Event Comment: At Common Prices. N.B. Part of the Company will continue to Act two Days in a Week during the Summer Session. Original Weekly Journal, 6 June: A Quarrel happening in Drury-Lane Play-House, betwixt a Gentleman and an Officer, they immediately drew their Swords, and the Latter was wounded in the Arm

Event Comment: Written by Shakespear. Receipts: #37 2s. 6d. [In Daily Post, 20 Sept., King Lear had been advertised for this day.

Event Comment: The Third Day. As 11 April. Afterpiece: With Additions and Alterations

Event Comment: 1 Benefit Paget. Tickets given for Comus taken this day, Several Gentlemen desiring to see him as Falstaff. [Originally scheduled for 4 April were Comus and a new Farce The Biter Bit; or, Vintner in the Suds.

Event Comment: PPhillips and Hussey's Company. 2s. 6d., 1s. 6d., 6d. [Concert formula used.] To begin at 12 and end at 10 p.m. Mainpiece: [first announced on 26th and 29th as The Careful Father; or, The Extravagant Son. Notice of performance repeated 2,3,6 (but Cushing as Drunken Peasant), 6,7 (but Phillips as Drunken Peasant), 12, 13, 14, and 15 May. Probably acted every day of May Fair.

Event Comment: At the Great Tiled Booth, Bowling Green, Southwark, A Diverting Droll, By a Company of Comedians. To begin each day at 12 and end at 10 at Night during the time of the Fair

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Elizabeth Inchbald. Prologue by Thomas Vaughan (see text)]: The Dresses and Scenery are new. Morning Chronicle, 26 Nov. 1794: This Day is published The Wedding Day (1s.). Powell: Wedding Day rehearsed at 10; Siege of Belgrade at 11. Receipts: #295 2s. 6d. (207.7.6; 76.7.0; 11.8.0)

Event Comment: See Pepys, Diary, 27 Jan. For several decades this day was regularly observed as a Fast Day, with no plays acted

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: To church, it being thanksgiving-day for the cessation of the plague; but, Lord! how the towne do say that it is hastened before the plague is quite over, there dying some people still, but only to get ground for plays to be publickly acted, which the bishops would not suffer till the plague was over; and one would thinke so, by the suddenness of the notice given of the day, which was last Sunday, and the little ceremony

Event Comment: This Musical Farce of one Act was wrote by Mr G on purpose to introduce Miss Abrams (a Jew) about 17 Years old. She is very small, a Swarthy Complexion, has a very sweet Voice and a fine Shake, but not quite power enough yet-both the Piece and Young Lady were receiv'd with Great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Books of the Songs, Choruses etc. of Afterpiece to be had at the Theatre. The Conscious Lovers oblig'd to be deferred till Monday, with which will be performed the last new Grand Ballet, The Savage Hunters. [Advertisement to the published edition: "The author of this musical Farce, begs leave to inform the readers, if there should be any, that it was merely intended to introduce The Little Gipsy to the public, whose youth and total inexperience of the stage made it necessary to give as little dialogue to her character as possible, her success depending wholly upon her singing-This reason added to another, which is that the piece was produced at an early part of the season, when better writters are not willing to come forth, is the best apology the Author can make for its defects."] Paid 6 days salary list at #104 7s.-per diem, #626 2s.; Mr Lamash on note #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). [The note on sale of books of the songs and choruses for the afterpiece occurs on all subsequent bills this season in which May Day is mentioned. The songs and chorusses and overture by Dr Arne. The afterpiece reviewed in Westminster Magazine for Nov.: The preparation is palatable, and the hand of the preparer is discoverable from the affinity between the scene of Roger and the Old Man, and that of whittle and Thomas in the Irish Widow....The Music of the overture and Finale were remarkably light and pretty: some of the airs also did Dr Arne credit. As to Miss Abrams, she has a sweet pipe, and a natural shake that charmed us;-If maturity does but strengthen her voice, at the same time that it gives her ease in deportment, she will prove an ornament to the stage."] Receipts: #205 3s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Thomas Holcroft, based on Le Mariage de Figaro, by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais; incidental music by William Shield. In 1789 reduced to an afterpiece of 3 acts. Prologue by the author (Europaen Magazine, Dec. 1784, p. 467)]: With new Dresses, Decorations, &c. Public Advertiser, 10 Mar. 1785: This Day is published The Follies of A Day (1s. 6d.). [For an account of Holcroft's shorthand transcription of the original, taken down during a performance in Paris, and the hasty rehearsals of it in London, see Elbridge Colby, A Bibliography of Thomas Holcroft, 1922, pp. 48-50.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 5, by Hannah Cowley. Author of Prologue unknown. Epilogue by the author (see text)]: With Songs, Duetts, and Chorusses composed by Mazzinghi. With new Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. Books of the Songs, &c. to be had at the Theatre. [Afterpiece in place of The Padlock, advertised on playbill of 2 Dec.] Morning Herald, 23 Feb. 1792: This day is published A Day in Turkey (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #263 16s. (261.15.6; 2.0.6)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Cross, Mrs Bridges, Miss Young. The General Advertiser included the following Puff: Sir, As I am continually searching for latent Curiosities, out of a sincere regard for the Public Satisfaction, I think it my Duty (lest among the Multitude of Diversions now flourishing, some other might engross the attention of the Curious) to inform the world, that the Farce which will be perform'd this Evening at Drury Lane theatre, call'd May Day, or the Merry Milkmaids of Islington, was written by the particular desire of King Charles II who had it first performed at Newmarket; how agreeably that jovial Monarch was entertained, every person, who thinks it worth his while to see it, according to his abilities, will be a competent judge, Yours, &c A. Virtuoso. [Part of the Multitude of Diversions referred to included announcement in the same paper for a Rehearsal of the whole Band of Music at Ruckholt House, the following Monday; a paragraph Puff on the diversions at Sadler's Wells in consequence of the late happy Victory of the Duke of Cumberland over the Rebels, with special notice of a New Interlude of Music call'd Strephon's Return, or the British Hero, perform'd this night with many advantages of Dress and Decoration, and a new Ballet by Matthews; and further notice of the Representation of the Battle near Culloden House which had met with universal applause, and which would continue to be repeated at the New Wells in Goodman's Fields. The Farce at Drury Lane this evening was advertised as not having been played for 20 years. It was taken from Thomas Nabbes' Totenham Court Road, by the Compiler of the Muse of Newmarket, 1680. The MS Occasional Prologue praising Cumberland is in the Larpent Collection.

Event Comment: (FFast Day) (Cross)

Event Comment: To begin each day at twelve noon and end at ten at night during the short time of St Bartholomew Fair at Yates' (from Drury Lane) Great Concert Hall in the Greyhound Inn, Smithfield. There is a commodious way to the Hall opposite the Sheep-Penn. The diverting entertainment contains the distresses of a young lady that was stolen by a French pirate; the gallantry of an English Captain who rescued her; their unfortunate shipwreck, and their being thrown upon a desolate island; their sufferings through famine; the unexpected relief they met with on a part of the island; governed only by women; their being afterwards seized as pirates; the punishment inflicted on them by the Female Goverment; and their amazing delivering by the Queen's finding her husband and her only son, whom she had lost and thought dead upwards of twenty years. Interspersed with the comical and diverting adventures of Lt Fireball, a true English Tar, Noddy a distressed Beau, Snivel Thimble, a tailor; Splitfarthing an Old Userer; and Glisterspite a Finical Surgeon. In which will be introduced a Dialogue between Mynheer Vanflawkin, a Dutchman, and Mynheer-the German

Event Comment: Benefit for Clinch. Doors opened at half past 5. Play to begin at Half an Hour after 6. [Afterpiece written by Sheridan for Clinch, traditionally in gratitude for his saving The Rivals from damnation. (See Thomas Moore's Life of Sheridan [London, 1825], I, 148). The Westminster Magazine for May adds to cast: Irish Corporal-Fox; Soldiers-$Davies, $Wewitzer, Chaplin, and reviews the piece briefly: St Patrick's day is replete with broad humor, homely jests, and extravagant caricature. The language in general shewed the author a man of honour and observation; the situations were whimsical and produced that mirth which the audience in the Prologue were invited to partake of....The jests were occasionally too low and vulgar, and his scene too extravagantly absurd. The main drift of the Prologue was to tell the Audience that a fine Spring impeded the theatrical harvest; and that at this season the benefits of Nature were the greatest enemies to the Performer's Benefits."

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. [Advertised at foot of playbill, 13 Oct., as to be performed this day. But no bill occurs, nor is there any apology on the bill for 16 Oct. for its deferment. Yet bill for 18 Oct. presents Leoni as Arbaces with the note, being his second appearance on that stage.

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; BURL 3]: Written by the Author of Midas [Kane O'Hara; music by Samuel Arnold]. Books of the Burletta to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 22 Aug.: This Afternoon, at Three, will be published April-Day (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Powell: All's Well rehearsed at 10; Wedding Day at 11:30; Love for Love at 12. Receipts: #244 1s. (183.19.6; 56.1.0; 4.0.6),

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Palmer as Stukely, and in afterpiece retains Trueman, but "Palmer being ill Barrymore play'd Stukely. Trueman being Ill, Banks play'd the Servant in The Wedding Day" (Powell).] Powell: School for Scandal rehearsed at 11. Receipts: #288 12s. (222.5.6; 61.4.6; 5.2.0)

Event Comment: [Trueman's name is omitted from afterpiece, but "Trueman continuing Ill, Webb Servant in The Wedding Day" (Powell).] Powell: School for Scandal rehearsed at 10; Roman Father at 12. Receipts: #249 14s. 6d. (201.7.0; 46.8.0; 1.19.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnstone. 1st piece [1st time; C 5, by William Macready, based on The Artful Husband, by William Taverner. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald. Epilogue by Robert Houlton (see text)]. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, author unknown. Larpent MS 1076; not published]: The Music part new and part compiled by Shield. Morning Herald, 4 June 1795: This Day is published The Bank Note (2s.). Morning Chronicle, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Johnstone, No. 19, Piazza, Covent-garden. Receipts: #434 19s. 6d. (168.1.0; 8.0.6; tickets: 258.18.0)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; PREL 1, by George Colman, ynger. In 1796 the 1st scene was acted as Sylvester Daggerwood]. Morning Chronicle, 3 July 1795: This Day is published New Hay at the Old Market (1s.). Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be had of Rice at the Theatre