Event Comment: By Command of the Prince of Wales. Prince & 5 more (Cross). Receipts: #200 (Cross); #182 2s. 6d. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: At Shuter's New Booth, George Inn Yard, West Smithfield. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. First Gallery 1s. Upper Gallery 6d. To begin each day at Twelve Noon. An Excellent Band of Musick is provided. The Scenes and Habits all entirely new. Public Advertiser, 22 Aug.: Whereas the partnership between Mess Shuter and Yates has been dissolved; and as Mr Shuter intends to carry on the Business in a more extensive manner than has been performed hitherto, he is now at a great Expence erecting a Repository in an entirely new Taste, in the George Inn Yard...prfviding new, nice, and different Assortments of Theatrical Wares, such as Wit, Humour, Incidents, American Interludes, black and white, Duets and Dances, of which the Public will be informed by Catalogue of the whole Stock, which will be delivered Gratis to his Friends and Customers...He flatters himself that no Person will serve them better or cheaper, for ready Money only, and all purchases of Five Pounds worth or upwards, shall be allowed 5 per cent of Discount. That the Publick may not mistake the Shop, over the Door way will be my Picture without a Frame, very indifferently painted, with this Motto beneath it, Shuter. Daily Advertiser, 3 Sept.: On the Great Parade after the Fair is proclaim'd, the Bold Shuter will review his Troop; and the Publick are requested to observe that the full Figure at the Middle of the Platform is the Chief...or Sachem of the Five Nations. He will be attended with Mamamawks, Papapawks, and Tomahawks...The Lords may laugh, the Ladies may laugh, and the Commoners may laugh...and that will make me laugh. Edward Shuter, born Anno Domini

Event Comment: Farce hiss'd (Cross). The Confederacy is oblig'd to be deferr'd a few days (playbill). [Goldsmith in The Bee (Vol. 1759, p. 154) comments on the farce: "Too narrow a plan...The poor affecting the manners of the rich might be carried on through one character or two, at the most, with great propriety; but to have almost every personage on the scene almost of the same character, was unartful in the poet to the last degree." He laments the barrenness of incident, but admits one or two scenes are "fine satire and sufficiently humorous...Whatever defects there might be in the composition, there were none in the action; in this the performers shewed more humour than I had fancied them capable of."] Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: Never Acted before. A Tragedy [By John Home]. I went to my Office and then slept [?] in at Drury Lane w here I see Mr and Miss Hayes, Lady Lindores who I see into a coach, I slept in at Covent Garden Gallery before the play, but see nobody I knew so I would not stay, otherwise I would have went out as I had set my mind on the Beggar's Opera for once more, but waived it all & went to my Office (Hailey Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 72)

Event Comment: The last Night of the Subscription. A New Opera. Music by Cocchi. N.B. The opera will be continued for a few nights more for the benefit of actors and actresses. [The opera next season to be under Signora Mattei.

Event Comment: Calculated for the use and entertainment of the town in general, but particularly the admirers of The Minor, and more especially those who have been present at the humorous representations of that piece. 'The plain roast and boiled of the theatres will never do at this table. We must have huge seasoned ragouts, and rich sauces.' Perhaps I may produce something that may hit your palate--What think you of a Mimick? Vide the Introduction of The Minor. Nothing will be taken under full prices. No admittance behind the scenes. Care will be taken to keep the house cool. To begin exactly at Seven

Event Comment: Benefit for Ballard, Treasurer. [For Entertainment, see 26 March] Receipts. #39 8s. 6d. plus #211 6s. from tickets (Box 282; Pit 782; Gallery 235). [Ballard deliver'd 1,299 tickets, nearly the record fbr any recipient of a benefit, actor or nonactor. His profit of #187 14s. 6d. seems to have been equivalent to more than 3 years' salary, since he is set down for a weekly salary of #1 in the Account Book for this year.] Charges: #63 (Account Book)

Event Comment: TThe Jovial Crew, as advertised for this Day cannot be perform'd on account of the indisposition of Miss Brent. Positively the last time of the company's performing this season. Boxes #5 17s. 6d. Paid Younger a bill for writing parts #2 12s. Paid Ross in full to make his sallery #300 for the season: #60. The Account Book indicates a deficit this night of #1240 12s. 4d. after all salaries are paid. This deficit was reduced by #301 18s. 8d. on May 27 by deductions from the annual salaries of 23 actors and dancers for 19 nights on account of "the death of His Late Majesty King George the Second." A little more than 10 per cent was taken from the salary of each: From Miss Macklin's salary of #300, was deducted #31 16s. 10d., &c. The others who were similary taxed were: @Name Salary Deduction@Ross #300 #31 16s. 10d.@Maranesi & Mrs Maranesi[Wife #270 #28 13s. 2d.@Sparks #250 #26 10s. 8d.@Dyer & Mrs Dyer[Wife #250 #26 10s. 8d.@Beard #210 #22 5s. 9d.@Ridout #180 #19 2s. 1d.@Poitier Jr #150 #15 18s. 6d.@Miss Capdeville #150 #15 15s. 5d.@Barrington #100 #10 12s. 3d.@Bencraft #100 #10 12s. 3d.@LaLauze #100 #10 12s. 3d.@Poitier Sr #80 #8 9s. 9d.@Leppie #80 #8 9s. 9d.@Mrs Jansolien #60 #6 7s. 4d.@Mrs Viviez #60 #6 7s. 4d.@Rotchford #50 #5 6s. 1d.@Mrs Marianne #50 #5 6s. 1d.@Hussey #35 #3 14s. 3d.@Mrs Welsch #35 #3 14s. 3d.@Mrs Crawford #35 #3 14s. 3d.@ On 30 May the deficit was further reduced by receipts from 26 actors for advances, one-half value of tickets for their benefit performances, &c., plus #200 from John Rich, in the amount of #506 6s. 5d. (Account Book).] Receipts: #43 7s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Full Prices. There will not be room behind the Scenes for more than the persons acting in the coronation, [Others] cannot possibly be admitted. The coronation of their Majesties was followed by a stage representation of it at both houses...Garrick knew that Rich would spare no expense in the presentation of his show; he knew too that he had a taste in the ordering, dressing, and setting out these pompous processions, superior to his own; he therefore was contented with the old dresses which had been occasionally used from 1721-1761. This show he repeated for near forty nights successively, sometimes at the end of a play, and at other times after a farce. The exhibition was the meanest, and the most unworthy of a theatre, I ever saw. The stage was...opened into Drury Lane; and a new and unexpected sight surprised the audience, of a real bonfire, and the populace huzzaing and drinking porter to the health of Queen Anne Bullen. The Stage in the meantime, amidst the parading of Dukes, duchesses, archbishops, peeresses, heralds &c. was covered with a thick fog from the smoke of the fire, which served to hide the tawdry dresses of the processionalists. During this idle piece of mockery, the actors, being exposed to the suffocations of smoke, and the raw air from the open street, were seized with colds, rheumatisms, and swelled faces. At length the indignation of the audience delivered the comedians from this wretched badge of nightly slavery, which gained nothing to the managers but disgrace and empty benches. Tired with the repeated insult of a show which had nothing to support it but gilt copper and old rags, they fairly drove the exhibitors of it from the stage by hooting and hissing, to the great joy of the whole theatre....Rich...fully satisfied [the publick's] warmest imaginations (Davies, Life of Garrick, I, 365 ff.)

Event Comment: Full Prices. None admitted behind scenes. [Both pieces advertised regularly for three days in advance.] Income from Boxes #95 15s. Expenses #44 17s. 8d. Including #5 11s. extra for Coronation: viz. 2 men at 10s. 6d. each, chorus singers &c. eleven more at 5s. including Dibdin; 6 Trumpets and 1 fife at 5s. Receipts: #244 7s. (Winston Theatrical Record)

Event Comment: The Nineteenth Day. The morning lecture given once more

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author. [At the half-price riots (25 Jan.) Moody had stopped a man from setting fire to the house. When called upon to apologize for interfering with a gentleman and for taking the manager's part he thought to restore good humor by assuming the tone of a low-bred Irishman, saying he was sorry he had displeased them by saving their lives and putting out the fire. The reply inflamed the rioters more (Genest, V, p. 15). On 5 Feb. Moody inserted the following apology in the Public Advertiser: Mr Moody begs leave to inform the Public that the impropriety of his behavoir at the theatre was intirely owing to the confusion of mind he was then under; which unhappily for him was misconstrued into disrespect; tho' nothing could at that, or that, or at any other time, be farther from his thoughts. He therefore earnestly hopes and entreats that he may be permitted to appear before them again; as he hereby most humbly asks their pardon for whatever he inadvertently said or did to incur their displeasure."

Event Comment: As frequenters of the Theatre have often complained of the interruptions in the performances occasioned by a crowded stage at the Benefits-the Performers will have no building on the stage, nor take any money behind the scenes being willing to forego that advantage, for the sake of renderin the representations more agreeable to the Publick [a front-page notice for Drury Lane Theatre in the Public Advertiser this day]

Event Comment: Books of the Opera to be sold at the Theatre. Nothing under FULL PRICE can be taken. Opera not perform'd this season. [A riot this night in which the benches were torn up. Led by Fitzpatrick against the abolishment of the custom of admitting at half-price after the third act. See previous disturbance at Drury Lane. No more plays at cg until 3 March 1763 while repairs were being made to theatre. See Gentleman's Magazine, Feb. 1763, Historical Chronicle, Th. 24: A riot happened at Covent Garden theatre occasioned by a demand being made for full prices at the opera Artaxerxes. The mischief done was the greatest ever known on any occasion of the like kind; all the benches of the boxes and Pit being entirely tore up, the glasses and chandeliers broken, and the linings of the Boxes cut to pieces. The rashness of the rioters was so great, that they cut aWay the wooden pillars between the Boxes, so that if the inside of them had not been iron, they would have brought down the Galleries upon their heads. The damages done amount to at least #2000. Four persons concern'd in the riot have been committed to the gatehouse. The Beauties of All Magazines Selected, for March 1763 (p. 142) reprinted from the Ledger a humorous account of this riot as told by a sailor in fabricated seaman's language: As soon as the foresheet was clewed up...As to my 5s., why the owners are welcome to it towards repair, for you stripp'd plank, timbers, and scantlings,-you gutted her; she look'd like a French prize, after a yard-arm engagement."

Event Comment: As frequenters of the theatre have often complained of the interruptions in the performance, occasioned by the crowded stage at the Benefits-the Performers will have no building on the stage, nor take any money behind the scenes, being willing to forego that advantage, for the sake of rendering the Representation more agreeable to the Public