Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Samuel Birch, based on James Powell's unacted play, The Narcotic, 1787; incidental music by Thomas Attwood (see 28 Nov.). Larpent MS 1182; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Chronicle, 30 Oct.]. Receipts: #309 19s. 6d. (222.7.6; 86.1.0; 1.11.0)

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: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb. Text: T. N. Longman and O. Rees, 1800. Miss Waters is identified in the Songs]: The Scenes, Music, Machinery, Dresses, and Decorations are all entirely new. The Music composed by Mazzinghi and Reeve. The Scenery painted by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Backmore, &c. [based on drawings of Indian scenery by Thomas Daniell]. The Machinery and Decorations by Cresswell, Sloper, Goostree, &c. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs, also describing the Scenes and Spectacle of the Return from the Tiger Hunt, to be had at the Theatre, price six pence. "The whole [forms] an exhibition of the utmost grandeur...The expense attending the decoration must have been immense...The dailogue is certainly not of the first description of writing, but it forms, on the whole, a very safe vehicle for some of the best music the English stage has for some time been able to boast"(Morning Herald, 13 Nov.). Account-Book, 27 Dec.: Paid Cuthbert for Wheels, &c. for the Elephants #13 18s. Receipts: #364 7s. 6d. (363.19.6; 0.8.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time: MD 5, by James Boaden]: With new Musick [by Michael Kelly], Dresses, and Decorations. [Scenery by Capon (Theatre Notebook, XIX, 14).] Morning Chronicle, 16 Jan. 1799: This Day is published Aurelio and Miranda (2s.). Receipts: #271 16s. (218.15.0; 51.19.6; 1.1.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Henry James Pye. Prologue by William Sotheby; Epilogue by John Taylor (see text)]: With new Dresses and Decorations. "From the first drawing up of the curtain, till its final fall, we could not discover one single flight of fancy, one solitary scene of woe...It is but justice to add that for a first night the performers, with the exception of Barrymore, were very perfect in their respective parts [and see 27 Jan.]" (Dramatic Censor, I, 175, 181). Receipts: #309 13s. (246.4.6; 61.0.6; 2.8.0)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; MF 2, by James Cobb. Text (unauthorized), Dublin: P. Byrne [1800]; synopsis of plot in Dramatic Censor, II, 135-36]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The Overture composed by Mazzinghi, and the Music by Mazzinghi and Reeve. The Scenes painted by Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Hodgins, &c. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #132 17s. (128.7.6; 4.9.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Cibber. Mainpiece. Reviv'd, not acted these 4 years [see 1 March 1746]. Afterpiece: Taken from the French of Dancourt, a Ballad Opera, performed by particular desire. Tomorrow, The Jubilee, for Benefit of Mrs Horton. [Baker, Biographia Dramatica, lists the afterpiece as written by James Wilder, taken from Dancourt. Cibber had announced (General Advertiser, 27 Feb.) for his benefit The Man of Mode, with Pasquin, with Alterations. In which would be performed The Rehearsal of a Comedy call'd The Election; or, Bribes on Both Sides, by the Author of Tom Jones.

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; C 3, by James Wild]: Reduced [from the same by Henry Fielding] into 3 Acts. Receipts: #287 8s. 6d. (282.2.6; 5.6.0)

Event Comment: On account of the Benefits Wild Oats cannot be repeated till Saturday next. Receipts: #154 16s. (151.2; 3.14)

Event Comment: Benefit James, Eyre, and Mrs Ratcliff

Event Comment: [Dedication signed by John James Heidegger.] By Subscription. Never Perform'd before. Colman's Opera Register: Monr John James Heidegger managed both this & ye former Opera for ye Singers & ye Subscription was for Six Nights paying 10 Guin for 3 Tickets each Night, they not to give out above 400 Tickets a Night

Event Comment: [Dedication by John James Heidegger.] By Subscription. Stage Boxes 15s. Gallery 5s. Colman's Opera Register: By subscription for six times at ye usuall rate of 10 Guin for 3 Tickets

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: [1st piece in place of THE FLITCH OF BACON, advertised on playbill of 25 July.] 3rd piece [1st time; CO 2, by Samuel James Arnold]: The new musick, with a Scottish Medley Overture, by Dr Arnold. New Scenery by Rooker. New Dresses and Decorations. Morning Chronicle, 28 Aug. 1794: This Day is published AULD ROBIN GRAY (1s)

Event Comment: 3rd piece [1st time: MF 2, by Samuel James Arnold. Larpent MS 1176; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Herald, 27 June]: The Musick, with an Hibernian Medley Overture, by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: The King's Company. Apparently this was the premiere. Prologue: First Astrol. reads. A Figure of the heavenly Bodies in their several Apartments, Feb. the 5th half an hour after three after Noon, from whence you are to judge the success of a new Play call'd the Wild Gallant. Evelyn, Diary: I saw the Wild Gallant, a Comedy

Event Comment: Benefit for Simson Mrs Simson and Master Simson. Afterpiece: Acted there but once. Tickets to be had of Simson, in Wild-Passage, Wild St., near Lincoln's Inn Fields; Grigsby's Coffee House, behind the Exchange; and at the Stage Door. Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: The King's Company. See 5 Feb. Pepys, Diary: [The Slighted Maid] being done, we took coach and to court, and there got good places, and saw The Wilde Gallant, performed by the King's house, but it was ill acted, and the play so poor a thing as I never saw in my life almost, and so little answering the name, that from beginning to end, I could not, nor can at this time, tell certainly which was the Wild Gallant. The King did not seem pleased at all, all the whole play, nor any body else, though Mr Clerke whome we met here did commend it to us....Now as my mind was but very ill satisfied with these two plays themselves, so was I in the midst of them sad to think of the spending so much money and venturing upon the breach of my vow, which I found myself sorry for, I bless God, though my nature would well be contented to follow the pleasure still. But I did make payment of my forfeiture presently, though I hope to save it back again by forbearing two plays at court for this one at the Theatre, or else to forbear that to the Theatre which I am to have at Easter. But it being my birthday and my day of liberty regained to me, and lastly, the last play that is likely to be acted at Court before Easter, because of the Lent coming in, I was the easier content to fling away so much money

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: And wife and Deb. to the King's house, there to see The Wild-goose Chase, which I never saw, but have long longed to see it, being a famous play, but as it was yesterday I do find that where I expect most I find least satisfaction, for in this play I met with nothing extraordinary at all, but very dull inventions and designs. Knepp come and sat by us, and her talk pleased me a little, she telling me how Mis Davis is for certain going away from the Duke's house, the King being in love with her; and a house is taken for her, and furnishing; and she hath a ring given her already worth #600: that the King did send several times for Nelly, and she was with him, but what he did she knows not; this was a good while ago, and she says that the King first spoiled Mrs Weaver, which is very mean, methinks, in a prince, and I am sorry for it, and can hope for no good to the State from having a Prince so devoted to his pleasure. She told me also of a play shortly coming upon the stage, of Sir Charles Sidly's, which, she thinks, will be called The Wandering Ladys, a comedy that, she thinks, will be more pleasant; and also another play, called The Duke of Lerma; besides Catelin, which she thinks, for want of the clothes which the King promised them, will not be acted for a good while

Event Comment: Benefit for Collins, Mrs Bambridge, Mrs Cowper, and Miss Ferguson. Tickets deliver'd by Wilder, Mr Line and Widow Powell will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Lacey and Wilder. Tickets deliver'd out by Ward, Harvey, and Mrs Addison will be taken. Receipts: #170 (Cross)