Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these two years. [George II's death had closed the theatres on 4 Nov. the previous year.] Income from Boxes #14 15s. Paid Mr Powell for two years att[endin]g Office & pass [?] Ac[count]. #100. Advanced to Hull #20. Receipts: #64 16s. (Winston Theatrical Record)

Event Comment: [R+Rich's Register lists The English Merchant.] Paid Blandford (tallow chandler) #49 8s. 10d. Paid George Garrick for use of the managers #15 15s.; Paid French on account #20; Advanced to Granier on note #4 2s. 10d.; to Keen on note #4 4s. Rec'd stopages 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Sylas Neville (Neville MS Diary): With difficulty got into the Pit at Drury Lane, where I stood at the side so jambed up that I could not read the newspaper I carried: But I saw the play very well. It was Rule a Wife and Have a Wife, with the Farce of the Devil to Pay. Duke by Havard, Cacafago by Love, very well. Copper Capt. by Palmer, pretty well. Old woman pretty well by Mrs Baddeley, Astifania by Mrs Pritchard excellently, tho she is too old for the first part of this character. Leon inimitably by Garrick. I think he shows a good deal of Abel drugger, [both published and unpublished portions of the Neville Diary.] Receipts: #261 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid John Sutherland for playing Bagg Pipes 3 nights in Midas and 1 in Dr Faustus #1 (Account Book). Went into the Pit to see Woodward in the character of Brazen. He is a most inimitable fellow....This play is entertaining, but rather loose. End Act II, a pantomime Dance by Fishar and Manesiere. The entertainment was Harlequin Dr Faustus (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #145 9s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Shortly will be publish'd Expostulations with George Colman, by Jane Lessingham. Gave Duke of Gloucester's Footmen by Malm #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #200 13s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid John Doe, Claridge, and Smith each 15s. for performing six nights in the Ass and Hog to 1 Jan. [i.e., in Mother Shipton]. Receipts: #176 4s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Last time of company's performing this season. Benefit for Bowers and Widow Veal. Tickets deliver'd by Berrisford, Hodges, and Burroughs will be taken. Thus Ends the Season-63 different plays-36 different Farces-186 Nights in all (Hopkins Diary). Paid Watch, Rector, Cleansing, &c., cg to Lady Day last #5 18s. 4d. (Treasurer's Book). After Season Receipts: 11 June: Box Office Keeper's cash #25; Condill's 3rd and last payment for Fruit Office #20. 16 June: Candles, Oyl and Lampmen of Theatrical Fund Night 2nd inst. #3 18s. 6d. 23 June: Mr Johnston for Candle ends sold to sundry #11 7s. 6d.; Ditto for Lace burnt form the Wardrobe #205 8s. 26 June: Harrison's rent 1 yr to Lady Day last #46 but with #12 5s. in taxes deducted amount rec'd #33 15s.; Williams rent ditto (#48 with #8 6s. 8d. taxes deducted) #39 13s. 4d.; From Public Advertiser this season #50; From Daily Gazetteer #50. 3 July: Remainder of Sinking Fund #160 2s. 6d. 6 July. Mr Rowland 1 yrs rent to Lady Day last with #3 8s. in taxes deducted, #139 12s.; Mr Pope 1 yrs rent to ditto with #3 11s. 2d. taxes deducted #26 8s. 10d. 10 July: Benefit deficiencies cleared and Cash taken up by Evans as per acct. #89 7s. (Treasurer's Book). After Season expenditures: 11 June: Hopkins, Prompters Bill #8 15s.; Miss Hopkins 18 Nights full #2 5s. 13 June: 2 days salary list at #72 6s. 5d. per diem #144 12s. 10d.; S. French 6 days #1 10s. 16 June: Davies on note #7 6s.; Printer's 2 bills #11 14s.; Mas. Thomson 3 nights in full 15s.; Mrs Mann on note #2 2s.; Tallow chandler's 9th bill (#30 14s. 4d. with a discount of #26 15s. 6d. on all bills for season) #3 18s. 10d. 19 June: Miss Berkley on note #5 5s. 3 July: J. Stevens 2 weeks as usual #1 16s; Sandys & Co. for Colours #10 4s. Dorman for Coals #20 10s. and for attending practices of dances, as usual #10 10s.; Cole (turner) #14 3s.; Bibb (sword cutler) #3 12s.; Barret (wax chandler) #20 6s. 6d.; Blakes, (hatter), #5 12s.; Lowe and Co (glaziers) #16 6d.; Cropley, (linen draper) #14 7s. 6d.; Chamberlain & Co. (ironmongers), #25; Carter (scowerer) #14 12s.; Jennings (glover and furrier) #18 6d.; Scott (copper laceman), #51 19s.; Carpue, (silk dyer) #9 1s. 6d.; Mrs Chitty (coals) #28; Carver's bill #2 1s.; Chettell (timber) #14 9s.; Cubitt (Tinman) #18 2s. 6d.; Waller (hosier) #24 19s. 6d.; Barrow & Co. (only) #118; Vaughan (haberdasher) #3 6s.; Hatsell (mercer) #28 2s.; Thomson (smith) #10 15s. 6 July: B. Lyon, Wardrobe & Carp Bills #10 10s. 6d.; Stephens (manson) #6 4s.; Pope (peruke maker) #29 6s. and #3 16s. for 38 extra nights dressing &c.; Mrs Slaughter's Bill #9 2s. 6d.; Roberts (shoemaker) #3 12s. 6d.; D. Richards, 30 weeks 5 days extra salary in full for this season #30 16s. 8d.; Hewetson (laceman) #17 6s.; Mr Page in full of #25 this season #1 17s. 6d. 8 July: J. Johnston's Music Bill #37 13s. 6d.; Powney & Co., (stationers) #3 14s.; Landall for Mrs Cape's Funeral per order #4 7s. 6d.; Kirkman, (harpsichord maker) #18 14s.; John French, painter's bill #5 3s. 10 July: Palmer for Spermacetti Candles #255 8s.; Miss Collett's schooling #2 8s. 10d.; Stafford (glassman) #4 19s.; A. Johnston's bill for feathers &c. #15 6s. 6d.; Ditto four Housekeeping Bills #10 1s. 4d.; Chapman (Jubilee horsekeeping) #3 13s. 6d.; Victor 2 weeks salary as usual #5; Victor gratuity as usual #30; Evans 2 weeks salary as usual #3 and #42 in lieu of a Benefit. Books Closed 10 July. Total income #32,538 6s. 1d. Total outgo #26,410 8s. 8d. Profit #6,127 17s. 5d. paid To Managers #5,040 To Clutterbuck #1,087 17s. 5d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid John Doe for sticking black bills #4 19s. Paid Mr Masefield (paperhanger) as per bill #1 4s. (Account Book). Receipts: #117

Event Comment: Every Man in His Humour oblig'd to be Deferr'd. Paid Joseph Stephenson as per Certificate from Sir John Fielding, 10s. (Account Book). Receipts. #156

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. Afterpiece: Alter'd from Sir John VanBrugh. Not acted in 5 years. [See 24 March 1768.] Miss Jarratt hiss'd in Harriet (Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #162 2s. Charges: #65 2s. Profits to Miss Pope #97 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By desire. Last time of the company's performing this season. [The Epilogue recites the mock burial of this King of Brentford reviewing certain high points of his management. A mock heroic written by Colman and printed in the Gentleman's Magazine for June 1774 (p. 280). He sold his share for #20,000, which was #5,000 more than he paid for it. (See Page, George Colman, The Elder.) Rec'd half value of ticket returns from 13 servants amounting to #98 3s. 6d. Receipts: #124 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Barry. By Particular Desire. Mainpiece: A Tragedy by the author of Douglas [John Home], never acted there. Part of Pit laid into boxes. Ladies send servants by 4 o'clock, and come as early as possible to avoid Confusion and Trouble

Event Comment: [Afterpiece: Prologue by George Colman elder.] The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 30 Apr. 1777]. Receipts: #194 18s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 150 years [acted 31 Jan. 1723]. Written by Beaumont and Fletcher [with alterations by George Colman elder. Prologue by David Garrick (Poetical Works, II, 354)]. The Musick by Purcell. New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 30 July 1778: This Afternoon at five is published Bonduca (1s.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. With a Procession and Sacrificev. [These were included in both subsequent performances.] Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Thomas Sheridan. Not in Larpent MS; not published; synopsis of plot in London Chronicle, 21 Dec.]: Taken from the comedy of that name by Sir John Vanburghi [sic]. Receipts: #151 2s. 6d. (115.4.0; 35.16.0; 0.2.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Beaumont and Fletcher [and altered by George Colman elder]. The Music by Purcell. New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice at the Theatre. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Servants to keep places are to be at the Door in Suffolk-street by Five o'Clock

Event Comment: "My father [George Colman elder] told me that, on the seventh of June, on which day and night desolation had attained its climax [because of the Gordon riots], and London is said to have been seen from one spot blazing in thirty-six different parts, the receipt of his playhouse exceeded twenty pounds. This sum appears somewhat of the smallest for the night's receipt of a Theatre Royal in London; but how, instead of twenty pounds-worth of spectators, twenty persons, or one person, could have calmly paid money to witness, in the midst of this general dismay, a theatrical entertainment, is astonishing' (Peake, II, 47)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by John Delap, based on the Suppliants, by Aeschylus, and the Haraclidae, by Euripides. Prologue by Hester Lynch Thrale (Thraliana, I, 484-85). Epilogue by Arthur Murphy (Murphy, Works, 1786, VII, 57)]: With New Dresses and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 1 Mar. 1781: This Day is published The Royal Suppliants (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #181 10s. 6d. (158.0.0; 22.2.0; 1.8.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Music composed by Dr Arnold

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. Public Advertiser, 6 Mar.: In 1st piece Love in her Eyes was sung by Norris; O ruddier than the cherry by Reinhold; Consider, fond shepherd by Mrs Kennedy; Heart, thou seat of soft delight by Miss George. The concerto consisted of "two Movements made up of common Ballads."

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss George

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. [Kean's 1st appearance was at this theatre, 22 Mar.] 2nd piece: The Music compiled by Dr Pepusch. 4th piece: A Ballet Tragi-Comique, composed by Signor Novestris [i.e. George Colman, the elder]. Gazetteer, 23 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Charing-cross

Event Comment: [Lacy was from DL. Address by George Colman, the elder (Colman, Prose, in, 260).]

Event Comment: [Holman is identified on playbill of 5 Nov. Address by John Barwis (European Magazine, Oct. 1784, p. 336, which also lists name of speaker).] Mainpiece: With new Dresses, Scenery and Decorations. In Act I a Masquerade Scene. [This notice is included in all subsequent playbills.] "This easy and natural performance of Holman . . . will prove a fatal blow to the cause of the Attitudinarians and Face-makers; to those who think dramatic excellence consists in . . . finding out meanings that were never meant ... in stretching out their fingers like monkies dying in convulsions ... in uttering their words like minute-guns at royal funerals" (Public Advertiser, 1 Nov.). "Why does Romeo wear black in the last Act? Is it on account of his banishment? He has not heard of Juliet's death" (Gazetteer, 28 Oct.)

Event Comment: "What a 'monstrous marring' ... is made amongst the wierd sisters! Mrs Wrighten laughing and talking the whole time, [and Miss] George who cannot help joining in a laugh . . . Mrs Siddons's sleeping scene [is] we think the greatest act that has in our memory adorned the stage" (Public Advertiser, 24 Feb.). Receipts: #279 6s. 6d. (250/0/0; 28/9/0; 0/10/0; tickets not come in: 0/7/6)