Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Wroughton as Lord Morelove and Henderson as Sir Charles Easy, but "an apology was made for the Illness of [Henderson], and Wroughton became his substitute, Wroughton's Place in Lord Morelove being supplied by Williamson from the Haymarket" {Public Advertiser 13 Feb.). Afterpiece in place of Rosina, announced on playbill of 10 Feb.] Receipts: #277 6s. (269/9; 7/17)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Henderson as Evander, but "on account of the sudden indisposition of Henderson . . . Bensley kindly undertook the part of Evander" (Morning Post, 5 Nov.).] Paid Mullins, shoemaker, in full for the 3 last Seasons #108 0s. 6d. Receipts: #269 12s. (262/3/6; 7/8/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Henderson. Pit and Boxes will be laid together. Ladies and Gentlemen are most earnestly requested to come early, to prevent Inconvenience in getting to their Places, and to send their Servants to keep them by Four o'clock. [Prologue by Arthur Murphy {Works, 1786, VII, 369).] Morning Herald, 14 Feb.: Tickets to be had at the house of the late Mr Henderson [see 8 Nov. 1785], Buckingham-street, York Buildings. "The poetical address delivered by Mrs Siddons before the play was written by Murphy, and was so very dull that we will charitably suppose his feelings obstructed the operation of his fancy" (General Advertiser, 27 Feb.). Receipts: #141 9s. 6d. (140/15/0; 0/14/6; tickets: none listed) (charge: free)

Event Comment: [The Young Gentleman who played Zaphna was Wroughton. "His real name was Rottan, but altered euphonia gratia. He was designed for a surgeon and served his apprenticeship at Bath. The following playbills show that he met with approbation on the stage. He remained with Covent Garden from this time till the end of the season 1785-86. He then played in Ireland one Winter, and was engag'd at Drury Lane Theatre in the beginning of the season 1787-88. This was the occasion of Mr Wroughton's leaving Covent Garden, I mean it was thus conjectured. Mr Lewis had been appointed manager of that theatre for Mr Harris. Mr Lewis and Mr Wroughton lived next door neighbors in Broad Court at the top of Bow Street, and were sworn friends:--they laughed together, lived together--In the season 1784-85 two new performers Mr Holman and Mr Pope, appeared on the Covent Garden Stage--these young men were great favorites with Mr Harris; Mr Holman, attracting at this time very crowded audiences, stood so particularly high in his regard, that his partiality made him guilty of some injustice to older and abler actors in the theatre. Mr Henderson had really cause to complain of neglect; and Mr Wroughton thought himself equally oppressed. At this time we had a Club and met every Wednesday fortnight during Lent at the Long Room in Hamstead at dinner. Our Club consisted of a certain number of us belonging indifferently to either theatre, and two or three other gentlemen who were not actors. Mr King, Mr Quick, Mr Farren, Mr Mattocks, myself, etc., etc. When the bottle had a little warmed Mr Wroughton he threw out some sarcasms on his Friend Mr Lewis's management; Mr Lewis retorted; Their tempers grew hot, their words grew aggravating; Mr Wroughton struck Mr Lewis; Mr Lewis returned the blow. They were parted; all the pleasures of the day were over, and the Club broke up in confusion. I was not present this day, but have related what Mr Siddons told me of this Quarrel, and I imagine that Mr Wroughton's attack on Mr Lewis sprang from a suspicion that he was too willing to execute Mr Harris's designs in favour of Mr Holman. Be this as it may, Mr Wroughton was discharged from cg at the expiration of his Articles with Mr Harris."--Hopkins MS Notes.] Receipts: #186 3s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [The playbill retains Henderson as Valentine, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted. On 21 Nov. the part was acted by Farren.] Receipts: #187 3s. 6d. (158.2.0; 27.6.6; 1.15.0)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Merope, announced on playbill of 4 Jan. "We played last night Much Ado about Nothing, and had an apology to make for the change of three principal parts. About twelve o'clock Mr Henderson sent word he was not able to play. We got Mr Lewis from Covent Garden, who supplied the part of Benedick. Soon after Mr Parsons sent word he could not play. Mr Moody supplied the part of Dogberry; and about four in the afternoon Mr Vernon sent word he could not play. Mr Mattocks supplied his part of Balthazar...In the middle of the first act, a message was brought me that Mr Lamash (who was to play the part of Borachio) was not come to the House. I had nobody there that could go on for it, so I was obliged to cut his scenes in the first and second acts entirely out, and got Mr Wrighten to go on for the remainder of the part. At length we got the play over without the audience finding it out. We had a very bad house. Mr Parsons is not able to play in The School for Scandal to-morrow night; do not yet know how we shall be able to settle that" (Garrick, Private Correspondence, II, 328-29: Hopkins, prompter,in letter to Garrick, 6 Jan. 1779. He does not state who took Wrighten's place as the Sexton.).] On account of the sudden Illness of a Principal Performer, the new Pantomime [The Wonders of Derbyshire, announced on playbill of 4 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred till Friday. Receipts: #74 11s. (48.19; 25.10; 0.2)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author of the Farce. Macbeth [announced on playbill of 29 Oct.] is obliged to be deferred on account of Henderson's Illness. Receipts: none listed (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Richard the Third [announced on playbill of 20 Oct.] is obliged to be postponed on account of the sudden Indisposition of Henderson. Receipts: #124 16s. (123/2; 1/14)

Event Comment: Duplicity [announced on playbill of 22 Oct.] is obliged to be postponed on account of Henderson's Illness. Receipts: #87 14s. 6d. (83/7/0; 4/7/6)

Event Comment: Duplicity [announced on playbill of 25 Oct.] is again obliged to be postponed on account of Henderson's Illness. [Afterpiece in place of Comus, announced on playbill of 25 Oct. In mainpicce the playbill retains Mrs Mattocks as Mrs Racket and Miss Younge as Letitia, but "Miss Younge having yesterday lost a near Relation could not play her part in the Belle's Stratagem, in consequence of which an apology was made for her Absence ... To remedy the inconvenience Mrs Mattocks last night played the character of Miss Hardy, and Mrs Whitfield that of Widow Racket" (Morning Chronicle, 27 Oct.).] Receipts: #100 6s. (97/1/6; 3/4/6)

Event Comment: King Lear [announced on playbill of 1 Nov.] is unavoidably obliged to be deferred on account of Henderson's infirm state of health. Receipts: #85 0s. 6d. (81/2/0; 3/18/6)

Event Comment: Duplicity [announced on playbill of 2 Nov.] is again obliged to be deferred on account of Henderson's Indisposition. [Afterpiece in place of Tom Thumb, announced on playbill of 2 Nov.] Receipts: #94 19s. (92/7/6; 2/11/6)

Event Comment: The Discovery [announced on playbill of 19 Dec] is obliged to be deferred on account of Henderson's Indisposition. Afterpiece: Never performed here. Taken from Soiiman the Magnificent of Marmontel. Receipts: #241 8s. 6d. (231/9/0; 9/19/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 7 years [not acted since 17 May 1774]. "Bensley, whose Sense and Sensibility are always apparent, though not perhaps always successful, fell far short of Henderson in Old Norval" (Public Advertiser, 13 Feb.). Receipts: #274 15s. (258/5/0; 15/8/6; 1/1/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. Gazetteer, 16 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Hay-market. King Lear [announced on playbill of 29 Mar.] cannot be performed, on account of Henderson's Indisposition. Tickets for King Lear will be admitted. Receipts: #244 9s. 6d. (140/7/6; tickets: 104/2/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: "'Was he alive?' [was] uttered with a more rapid tone, and quicker feeling. Though in opposition to her manner in these words stand the great names of Henderson, Colman, and the Author himself" (Public Advertiser, 11 Oct.). Receipts: #299 (276/3; 21/17; 1/0)