Event Comment: Benefit James and Dupre

Event Comment: Benefit the author, Mrs Charke. 3s., 2s., 1s. 6 p.m. [On 1, 3, 5, 7, & 9 Feb. Mrs Charke had been advertising this puppet show of hers; however she names Daniel, Fawkes, Jones, Scott, and James in the cast and on the 9th says author of the play. Afterpiece possibly not a puppet show.

Event Comment: The First Night. By Subscription. An Oratorio [Sung in English (Dean p. 238)]...with a Concerto on the Organ. Pit and Boxes to be put together and no Persons admitted without Tickets, which will be delivered this Day, at the Opera House in the Haymarket, at Half a Guinea each. Gallery 5s. The Gallery will be open'd at Four o'Clock, Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are delivered to Subscribers at Mr Handel's House in Brooke St., near Hanover Square; at Mr Walsh's in Catherine St., in the Strand; and at White's Chocolate House in St. James St. [Repeated substantially in each ensuing bill.

Event Comment: Benefit Cooke. Tickets may be had at his Lodgings, at Mr Clarke's, an Upholsterer, James St., Covent Garden. At the particular Desire of several ladies of quality. Part of Pit rail'd into Boxes where servants will be allowed to keep Places

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Being the most tragical tragedy that ever was tragedized by a company of tragedians. At the Particular Desire of Several Persons of Quality (General Advertiser). [The following unsigned statement of the financial condition of the theatre on 11 April is in the Harvard Collection of Documents dealing with affairs of Drury Lane, folio MS Thr. 12. This itemizes the outstanding liabilities to the amount of #8,808 14s. including #1,275 of arrears in actors' salaries]: I told Mr- the intended purchaser that the whole would not amount to #12,000. He said if it was more it should rest on me, for that was the utmost shilling he would give. But upon strict enquiry I find it will amount to #12,808 14s. This difference is not altogether owing to an error in calculation, but has been likewise heightened by a falling off of business, nor is it possible to ascertain the debt of a theatre for a day, it is of so fluctuating a nature. Q: whether this loss ought to light upon me, who have endeavored to get a purchaser & increased the value of the Estate to the utmost of my power? Errors excepted. [James Lacy or John Powel are the most likely authors of this statement. Whatever the authority, it is clear that settlement had not yet been made for transfer of ownership. For Powel, see G. W. Stone, Jr., The Authorship of Tit for Tat," Theatre Notebook, X (1955), 22-28.

Event Comment: Benefit for Sowdon. Tickets to be had of Sowdon at Mr Haymer's in James St., Covent Garden, of Hobson at the Stage Door; at Will's Coffee House, Cornhill, and of Mr Thomas Sowdon, in Blackman St., Southwark. Receipts: #160 (Cross); no house charges. N.B.: A present was made to him of the charge of the House, because he had acted this season and receiv'd no salary (Powel)

Event Comment: At the New Theatre, James St. A concert, etc. Benefit for Edward. Prices 3s., 2d., 1s. To begin at six o'clock (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: [N.B. There is no playbill for this date.] This Week will be publish'd A Letter from Henry Woodward, Comedian, the meanest of all characters [see Inspector N. 524] to Dr John Hill, Inspector General of Great Britain, the greatest of all Characters [see all the Inspectors]. "I do remember an Apothecary...whom late I noted In Tatter'd Weeds;.. .Culling of simples..." Shakespeare. Printed and publish'd by M. Cooper in Pater Noster Row. Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Scrase, Mozeen, Ackman, Harrison. Afterpiece: A new farce written by Mr Mozeen (Indiff) (Cross). Ellis Ackman, Henry Scrase, Harrison, Thomas Mozeen advertised the above new piece for their benefit performance being founded on fact (Winston MS 8). Receipts: #170 Cross)

Event Comment: Paid Wm Gard for performing in the Lyon 12 Nights #1 10s. Paid Thomas Singleton for the same #1 10s.; Paid Henry Williams for performing the Bells 4 nights #1 10s. (Account Book). [Epilogue is Larpent MS 306.] Receipts: #194 2s

Event Comment: [This New Comedy (by Mrs Elizabeth Griffith) seems not to have been performed this night, according to the author's Preface to her Edition of 1772. Shuter had been unattentive and absent from many rehearsals]: At length though late [in the season] a day was appointed for the representation, and on that morning Mr Shuter appeared at rehearsal, pretty much in the same state as before, and confessed himself incapable of performing his part, that night. Upon which the play was oblig'd to be further postponed, and handbills were sent about at noon, to advertise town of the disappointment....A further final day was afterwards determined on, but the audience being out of humour at their former disappointment, called Mr Shuter to account for it, on his first appearance; which threw him into such confusion, that he was not able to get the better of it, throughtout the whole performance...in the hurry of his spirits the actor not only forgot his part, the deficiency of which he endeavoured to supply with his own dialect, but also seemed to lose all idea of the character he was to perform; and made the Governor appear in a light which the author never intended: that of a mean, ridiculous buffoon. [Mrs Griffith concluded her preface by relating how her friends stood by the piece, but two or three in the gallery, when it was given out again objected and threw an apple at the chandeliers, which so perturbed the management that the play was withdrawn. She therefore published it by subscription, prefixing the names of about 440 subscribers, persons of the first quality, including James Boswell, Edmund Burke, Col. Burgoyne, the Duke of Devonshire, David Garrick, Mrs Montague, William Richardson, and a host of writers, players, and people of fashion. This list provides a pretty good roster of those who filled the boxes and part of the pit of both theatres at the time.] Paid Younger #2 2s. for the license for A Wife in the Right (Account Book). Receipts: #218 12s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Sunday 30 Jan-Saturday last died James Love, Comedian, Master of Edinburg Theatre, late of Drury Lane. Was educated at Westminster School and went from there to Cambridge (Winston MS 10). Rec'd stopages #19 19s. 6d.; Paid salary list #529 2s.; Mr King's extra salary #3. Receipts: #183 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The First Part of King Henry the Fourth, announced on playbill of 22 Sept.] Afterpiece: The Overture and the rest of the music composed by Dr Fisher. Paid Music 22nd Inst. #7 15s. 4d.; Properties 22nd Inst. 9s. 8d.; Wardrobe #6 11s. 6d.; Supernumeraries #1 19s.; Chorus Singers #1 5s.; Guard [master carpenter] for Scene Men #10 19s. 5d. Receipts: #194 13s. 6d. (193.18.0; 0.15.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bulkley. 2nd piece [1st time; c 2, by James Brown Williamson. MS: Larpent 630; not published. Prologue probably by the author; Epilogue by the author; speakers' names (Public Advertiser, 3 Sept.)]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years [acted 18 Sept. 1778. Miss Scrase (see 19 Sept.) had become Mrs James Bates on 23 Sept.]. Receipts: #195 13s. 6d. (193/3/6; 2/10/0)

Event Comment: [First two pieces in place of The Regent, advertised on playbill of 18 Feb.] The Publick are most repectfully informed that on account of Mrs Siddons's illness The Regent cannot be acted this evening, and that the Performances will be [as above]. 3rd piece [1st time; MF 2, by James Cobb. Larpent MS 1111; not published]: Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #398 8s. 6d. (275.5.6; 115.14.6; 7.8.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Samuel James Arnold]: The Overture and Musick by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #224 7s. 6d. (121.19.0; 99.9.0; 2.19.6)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Appleby, Butler, Bennett, Caton, Dale Jun., Fitchett, Henry Fosbrook, Faux, Pilsbury, Powell, Stevens, Sherwood, Tice, Wyatt, Webb will be admitted. Receipts: #55 19s. 6d. (24.13.0; 29.1.6; 2.5.0; tickets: none listed)