Event Comment: Paid Mr Rich the Balance due New Lying In Hospital, 22d Dec. last #21 7s. (Account Book). Receipts: #176 1s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. To prevent Confusion Ladies are desired to send their Servants by half past Four o'clock. [Mrs Siddons's 1st appearance as Lady Randolph was at Manchester, 5 Feb. 1777.] "The Siddons, younger and more rich in natural Gifts, certainly offers much to the Mind, and yet much more to the Eye. The Crawford, by some means or other, offers more to the Heart" (Public Advertiser, 24 Dec). Receipts: #303 8s. 6d. (156/2/0; 10/13/0; 0/13/6; tickets: 136/0/0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill omits Anna, but "Mrs Rock was a wretched Anna" (Thespian Magazine, Feb. 1793, p. 195). Miss Morris is identified in European Magazine, Jan. 1793, p. 69; and see 14, 16 Nov.] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2(?), author unknown. Text (i.e. synopsis of action), For the Booksellers, 1793. Larpent MS 964 contains Songs only]: Partly New, and partly a Selection of Scenery, Machinery, Tricks, and Business, from the most approved Pantomimic Productions of Lunn, Rich, Woodward, Messink, Rosamond [i.e. Rosoman], Lalauze, &c. The Music chiefly compiled [by Thomas Goodwin] from Pepusch, Galliard, Dr Arne, Vincent, Dibdin, Dr Arnold, Fisher, the rest by Shield. The selected Scenery and Machinery re-painted, and the several new ones designed and executed by Hodgins, Pugh, Walmsley, Lupino, &c. The Dances by Byrn, who will for the first time introduce a Burlesque Pas de Russe. With new Dresses, Machinery and Decorations. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [In afterpiece the playbill lists Follett, but he "having received an injury at the morning's rehearsal, afforded that excellent actor, Munden, the opportunity of giving the Public an additional proof of the versatility of his talents: -he undertook the part of the Clown [i.e. Clodpole ], and performed it so well that he will probably be obliged to retain it" (Morning Herald, 21 Dec.). He was probably omitted from the Vocal Characters (see 21 Dec.).] Receipts: #258 10s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Frederick Reynolds. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald. Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews (see text)]: With new Scenes and Dresses. [In mainpiece the playbill lists Mrs Esten, but "Previous to the play an apology was made in behalf of Mrs Davis, who had undertaken Mrs Esten's character in consequence of the indisposition of the latter lady. [After considerable objection] Mrs Davis was well received in the part" (Thespian Magazine, June 1793, p. 4).] Public Advertiser, 3 May 1793: This Day is published How to Grow Rich (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #257 17s. 6d

Event Comment: [2nd piece in place of The Orphan; 3rd piece of Blunders at Brighton [i.e. The Irish Mimic], both advertised on playbill of 9 Oct.] "Where [Lewis] absolutely exceeded all expectation, even from spirits like his own, was in the first scene of the fifth act, where he meets with Cacafogo, who has been Cozened, too, and by a woman also (indeed the same woman); the convulsive joy of his laugh, frequently renewed, and invariably compelling the whole audience to a really painful sympathy, was one of the most brilliant exploits of the comedian...[Lewis] had one peculiarity, which was the richest in effect that could be imagined, and was always an addition to the character springing from himself. It might be called an attempt to take advantage of the lingering sparks of gallantry in the aunt, or the mother of sixty, or the ancient maiden whom he had to win, to carry the purposes of those for whom he was interested. He seemed to throw the lady by degrees off her guard, until at length his whole artillery of assault was applied to storm the struggling resistance; and the Mattockses and the Davenports of his attentions sometimes complained of the perpetual motion of his chair, which compelled them to a ludicrous retreat, and kept the spectator in a roar of laughter. In short, whether sitting or standing, he was never for a moment at rest--his figure continued to exhibit a series of undulating lines, which indicated a self-complacency that never tired, and the sparkling humour of his countenance was a signal hung out for enjoyment" (Boaden, Siddons, II, 364-66). Receipts: #365 4s. 6d. (357.6.6; 7.18.0)

Event Comment: [The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but a letter--see 2 Jan. 1670@1--indicates that the first part had been acted before that date and that Part II was to be shortly staged. The point of the Prologue spoken by Ellen Gwyn seems to have derived from an incident at Dover (see Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 20) in May 1670, when James Nokes attired himself in a ridiculous fashion, including "Broad wast Belts." The speakers of the Epilogue and the Prologue to the Second Part are mentioned in Sir William Haward's MS (Bodl. MS Don. b., pp. 248-49); see The Poems of John Dryden, ed. James Kinsley (Oxford, 1958), IV, 1848-49. In Part I a song Beneath a myrtle shade, with music by John Bannister, is in Choice Songs and Ayres, First Book, 1673. Another, Wherever I am, with music by Alphonso Marsh, is in the same collection, as is also How unhappy a lover am I, the music by Nicholas Staggins. Mrs John Evelyn to Mr Bohun, ca. Jan. 1670@1: Since my last to you I have seen The Siege of Grenada, a play so full of ideas that the most refined romance I ever read is not to compare with it; love is made so pure, and valour so nice, that one would image it designed for an Utopia rather than our stage. I do not quarrel with the poet, but admire one born in the decline of morality should be able to feign such exact virtue; and as poetic fiction has been instructive in former ages, I wish this the same event in ours. As to the strict law of comedy I dare not pretend to judge: some think the division of the story is not so well if it could all have been comprehended in the day's actions (The Diary and Correspondence of John Evelyn, ed. William Bray, IV, 25). According to John Evelyn--see 9 Feb. 1670@1--Robert Streeter did some of the scenes for this play. In the Preface to The Fatal Discovery, ca. February 1697@8, George Powell, in discussing revivals of Dryden's plays, stated: In relation to our reviving his Almanzor...very hard crutching up what Hart and Mohun could not prop

Event Comment: Benefit John Roberts, now Confin'd in the Fleet Prison. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Written by Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: #12 12s