Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; DO 3, by Prince Hoare, based on Didone Abbandonata, by Pietro Metastasio]: The Musick is chiefly new, and composed by Storace. The Selections are made from the most celebrated works of Salieri, Paer, Rampini, Sacchini, Sarti, Giordani, Cimarosa, Schuster, Andreozzi. The Scenery and Machinery designed by Greenwood and executed by himself and his Pupils. The Dresses of the Tyrians, Trojans and Africans entirely new, and taken from the most accurate descriptions of the Habits of their respective Nations. [Both Miss Barclay and Master Welsh had 1st appeared at the king's oratorios, 24 Feb.]. "A procession was introduced in which an Ostrich, a Dromedary and an Elephant marched to slow music. The Masque, which concluded the opera, was some insipid stuff about Neptune and Nereids, with a representation of the Temple of Neptune. Young Welsh sang prettily in this said Masque" (Morning Herald, 24 May). "[Mara] retained only one song of her Didone [see king's, 14 Feb. 1786]; the brilliant bravura, Son Regina, of Sacchini" (Mount-Edgcumbe, 80). Morning Herald, 28 May 1792: This Day is published Dido (price not listed). Receipts: #244 8s. 6d(213.14.5; 28.15.0; 1.19.0)

Event Comment: 3rd piece [1st time; INT 1, by Walley Chamberlain Oulton]. Morning Herald, 21 July 1792: This Day is published All in Good Humour (1s)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, ascribed variously to Elizabeth Inchbald and to Miss Griffiths, based on L'Amour Use, by Philippe Nericault, dit Destouches. Prologue and Epilogue by George Colman, ynger (see text)]. Morning Herald, 4 Sept. 1792: This Day is published Cross Partners (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by William Pearce]: With new Music, Dresses, &c. The Music composed by Haydn, Sacchini, and Shield. The Scenery by Richards. Books of the Songs [W. Woodfall, 1792] to be had at the The Theatre. Public Advertiser, 20 Apr. 1793: This Day is published Hartford Bridge (1s.). Receipts: #294 17s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb. Larpent MS 961; not published; synopsis of plot in Universal Magazine, Nov. 1792, p. 393]: The Scenes entirely new, designed and executed by Greenwood. With new Dresses and Decorations. The Music composed principally by Storace, with a few Pieces selected from Anfossi, Bianchi and [La Bella Pescatrice, by] Guglielmi. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 15 Apr. 1793]. "The dialogue of operas now a days is thought of little consequence, and in this instance, the author has certainly strictly adhered to that opinion; however, by the aid of Painter, Composer, Taylor and Performers [The Pirates] will certainly long continue to attract admiration" (Thespian Magazine, Jan. 1793, p. 169). Receipts: #359 10s. 6d. (336.6.6; 23.0.0; 0.4.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 5, by Thomas Morton. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald. Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews (see text)]: The Scenes, principally new, designed and painted by Richards, Hodgins, Pugh, Walmsley, and assistants. With entire new Dresses and Decorations. "The management of the earthquake in which the Temple of the Sun is destroyed was a very fine piece of stage mechanism; the effect of which was considerably heightened by the improved performance of the Bold Thunder, and that also of his Electrical Harbinger. The gradations and cadences of the first were superior to anything of the kind we remember within the walls of the theatre...The scene of the rising sun was uncommonly dingy" (Public Advertiser, 3 Dec.). "Mr Morton in full for Columbus #214 10s. 6d." [MS annotation on BM playbill, 26 Dec. 1792 (cg, Vol. VIII)]. Morning Herald, 14 Dec. 1792: This day at noon will be published Columbus (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #301 8s

Event Comment: Genest, VII, 88: On this evening there was not any play performed, from respect to the memory of the unfortunate monarch, Louis 16th, who was murdered in Paris on that day [sic] -Kemble, without consulting Sheridan, closed the theatre -Sheridan, who was out of town, arrived late that evening, and finding there was no play, was highly incensed at the shutting up of the theatre upon such an occasion; for, he said, it was an invariable maxim with him, that neither politics nor religion should be taken notice of in his playhouse, yet no man deplored the tragical event more sincerely than he did. (Kelly, Reminiscences, II, 37). [The playbill of 23 Jan. advertises Cymon and The Ghost for this present evening.

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by William Pearce]: With new Music, Scenes and Dresses. The Music composed and selected [From Paisiello and Gretry (BUC, 946)] by Shield. The Scenes designed and executed by Richards. Books of the Songs to be at the Theatre. ["Mr Pearce #100 for Midnight Wanderers" (MS annotation on BM playbill (cg, Vol. VIII), 2 Mar. 1793).] Morning Herald, 21 May 1793: This day is published The Midnight Wanderers (1s.). Receipts: #332 17s. 6d

Event Comment: Anna [advertised on playbill of 26 Feb.] is deferred for a few Days, at the Request of the Authoress, in order to amend those passages which prevented the Piece from receiving throughout that unanimous Applause with which the Audience honoured the Four First Acts. [But Anna was not repeated.] Receipts: #316 12s. (253.16; 56.12; 5.18; tickets not come in: 0.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Munden. 2nd piece [1st time; M.INT 1, by Thomas Hurlstone, Published by J. Debrett, 1793; in 1795 acted at cg as The British Recruit; or, Who's Afraid?]: The Overture and Music (a Glee and Air excepted) entirely new, by Shield, Giordani and Dr Stevenson of Dublin. To conclude with a Representation of the Grand Fleet under Sail. Books of the Interlude to be had at the Theatre. Morning Herald, 3 May 1793: This Day, at Noon, will be published To Arms (6d.). Morning Herald, 15 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Munden at his house, No. 6, Frith-street, Soho. Receipts: #448 17s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Whitfield and Mrs Ward. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by-Fernside, for whose authorship see Kemble Mem., based partly on Love's Cure; or, The Martial Maid, probably by Philip Massinger. Incidental music by Richard Suett]. Public Advertiser, 15 May: Tickets to be had of Whitfield, under the Great Piazza; of Mrs Ward; No. 6, York-street, Covent-Garden. Morning Herald, 12 June 1793: This day is published The Female Duellist (1s.). Receipts: #469 13s. 6d. (51.4.0; 33.9.0; 8.4.0; tickets: 376.16.6) (charge: #158 17s. 2d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild. 2nd piece [1st time; F 1, by Robert Woodbridge]. Morning Herald, 4 June 1793: This day is published The Pad (price not listed). 3rd piece [1st time; BALL. P 2 (?), by James Byrn, altered from his The Provocation!]: The Incidents partly new, and partly selected from the much admired Pantomime called Provocation. In the course of the Pantomime a representation of an Engagement between an English and French Man of War; A Ship-wreck; The original Allegoric Scene from Provocation: A View of an English Camp; A Naval and Military Procession. Morning Herald, 9 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 46, Drury-lane. Receipts: #335 1s. 6d

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; MD 3, by George Colman, ynger]: The Overture, Choruses, and new Musick by Dr Arnold. The Scenery by Rooker. The Dresses entirely new. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Salary List (Enthoven Collection): Paid Colman for Mountaineers #290 10s. Morning Chronicle, 26 Feb. 1795: This Day is published The Mountaineers (2s.)

Event Comment: [Mrs Pollock's 1st two appearances were on 24 Nov. 1792 and 14 Jan. 1793.] Afterpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Being a Collection of Favorite Scenes from the following celebrated Pantomimes: Harlequin Sorcerer, Mother Shipton, Choice of Harlequin, Lord Mayor's Day, Druids, Fryar Bacon, Harlequin Freemason, Norwood Gipsies, Omai, Magic Cavern, Harlequin Rambler. [Synopsis of Entertainment in Public Advertiser, 3 Oct.] Receipts: #261 11s. (245.5; 16.6)

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; T 4, by Edward Jerningham. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (see text)): With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. Times, 24 Dec. 1793: This day is published THE SIEGE OF BERWICK (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #284 6s. 6d. (258/10/6; 25/16/0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Being a Collection of favorite Scenes from the following celebrated Pantomimes: Harlequin Sorcerer, Mother Shipton, Choice of Harlequin, Lord Mayor's Day, Druids, Fryar Bacon, Harlequin Freemason, Norwood Gipsies, Omai, Magic Cavern, Harlequin Rambler. The Dances [composed] by Byrne. The Original Scenery, Machinery &c. painted by Lambert, Dall, Carver, Hodgins and Richards. The Music selected by Shaw from Pepuch [sic], Dr Arne, Arnold, Fisher, M.? Arne, Vincent, Didbin, Reeve, Shield. Receipts: #193 7s. (187.15; 15.12)

Event Comment: [In 1st and 3rd pieces the playbill retains Wewitzer, but "Previous to the drawing up of the curtain Bannister Jun. solicited the indulgence of the audience for Benson, who had in the course of the day studied two characters for which Wewitzer (who was indisposed) was announced in the bills" (Thespian Magazine, Feb. 1794, p. 88).)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue by the Hon. Francis North. Epilogue by George Colman, the younger (see text)]. Morning Chronicle, 20 Mar. 1794: This Day is published THE BOX-LOBBY CHALLENGE (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by William Pearce. Text (T. N. Longman, 1794) has cast for season of 1794-95]: With new Music [by Shield), Scenes [by Richards (Theatre Notebook, Summer, 1965, XIX, 143)] and Dresses. The Music composed by [i.e. compiled from] Baumgarten, Paisiello, Dr Arne, W. Parke, Howard, and Shield. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 26 Nov. 1794: This Day is published NETLEY ABBEY (1s.). Receipts: #399 5s. 6d. (378/1 1/6; 20/14/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown] . Account-Book, 25 Sept. 1794: Paid Cumberland for The Jew #300. Morning Chronicle, 4 Oct. 1794: This Day is published THE JEW (1s. 6d.). Powell: The Quaker rehearsed at 10; The Jew at 11. Receipts: #401 17s. (344/3; 45/19; 11/15)

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)