Event Comment: [See Theatrical Review; or, Annals of the Drama, 1 April, pp. 146-49.] Oratorio is a "Sacred Ode by Dr Brown. Adapted (by the Author of the Ode) to select Airs, Duets and Chorusses from Handel, Marcello, Purcell and other eminent composers" (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Colleges of Philadelphia and New York. Mainpiece a Sacred Ode written by Dr Brown set to select Airs, Duets and Choruses from Mr Handel, and other Eminent Composers, with the addition of several new songs. Pit and Boxes to be put together. No Persons to be admitted without tickets, which will be deliver'd at the Office of the theatre at 1!2 a Guinea each; and also at the following Coffee House, viz: the Smyrna, Pall Mall; the Mount, Grosvenor St; George's, Temple Bar; the Rainbow, Cornhill, the New York, Sweetings's Alley; and the Pennsylvania, Birchin Lane. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallerp 3s. 6d. Galleries to be opened at half past Four, Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at 1!2 after Six (playbill). This philanthropic enterprise, of which the theatrical benefit was but a part, seems not to have born much fruit for the respective Colleges. See Letter to the Governors of the Colleges of New York, respecting the Collection that was made in the Kingdom in 1762 and 1763, for the Colleges of Philadelphia and New York, to which are added Explanatory notes and appendix. By Sir James Jay, M. D. (London, 1771). The funds collected seem largely to have been used up in a law suit. The Governor of the College of New York, Rev. Dr Johnson, asked Jay to collect funds, which he did. Alderman Trecothick wrote Dr Johnson that the funds were not safe in Jay's hands. The Governors insulted Jay, and when they found they were wrong refused to apologize. They entered a bill against him in Chancery to gain the funds. It dragged out for four years. When the power of Attorney had been given to Trecothick, he claimed that a sum of #1437 15s. 6d. was unaccounted for by Jay, and was supposed to be in Jay's hands. Jay explained the Governors had not reckoned on reimbursement for his time and expenses for two years.

Event Comment: Rec'd stopages #3 9s. 6d.; Paid salary list-#441 4s.; Chorus 1 night, #2 5s. 6d.; Paid Mrs Brown, not on list #1 12s. 6d.; Paid Mr Williams (violin) in Musical Lady 10s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #221 5s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Written by Dr Brown; composed by Arnold. For the Benefit and Increase of a Fund, established for the Support of Decayed Musicians and their Families. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. #694 5s. 2d. spent in previous fiscal year by this charity

Event Comment: Oratorio written by the late Mr Brown. Benefit for and Increase of a Fund established for the Support of decay'd Musicians and their Families. Pit and Boxes half a guinea. First Gallery 5s. Upper gallery 3s. 6d

Event Comment: The Last time of the Company's performing this season. The Oxonian in Town, cannot be perform'd on account of the indisposition of a performer. Doors open at Half past 5. To begin at Half past 6. [Account Book indicates the following as paying up their deficiencies or half value of tickets: Perry, Gardner, Legg, Mrs Lampe and Mrs Jones, Wignell, Barnshaw, Wild, Mrs Hartle, Miss Brown, Ellis and Sherratt. Master Harris receiv'd #5 5s. for his performances this season. The Salary list for 25 May, recording payments for a ten day Period, amounted to #639 2s. 2d., or about #63 per day. Basic house charges of #63 may have been based on this salary figure, with the extras of candles, music, wardrobe, &c. added. See 6 June.] Receipts: #67 12s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: A Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Music benefit for Mrs Pinto. Songs by Mrs Forbes, Master Brown, and Mrs Pinto. Concertos on the organ and Hautboy by Hook and Park. After which will be performed for the first time a Pastoral Serenata called Love and Innocence, in two acts composed by Mr Hook, with chorusses. An elegant transparent Temple of Apollo designed and painted by Sig Bigar, machinist to the Opera House. The Gardens will be additionally illuminated. Fireworks. The whole to conclude with a Ball

Event Comment: Paid Miss Younge, for men's cloaths #15 15s., Mrs Mott for women's Cloaths #10 10s.; Mr French on Acct #25; Mr King, Glassman #8 13s.; Half a year's poor's rate for St Martin's to Midqummer last #25 5s.; Mas. Brown 4 nights (10th inst. incl.) #1 10s.; Mrs Slaughter's bill, #1 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #147 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: This play is alter'd by Mr Cumberland was very well receiv'd Mr & Mrs Barry play'd very well Alcibiades was perform'd by Mr Crofts being his first appearance upon any Stage bad figure bad voice & Play'd bad (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes, Decorations &c. Mr Crofts-a stationer in the Temple (Winston MS 10). Theatrical Review, 4 Dec.: We think ourselves oblig'd to declare that this gentleman (Crofts), by no means answered the expectations we had formed, from the accounts we had heard of him.--His voice is not bad, though it is not much above the level of common conservation; --his deportment is aukward and void of grace to an extreme; and he labors under the disadvantage of having a face destitute of expression. His gestures are extremely ungraceful, and the whole of his execution is glaringly untutored, and misconceived. His persons is very ill formed, and therefore it makes greatly against him, especially as he is the representative of Alcibiades, who was the handsomest man in all Athens, and we never remember any one's attempting to set out as a capital performer with so few requisites for the support of such an undertaking as this gentleman appears to have. Paid Dr Nares & Mr Cooke's 8 boys in the Garter, 12 nights (30th ult. incl.) #36; Master Brown 7 nights (2nd inst. incl.) #2 12s 6d.; Licence for Timon, #2 2s. (Treasurer's Book). [Larpent MS 328 of Cumberland's Timon, is one of the earliest to include scenic descriptions: "A Hall in Timon's House. The Flat Scene represents stately Folding Doors. Scene two, the Back scene is hastily drawn back and discovers a magnificent Levee Room or Salon. &c."] Receipts: #243 1s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. N.B. The Institution of the Garter will be laid aside after this night (playbill). Paid Mr Davies on note #5; Miss Hopkins 29 nights at 2s. 6d. per night, #3 12s. 6d.; Mr Thomas French 7 days #2 16s.; Master Brown 12 nights last season and 3 nights this season #5 12s. 6d.; (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #221 4s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sg Daigville & Signa Vidini. [24 April letter signed Ned Shuter dated from his Majesty's Bench of Justice, St Georges Fields: "Theatrical Memoirs giving circumstantial account of my family-Admit my father was a chairman, my mother sold oysters in winter and cucumbers in summer. I was not born in a cellar but in a two pair of stairs front room at one Mrs Merit's an eminent Chimney Sweeper, Vine Street, St Giles" (Winston MS 10). Thomas Weston's apology for the delay of his Benefit. It was owing to his distressed affairs which he had new laid open to the managers. See comment form Edinburg Evening Courant, 29 April.] Paid Renters #88 for Oratorio nights; Mr Dibdin's draft on managers #50; Master Brown 5 nights, #1 17s. 6d.; Rec'd from Messrs Smith and Stanley charges for 11 Oratorio nights at 28# per night, plus candles &c . #342 4s.; Rec'd stopages #9 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #151 4s. Charges: #65 11s. Profits to Daigville & Sga Vidini: #85 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. Rec'd stopages #11 15s. 6d.; From Sinking Fund, 1st, #157 10s. (Treasurer's Book). [N.B. this last bookkeeping transfer seems to have enabled treasurer to pay off Mr Calthorpe. See 1 May 1772.] Paid Salary list #497 18s. 6d.; Mrs Abington's cloaths acct #2; Mr S. French #1 10s.; Master Brown 3 nights #1 2s. 6d. Receipts: #140 9s. 6d. Charges: #58 16s. 6d. Profits to Bannister: #81 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Rosetta 1st time Mrs Wrighten very well, great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Benefit for Ackman and Mrs Wrighten. Paid Master Brown 4 nights #1 10s. (16th inst. incl.). Receipts: #207 6s. 6d. Charges: #65. Profits to Ackman and Mrs Wrighten: #142 6s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Last time of performing Mainpiece this season. House (Hopkins Diary). But Tickets delivered for Benefit of Mr W. Barry will be taken. Mr Wm. Barry's tickets this night (Box 88; Pit 76; Gallery 47) #38 2s.; Paid Printer's Bill #9 6s.; Master Brown 2 nights (26th incl.) 15s.; Extra trumpet 2 nights (March 31st incl.) #1 1s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #155 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Master Brown 6 nights (this incl.) #2 5s.; Chorus 2 nights (this incl.) #5 1s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #85 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Miss Brown 2 weeks not on the list, #1; Mr Wright as per order Mr G. G. #3 10s. 10d.; Dorman for coals #46 5s.; Chorus (this night incl.) #6 16s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #180 12s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. [From the Westminster Magazine for March: "On Friday the third instant the Entertainments peculiar to this season commenced. Messrs Bach and Abel were first, and have been at each successive Oratorio since (one night excepted when the King and Queen favored Mr Stanley, with bringing the only good House he has hitherto had), honoured with the presence of their Majesties, who have been accused, we think justly, of partiality to these foreigners, in overlooking Mr Stanley's past services and great personal merits. Justice, however, requires us to observe, that both in point of vocal and instrumental performers, the former have displayed a striking superiority over the latter. The singers at Messrs Bach and Abel's are, Parry, Corse, Mrs Weichsel, Miss Brown and Sga Corri. At Drury Lane, Norris, Reinhold, Mrs Mattocks, Mrs Barthelemon, and a young Lady from the Founding Hospital."

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Palmer. The Entertainment, a New Poetical Interlude (never perform'd there) Alter'd from Prior's Nut Brown Maid, by Mr Bates, With a New Air and Chorus. Music by Dr Arne. Receipts: #203 12s. Charges: #68 2s. 6d. Profits to Palmer: #13 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [Miss Brown had eloped. See 3 Jan. 1776.

Event Comment: The father of the runaway siren of Covent Garden [Miss Brown; see 16 Dec. 1775] apprehended the little wanton truant at her aunt's in the city, forcing her into a coach, drove off with her into the country: however, she had not been carried above five miles before her cries raised the inhabitants of a village; whom she soon worked to her purpose by declaring that the man (her father) was carrying her away by force, in order to ship her for America....The peasants released her, when she run to town across the country, and has not been re-taken since by her father (Morning Post, 5 Jan.)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Rudd, Ledger, Stevens, Mountford, Mrs Heard, Mrs Morris and Miss Bassan [Account-Book adds: Thompson, Jones, Bates] will be taken this Evening. Miss Brown being ill, Lionel and Clarissa [announced on playbill of 8 May] is obliged to be set aside. Receipts: #158 1s. (40.4; 1.9; tickets: -116.8)