from George Dandin by Moliere. Part of Pit will be laid into the Boxes

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy of 3 Acts [by George Colman] never performed. [In the Shakespearean Pageant, with figures from seventeen of his plays, the chief effectiveness lay with the Musicians who ushered in each group with appropriate music: Martial Music-The Roman Characters of Coriolanus and Julius Caesar; Soft Music-Antony and Cleopatra; Grand Music, Old English Characters-King John, Richard III, Henry VIII: Magical Music, "above, about, underneath" for Prospero; Macbeth's Music; Fairy Music-Oberon and Titania; Solemn Music for Tragic Muse accompanied by Othello, Hamlet, the Ghost, Mad Ophelia and Lear with Cordelia; Dead March in Saul-Juliet's Bier with attendants; Allegro for the Comic Muse-Falstaff, Touchstone, Launcelot, Malvolio; Andante-Florizel and Perdita, Portia Antonio and Bassanio; Flourish-for Car drawn by the muses carrying Shakespeare's Bust; Final Song by Mrs Mattocks, "Sweetest Bard that Ever Sung, Nature's glory, Fancy's Child--." The Prelude is, in print, entirely favorable to Garrick's effort at Stratford. But it could be rendered in a mercilessly ironical manner if the three participating actors so chose. Mainpiece reviewed in the Freeholder's Magazine, Oct.] Receipts: #224 10s

Event Comment: Last time of performing the afterpiece before the Benefits. A duel with pistols between George? Garrick and Baddeley on account of G. Garrick remon[stratin]g with Baddeley on [receiving] his wife's salary. Baddeley fir'd then G. G. fir'd in the air, and a reconciliation took place (Winston MS 10, from Dr Burney's News Clippings). [See full and humorous acct Town and Country Magazine, March, pp. 157-58 with woodcut of duel.

Event Comment: Benefit for Evans (sub treasurer) and Mrs Dorman. [Afterpiece, never performed there, The Noble Pedlar; or, The Fortune Hunter, by George Saville Carey. Music Compos'd by Barthelemon.

Event Comment: A new Entertainment of Music by Bates. 6:30 p.m. 2s. Which will be performed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. At the Grotto Gardens, St George's Fields. [This is a concert formula.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A Masque (in three parts) [by George Colman] never perform'd, in which will be introduc'd the Principal Solemnities at the Installation of the Knights of the Garter. With New Music, composed by Dr Arne, Habits, Decorations and Scenes. Books of the Masque to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #220 10s. 6d. (Account Book). The greater part is borrowed with some variation from Ben Jonson [Masque of Oberon]. The same liberty has been taken with a few passages of Shakespeare, and a Chorus of the late Gilbert West, Esq. The final chorus is from Dryden...an effort to entertain the public by the combined powers of the most eminent proficients in the arts of Music, Painting and Poetry (Adv. to Printed Edn., Colman's Dramatic Works, IV, London, 1777)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sg Daigville & Signa Vidini. [24 April letter signed Ned Shuter dated from his Majesty's Bench of Justice, St Georges Fields: "Theatrical Memoirs giving circumstantial account of my family-Admit my father was a chairman, my mother sold oysters in winter and cucumbers in summer. I was not born in a cellar but in a two pair of stairs front room at one Mrs Merit's an eminent Chimney Sweeper, Vine Street, St Giles" (Winston MS 10). Thomas Weston's apology for the delay of his Benefit. It was owing to his distressed affairs which he had new laid open to the managers. See comment form Edinburg Evening Courant, 29 April.] Paid Renters #88 for Oratorio nights; Mr Dibdin's draft on managers #50; Master Brown 5 nights, #1 17s. 6d.; Rec'd from Messrs Smith and Stanley charges for 11 Oratorio nights at 28# per night, plus candles &c . #342 4s.; Rec'd stopages #9 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #151 4s. Charges: #65 11s. Profits to Daigville & Sga Vidini: #85 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dibdin. Paid Duke of Bedford half year's rent to Lady Day last (#182 10s. Taxes allowed #25 7s.) #157 3s.; Subscription to St George's Hospital 1 year to Lady Day, #10 10s.; Mr Calthorpe's 2nd and last payment #157 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #134 2s. Charges: #68 15s. Profits to Dibdin: #65 12s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Norris. [The play is submerged in a long cconcert program of vocal and instrumental music.] At the Grotto Gardens, St George's Fields

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Piece in 2 Acts [by William O'Brien] never perform'd. [Genest, V, 363, assigns parts as follows: Grub-$Shuter; Consol-$Quick; Chapeau-$Lewes; George Bevil-$Wroughton; Robin-$Dyer; Mrs Grub-$Mrs Green; Emily-$Mrs Bulkley; Jenny-$Mrs Kniveton. See playbill 8 Oct. 1773. Plot given in detail in Town and Country Magazine for this month.

Event Comment: The Tragedy of Hamlet having been greatly Altered by D. G. was perform'd for the first time Mr Garrick playd divinely & Merited the great Applause he receivd It is Alterd much for the better in regard to the part of Hamlet & I think the alterations very fine & proper (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble considerably briefer. See "Garrick's Long Lost Alteration of Hamlet," PMLA, Sept. 1934.] Paid Mr George Garrick on account #100; Mr Bulkley for Mr Weston, #2 8s. (Treasurer's Book). [Reviewer for Town and Country Magazine comments unfavorably on the Hamlet alteration: "How far the critics will approve these mutations we will not at present determine; but the admirers of Shakespeare must certainly be displeas'd, whenever they see his immortal works mutilated."] Receipts: #284 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: At the Crown and Anchor. A Religious Allegorical Poem to be rehearsed, yet in Manuscript, and by the author himself the Reverend George Marriott after the example of the most ancient bards and minstrals, with the assistance of a full orchestra, and vocal performers in the chorusses. The Band conducted and the music (entirely new) composed by Arnold. Postponed by reason of unforseen difficulties in preparing sufficient musical copies of the great number of chorusses. To begin at 7:00 p.m. Prices a quarter guinea each

Event Comment: Benefit for Moody. Paid one year's subscription to St George's Hospital #10 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #200 4s. Charges: #64 12s. Profits to Moody: #135 12s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Lessingham. Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years. [See 29 Dec. 1766.] Afterpiece: A Comedy of two acts taken from Vanbrugh's Relapse [by John Lee?]. Tickets by Mas. Harris will be taken. Charges #65 18s.; Profit to Mrs Lessingham #39 18s. 6d., plus #79 13s. from tickets (Box 166; Pit 131; Gallery 185) (Account Book). [The Gentleman who played King Henry was George Savile Carey (Hogan).] Receipts: #105 16s. 6d