Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, usually ascribed to Thomas Holcroft, but probably by James Marshall; adapted from Trau, Schau, Wem! (later entitled Der Gasthof), by Johann Christian Brandes. Authors of Prelude and Epilogue unknown]. Account-Book, 23 Nov.: Paid Marshall, author, in full, #99 8s. [not the actor, engaged at cg this season, whose Christian name was Thomas]. Diary, 23 Nov. 1790: This Day is published The German Hotel (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #179 14s. (166.4; 13.10)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, usually ascribed to Thomas Holcroft, but probably by James Marshall; adapted from Trau, Schau, Wem! (later entitled Der Gasthof), by Johann Christian Brandes. Authors of Prelude and Epilogue unknown]. Account-Book, 23 Nov.: Paid Marshall, author, in full, #99 8s. [not the actor, engaged at cg this season, whose Christian name was Thomas]. Diary, 23 Nov. 1790: This Day is published The German Hotel (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #179 14s. (166.4; 13.10)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb. Larpent MS 1050; published (pirated) 1795]: The Musick, principally new, composed by Storace, with a few Pieces selected from Anfossi, Mozart, Bianchi, Ditters and Sarti. The Scenes and Decorations are all designed and painted by Greenwood, except the View of the New Settlement, which is by Capon. The Dresses, &c. are executed by Johnston and Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Powell: Cherokee rehearsed at 9:30. Receipts: #340 5s. 6d. (284.5.0; 54.13.0; 1.7.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 3 (except for 1st two performances, which were 2), by James Harvey D'Egville. Synopsis of action (C. Lowndes [1795])]: A Representation calculated to shew the extent and powers of the New Stage, and which has been in preparation during the whole of the Season (notice on playbill of 10 Feb.). The Musick composed by Krazinsky Miller. The Scenes, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations are entirely new. The Scenery designed and executed by Marinari, and his Assistants. The Machinery designed by Cabanel, and executed by him and Jacobs. The Dresses and Decorations by Johnston and Miss Rein. Powell: [The pantomime] was astonishingly well received, except the chorus of 'Happy Pair' at the end, which was so shamefully managed that the performers met with, what they much deserved, great disapprobation. The acting of the piece was in general well conducted, but the Processionv [The Piece will conclude with the Entry of Alexander into Babylonv, and his Marriage with Statirav (playbill)], for want of room to arrange behind, was unavoidably sent on in a very confused manner...Alexander's car could not be sent on this evening, not being yet complete. [These difficulties are somewhat surprising, in view of the fact that the pantomime had had 54 rehearsals. And see 13 Feb.] 11 Feb.: Chorusses to New Ballet rehearsed at 10; Natural Son at 11; New Ballet at 11; New Ballet (full rehearsal) at 6; 12 Feb.: New Ballet rehearsed at 12. Receipts: #504 3s. 6d. (417.2.0; 83.16.6; 3.5.0)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; MD 3, by James Boaden]: With new Musick, Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. The Overture and Musick by Dr Arnold. The Scenery by Marinari, Rooker, &c. Morning Herald, 26 Aug. 1797: This Day is published The Italian Monk (2s.)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; MD 3, by James Boaden; some of the songs written by George Colman, ynger]: With new Musick, Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. The new Musick by Dr Arnold. With an appropriate Overture, accompanied by two Pedal Harps and the Union Pipes, by Weippert, C. Jones, and Murphy. The Scenery by Marinari. The Dresses and Decorations designed by A. Johnston, and executed by him and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "Any exertion of impartial criticism to check the prevalent taste for the marvellous and the horrific which so wantonly conjures up the spirit (it was once thought had been for ever laid) of gross superstition and Gothic barbarism must, we fear, prove at present unavailing" (Times, 23 July). Morning Chronicle, 30 July 1798: This Day is published Cambro-Britons (2s.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by Charles Dibdin and James Messink; synopsis of plot in London Chronicle, 30 Dec.]: To conclude with a Procession of the principal Grand Masters, from the Creation to the present Century, dressed in the Habits of their respective Ages and Countries. With new Music [by Charles Dibdin], Scenes, Dresses, Pageants, and Decorations. The paintings executed by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, and assistants. Books of the Songs, with an Explanation of the Pageants, to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under full Price will be taken. "To give magnificence a meaning, and unite antiquarian knowledge with polite entertainment, was a task hitherto unattempted by the contrivers of our Pantomime exhibitions. Such praise, however, the acting manager of Covent Garden theatre may justly claim, on the score of Harlequin Free-Mason, which is now representing before greater crowds than perhaps were ever attracted by Perseus and Andromeda [in 1730], the Rape of Proserpine [in 1727], or the celebrated Sorcerer [i.e. The Magician, in 1721]. The beauty of the first scene, in which a setting sun is admirably contrived, the Dutch winter piece, with numberless skate[r]s moving in the most natural attitudes, and, above all, the imperfect building, finished in a moment at the command of Harlequin, can be exceeded only by the pomp of the historic procession which closes the whole, and offers the richest and most intelligent spectacle that ever yet appeared on an English stage" (Gentleman's Magazine, Feb. 1781, pp. 58-59, which also prints a detailed description of the pageant). Account-Book, 1 Feb.: Paid Dibdin for music of Harlequin Free-Mason #70. Receipts: #236 2s. (230.3; 5.19)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; T 3, by Henry James Pye. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Morning Chronicle, IO June 1794: This day is published THE SIEGE OF MEAUX (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #125 9s. (117/2; 8/7)

Event Comment: The King's Company. For the identification of this play and details of its performance, see W. J. Lawrence, "Foreign Singers and Musicians at the Court of Charles II," Musical Quarterly, IX (1923), 217-25, and James G. McManaway, "Entertainment for the Grand Duke of Tuscany," Theatre Notebook, XVI (1961), 20-21. The Travels of Cosmo the Third [Monday 3 June 1669 NS; Monday 24 May 1669 OS]: In the afternoon his highness left home earlier than usual to make his visits, that he might be at the King's Theatre in time for the comedy, and a ballet set on foot and got up in honor of his highness by my Lord Stafford, uncle of the Duke of Norfolk. On arriving at the theatre, which was sufficiently lighted on the stage and on the walls to enable the spectators to see the scenes and the performances, his highness seated himself in a front box, where, besides enjoying the pleasure of the spectacle, he passed the evening in conversation with the Venetian ambassador, the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Stafford, and other noblemen. To the story of Psyche, the daughter of Apollo, which abounded with beautiful incidents, all of them adapted to the performers and calculated to express the force of love, was joined a well-arranged ballet, regulated by the sound of various instruments, with new and fanciful dances after the English manner, in which different actions were counterfeited, the performers passing gracefully from one to another, so as to render intelligible, by their movements, the acts they were representing. This spectacle was highly agreeable to his highness from its novelty and ingenuity; and all parts of it were likewise equally praised by the ladies and gentlemen, who crouded in great numbers to the theatre, to fill the boxes, with which it is entirely surrounded, and the pit, and to enjoy the performance, which was protracted to a late hour of the night (pp. 347-48). In BM Add. Mss. 10117, folio 230, Rugge's Diurnall states that towards the end of May 1669 Cosmo, Prince of Tuscany had several plays acted for him

Event Comment: The King's Company, presumably. For a version of this play, see R. G. Howarth, "A Manuscript of James Shirley's Court Secret," Review of English Studies, VII (1931), 302-13. The manuscript is in the Worcester College Library (Plays 9. 21). Pepys, Diary: My wife going to-day to dine with Mrs Pierce, and thence with her and Mrs Clerke to see a new play, The Court Secret. [The play had not been acted before the Restoration.

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, ascribed variously to John O'Keeffe and to James Foord; adapted from La Gageure Imprevue, by Michel Jean Sedaine. Text prints a Prologue "Supposed to be written by G. Colman, Esq., and intended to be spoken by Bannister Jun.," but "it arrived, by accident, too late at the theatre to be studied and recited" (London Chronicle, 25 Aug.)]. "A new afterpiece was...attempted to be represented, [but] it was not heard out" (Public Advertiser, 19 Aug.). Public Advertiser, 8 Oct. 1788: This Day is published A Key to the Lock (1s.)