Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. 1st piece [1st time; PREL I, by John Dent. On 16 Aug. acted at HAY under its 2nd title]. 2nd piece: As altered in 3 acts by Garrick. [Kean was from the HAY.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time in London; co 3, 1st acted at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 30 Jan. 1784. MS: Larpent 703, not published]: Written by [Robert] Jephson [with lyrics by Sir Nathaniel Barry (Larpent MS). In 1787 abridged by John O'Keeffe as Love and War]. With new Scenes and Decorations. A new Overture by the celebrated Haydn. The Airs by David Rizzio, [J. C] Bach, Paisiello, Duni, Carolan, Shield and Tenducci [i.e. "The Music partly compiled by Tenducci; the new Airs composed by Shield" (notice on playbill of 11 May)]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [Afterpiece in place of The Lying Valet, announced on playbill of 11 May.]

Event Comment: Opera: The Music by Sir Christopher Gluck; with the additons of John Christ. Bach, and with the choice of several pieces of Handel. The Whole under the direction of Anfossi. Director of and 1st singer in the Chorus-Webb. The Scenes invented and painted by Novosielski. The Dresses entirely new, executed by Sestini. [Libretto (J. Jarvis, 1785): SER 3.]

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for a Performer, thirty years a Servant of the Publick at Covent-garden and Haymarket Theatres [unidentified]. Mainpiece: Written by the ingenious Mrs Behn, with Alterations by a Gentleman well known in the Dramatick World and Republick of Letters. The Characters new dressed in the Habits of the Times. [Writers and speakers of Prologue and Epilogue unknown.] Afterpiece: Altered from Sir John Vanbrugh. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:00

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by John Burgoyne, based in part on Le Pere de Famille, by Denis Diderot. Prologue by the Hon. Richard Fitzpatrick; Epilogue by the author (see text)]: With a Variety of new Scenes [by Greenwood (Daily Universal Register, 16 Jan.)], Dresses, and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 4 Feb. 1786: This Day is published The Heiress (1s. 6d.). "It rarely happens that all the characters of a piece are so well sustained" (Morning Chronicle, 16 Jan.). "We never saw a play more admirably performed in all its parts" (Gazetteer, 16 Jan.). "In point of performance the comedy had every advantage" (Morning Herald, 16 Jan.). Receipts: #226 2s. (205/10; 20/7; 0/5)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years [acted 22 Jan. 1784. Epilogue by John Wolcot (European Magazine, May 1786, p. 369)]. Afterpiece: With Additional Songs, &c., as 28 Apr. Morning Herald, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Pope at his house, Half-Moon Street, Piccadilly. "There is a mellow richness in [Pope's] voice superior to any other performer on the stage" (Candid Strictures, p. 47). Receipts: #255 16s. 6d. (156/13/0; 2/14/6; tickets: 96/9/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer and Meadows. Morning Chronicle, 20 May: Tickets to be had of Palmer, No. 36, Bow-street, Covent Garden; of Meadows, John-street, Golden-square. Receipts: #208 10s. (36/19/6; 9/11/6; tickets: 141/19/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Leonard Macnally, adapted from the same, by Michel Jean Sedaine. Not in Larpent MS; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Chronicle, 17 Oct. For text of abridged version see 21 Oct.]: Taken from the celebrated French Opera of that Name. With the original Overture, Airs, Duetts, Trios, Chorusses and Finale, by the celebrated Gretry. To which are added Compositions by the following Masters; Anfossi, Bertoni, Duni, David, Rizzio, Carolan, Tenducci, and Shield. With new Dresses, Scenery and other Decorations. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [The printed score (Longman & Broderip, c. 1786) indicates that the music was adapted by Shield; it does not refer to Duni, Rizzio or Tenducci, but includes Philip Hayes and John Wilson. After the 1st 4 performances the mainpiece was reduced to an afterpiece of 3 short acts; see 21 Oct.] Account-Book, 28 Nov.: Paid Macnally in full for Coeur de Lion #121 18s. 6d. "Inchbald we thought [was] rather hardly dealt with. His voice happened to fail him in a particular turn of the tune he was singing, and some of the audience were ungenerous enough to disconcert him so far that he made a modest bow and retired [leaving his part unfinished. In consequence of this] a duet that was to have been sung by the King from the battlements of the castle, and Blondel without the walls, on which the turn of the fable hinged, was omitted; a circumstance that could not but materially affect the intrinterest, as it destroyed the connexion of the fable" (Morning Chronicle, 17 Oct.). [The following day Inchbald withdrew from his engagement at cg.] Receipts: #249 12s. 6d. (247.11.6; 2.1.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 3, by John Burgoyne]: From the French of Michel Jean? Sedaine. With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. The Music by the celebrated Gretry [adapted by Linley Sen.]; and the Paintings by Greenwood. Books of the Dialogue & also of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 25 Oct 1786: This Day is published Richard Coeur de Lion (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #226 (191.3; 32.14; 2.3)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bowden. Public Advertiser, 22 Jan.: Tickets to be had of Bowden, No. 5, John-street, Great Portland-street. Receipts: #288 9s. (182.4.6; 1.18.6; tickets: 104.6.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by John O'Keeffe, based on Les Intrigants; ou, Assaut de Fourberies, by Antoine Jean Bourlin, dit Dumaniant. Prologue probably by the author.]. Receipts: #269 8s. 6d. (264.10.0; 4.18.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Kemble. "Kemble? Sen. performed the Miller...Here and there we could perceive the liberty of the country performer, by saying more than was set down by the author" (Public Advertiser, 27 Aug.). [Address by John Taylor (European Magazine, Sept. 1788, p. 217).] Public Advertiser, 21 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kemble, No. 26, Villiers-street, York-buildings, Strand

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2(?), by John O'Keeffe. Synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 27 Dec.]: With new Music, Scenery, Machinery, and Decorations. The Scenes designed and executed by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, Pugh, &c. The Music selected from the Works of the most eminent Masters, by A. Shaw. The new Airs composed by Shield, and the Overture by Richardson. Books of the Songs, Recitative, &c. to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Receipts: #315 16s. (301.6; 14.10)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [C 5, by the Hon. Henry Seymour Conway, adapted from Les Dehors Trompeurs; ou, L'Homme du Jour, by Louis de Boissy; incidental music by Michael Kelly. Prologue by the author. Epilogue by John Burgoyne (see text)]: 1st time at a public theatre. With new Scenes and Dresses. [This was 1st acted on 31 May 1788 at the private theatre in the town house of the Duke of Richmond, which was situated on what is now Richmond Terrace, Whitehall. It was demolished in 1819.] Diary, 16 June 1789: This Day is published False Appearances (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #138 3s. (114.15.0; 22.5.6; 1.2.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years [not acted since 13 Oct. 1748. With alterations by John Philip Kemble]. Receipts: #167 18s. 6d. (122.19.0; 42.11.6; 2.8.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; BO 2, by the Hon. John St.John. Prologue by the author (see text)]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The Overture, new Songs and Accompaniments by Shaw. The Scenes by Greenwood. Receipts: #172 16s. (117.11.0; 53.9.6; 1.15.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. "Quick, in July 1777, played Richard III at Bristol" (Anthony Pasquin [pseud. for John Williams], Poems [1789], II, 244). "Most people expected from Quick a comic representation of Richard the Third--but strange to tell he was earnest in the attempt, and succeeded tolerably. The audience, however, were not disposed to be very serious, and named him 'Little Dicky'" (Public Advertiser, 8 Apr.). [Address by Robert Merry (European Magazine, Apr. 1790, p. 307.] Gazetteer, 1 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Quick, Broad-court, Bow-street. Receipts: #430 17s. 6d. (265.5.6; 4.15.0; tickets: 160.17.0)