Event Comment: Benefit for Whitfield. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by John Till Allingham]. Morning Chronicle, 14 May: Tickets to be had of Whitfield, No. 10, Clifford's-inn. Ibid, 26 July 1799: This Day is published Fortune's Frolic (price not listed). Receipts: #394 13s. 6d. (79.15.0; 5.0.0; tickets: 309.18.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece:In I A Grand Masqueradev. Afterpiece [1st time; M. INT 1, by Thomas John Dibdin]: To conclude with a new Scenic Representation of Britannia Triumphantv. Interspersed With a Variety of favorite old Airs, popular Songs, Parodies, &c. The Overture and new Songs composed and the Music in general arranged by Moorehead. The Machinery invented and executed by Cresswell. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre, price Six-pence. Morning Chronicle, 16 Oct. 1799: This day is published The Naval Pillar (price not listed). The afterpiece had reference to the contemplated erection of a "Naval Pillar" on Portsdown Hill, near Portsmouth, in commemoration of the recent victbries of the English navy. A plain pillar is at the last introduced, with the names of the most celebrated admirals on a scroll, round which the sailors and their sweethearts dance with peculiar festivity. The pillar now flies open, and displays a most magnificent and appropriate spectacle--consisting of Britannia, personated by Mrs Chapman, under a rich canopy, with the figures of a sailor and a soldier for supporters, pointing to the letters G. R. over a brilliant sun, which turns on the center; shrouded in clouds above, and surrounded by angels, is a medallion of Lord Howe, and on columns on each side of the canopy are medallions of your great living naval commanders" (Monthly Visitor, Oct. 1799, p. 180). Receipts: #284 10s. 6d. (277.18.6; 6.12.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by John Brandon, Dick, Denman, Hall (carpenter), Hay, Williamson will be admitted. [Miss Lascelles is identified in Morning Post, 4 June.] Receipts: #409 16s. (39.2.6; 6.9.0; tickets: 364.4.6)

Event Comment: 3rd piece [1st time; P 2, by John Fawcett. Text 1st published by Duncombe and Moon, c. 1825]: With entire new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. The Overture and most of the Musick composed by Dr Arnold. The Selections from eminent Masters, and the whole adapted by him to the Action of the Drama. The Scenery, comprehending a display of Views in the Island of Jamaicav, designed and painted [on playbill of 1 July: from Views taken on the Spot, and documents of undoubted authority] by S. Whitmore. The Machinery by Ronaldson, Sylvester, &c. The Dresses [on playbill of 1 July: made for the purpose by Persons acquainted with the spot where the Scene of Action lyes] by Gay, Mrs Egan, &c. A Prospectus of the Action with the Songs annexed, Price Six-pence, to be had at the Theatre [and reprinted in Dramatic Censor, III, 21-29]

Event Comment: Bills were put up for a Word to the Wise. As soon as the Curtain was drawn up a great hissing Mr Garrick went on the Stage Several Plays were propos'd to be done but Mr Kelly's Party would have none but a Word to the Wise & the other Party would not Consent, Mr Garrick offer'd to play himself but that would not satisfy them. at Length the House was dismiss'd about Nine O'Clock (Hopkins Diary). A Word to the Wise, Damn'd (Cross Diary). We stayed from 6 to past 10 in which time Garrick came out 6 or 7 times and talked to the audience, tho' often 5 or 6 minutes before he could be heard. Once he said the author was willing to withdraw his play, but then the party for Kelly [opposed by the Wilkesites] said he had no right to do so: they insisted on the play, the other that it should not be, etc.; the same about what play to be given out, one party calling for the new play and the other against it. When King came on, being called to speak the prologue, the hubbub forced him back, and one or two oranges struck him. The people came away in great numbers after ten and we amongst the rest, and had our money returned. Parson Horne [Horne Tooke] there but did not interfere, tho'at the bottom of it (John Baker, Diary, p. 189)

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: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Miss Biggs as Angela, but "On account of the sudden indisposition of Miss Biggs, Miss Heard will perform the part of Angela, and hopes for the usual indulgence of the audience" (printed slip attached to Kemble playbill).] Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by Thomas John Dibdin, based on Der Wildfang, by August Ferdinand Friedrich von Kotzebue. Prologue by Miles Peter Andrews (London Chronicle, 4 Feb. 1800)]: The Overture and Musick composed by Kelly [with one selection from Paisiello]. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. Receipts: #264 17s. (139.8.6; 122.17.0; 2.11.6)

Event Comment: Benefit Kelly, Gwinn, Mrs Harrison. Receipts: money #18 3s. 6d.; tickets #171 19s

Event Comment: Benefit for Kelly. Public Advertiser, 28 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Kelly, No. 7, King-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #216 15s. 6d. (76.9.0; 21.7.6; 2.18.0; tickets: 116.1.0) (charge: #120 17s. 5d.)

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for the Widow and Children of the late Hugh? Kelly. Tickets delivered for a Comedy, May 28th, will be admitted. Morning Chronicle, 10 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kelly, No. 3, Racquet Court, Fleet-street. Receipts: #108 -16s. (52.1; tickets: 56.15) (charge: #52 1s.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, adapted from Die Spanier in Peru, by August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue. Prologue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (consisting of the 1st 30 lines and the concluding couplet of his Prologue to The Miniature Picture); Epilogue by the Hon. William Lamb (see text). For publication see 1 July]: The Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations entirely new. The Musick, Airs and Chorusses incidental to the Piece composed and selected [from Gluck, Sacchini, &c. (Morning Chronicle, 25 May)] by Kelly. The Symphony preceding the Play, and those between the Acts, composed for the occasion by Dussek. The Scenery designed and executed by Marinari, Greenwood? Jun, Demaria, Banks, Blackmore, &c. [See Theatre Notebook, XX, 30-32, for suggestion that one scene was designed by DeLoutherbourg.] The Machinery, Decorations, and Dresses under the direction of Johnston, and executed by him, Underwood, and Gay. The Female Dresses designed and executed by Miss Rein. Account-Book, 14 May: Paid Miss Anne? Plumtree [i.e. Plumptree] for Spaniards in Peru #25. [It was this translation of Kotzebue's play that Sheridan adapted for the stage as Pizarro. For an account of the relationship between the translation and its adaptation see Marcella Gosch, "'Translators' of Kotzebue in England," Monatshefte fur deutschen Unterricht, XXXI, 178-83.] Paid Johnston [on this and other days] for sundries for Pizarro #135 14s. "It requires certainly more than English patience and spirits to sustain any Play of five hours in length. It is not one of the worst features of Pizarro that it contains a great deal which may be spared, without injury to the piece [see 25, 27 May]" (Morning Chronicle, 25 May). Receipts: #540 3s. 6d. (406.0.6; 17.5.0; 0.4.0; tickets sold by Fosbrook's Office: 116.14.0)

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence. Benefit for the Unfortunate Sufferers in the Glorious Action between Sir John Jervis, and the Spanish Fleet, off Cape St. Vincent [on 14 Feb. 1797]

Event Comment: Last night Kelly withdrew his comedy (Winston MS 10)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A Tragedy [by Hugh Kelly] never perform'd. The performance of Mrs Yates alone could have counteracted, for nine nights, its natural tendency towards damnation....A gentleman being asked, after one of the representations of this play, if he did not hiss it, replied "How could I? A Man can't hiss and yawn at the same time." (Biographia Dramatica.) [The advertisement to the 1771 edition thanks Mrs Yates, Bensley, Wroughton, "for their great good nature in undertaking their respective characters at the short notice of a week, when Mr Ross unexpectedly returned the part of Anselmo, which had been in his possession above a fortnight." This circumstance, continues the advertisement oblig'd Mr Bensley, cast for Palermo to undertake Mr Savigny's part, orginally Granville, Savigny taking Anselmo, and Wroughton Palermo." The play was brought on anonymously to avoid political repercussions associated with the name of the author.

Event Comment: This Comedy written by Mr Kelly was brought on the Stage by Capt. Addington as his own was well perform'd & receiv'd with great Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Rec'd stopages #24 12s. 6d.; Paid salary list #529 2s.; Mr King's extra salary #3; Miss Brooker, 8 weeks not on list #8. (Treasurer's Book). [Mainpiece reviewed favorably by the Westminster Magazine: "He that cannot relish such a pleasing picture of Manners with such powerful Sentiments, so interesting a Fable, and so striking a Moral, must be a churl indeed."] Receipts: #244 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)