Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Forster. Tickets to be had of Mrs Forster, No. 8, Broad-court, Long Acre. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]. Receipts: #215 2s. 6d. (92/4/0; 36/8/0; 0/7/6; tickets: 86/3/0) (charge: #105 I7».)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Billington. Morning Herald, 5 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Billington, No. 11, Great Newport-street, Long-acre. Receipts: #344 12s. (221/1/6; 2/12/6; tickets: 120/18/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Brett. Morning Chronicle, 26 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Brett, No. 73, Long Acre. 2nd piece: Not acted these 3 years [not acted since 22 May 1781]. Receipts: #271 2s. (79/11; 4/0; tickets: 187/11) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Booth. 1st piece: In Act II the Grand Triumphal Entry of Alexander into Babylon. 3rd piece: Never performed there. Morning Chronicle, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Booth, No. 18, Broad Court, Long Acre. Receipts: #105 12s. 6d. (99/8/6; 6/4/0; tickets: none listed) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Billington. Public Advertiser, 9 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Billington, No. 11, Great Newport-street, Long Acre. Receipts: #277 9s. (176.4; 0.12; tickets [378 in boxes; 41 in pit]: 100.13)

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. [In afterpiece the playbill assigns Charlotte to Mrs Morton, but "On the illness of Mrs Morton Miss Ambrose, whom many must remember on the stage, was applied to--and undertook the part. Long disuse to it had made her timid [she had retired from the stage in May 1782], but she was well received by the public, and performed well" (World, 7 May). Mrs Morton is also listed as Betty Hint in mainpiece; her substitute in that part is not known.] World, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Macklin, No. 6, Tavistock-row, Covent Garden. Receipts: #335 1s. 6d. (173.19.6; 2.11.0; tickets: 156.11.0)

Event Comment: A new Serious Opera (1st time [in London; 1st performed at Venice, 1781]); the music by Sarti, under the direction of Mazzinghi. "At length in the spring arrived the celebrated Marchesi, whose fame had long reached this country, and who had been extolled to such a degree that impatience and expectation were raised to the highest pitch; and on the first night of his appearance the theatre was not only crowed to the utmost in every part, but on the rising of the curtain, the stage was so full of spectators that it was some time before order and silence could be obtained, and with some difficulty that Marchesi, who was to open the opera, could make his way before the audience. Marchesi was at this time a very well-looking young man, of good figure, and graceful deportment. His acting was spirited and expressive: his vocal powers were very great, his voice of extensive compass, but a little inclined to be thick (Mount-Edgcumbe, 66-67). Receipts: #437 15s. 6d., i.e. 560 tickets delivered to Prendergrass [see 8 Dec. 1787], who sold 558; 110 to Toosey, who sold 86; 400 to Butler, who sold 285; 236 to Snelson, who sold 204. Total non-subscription tickets sold: 1133

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild. 1st piece: Not acted these 12 years. [acted 23 Feb. 1784]. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1]. Morning Herald, 20 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 34, Long-acre. Receipts: #274 12s. (149.10; 9.7; tickets: 115.15)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sedgwick. Sedgwick's Illness depriving him of the Power of appearing this Evening, he trusts his Friends and the Public will, with their usual Liberality, admit of his Indisposition as an Apology. Morning Herald, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Sedgwick, No. 66, St. Martin's-lane, Long-acre. Receipts: #394 18s. 6d. (83.5.0; 43.7.0; 8.16.0; tickets: 259.10.6) (charge: #157 7s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett [who had 1st acted Jemmy Jumps at York, 28 Apr. 1788]. Tickets delivered for The Female Pursuit will be admitted. Morning Herald, 5 May: Tickets to be had of Fawcett, No. 153, Drury-lane, facing Long-Acre. Receipts: #282 4s. 6d. (155.1.6; 6.17.0; tickets: 120.6.0) (charge: #105)

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: Tickets Delivered for this Evening [Account-Book: by Andrews, Bowley, Calkin, Chatterley, Dangerfield, Edwards, Faux, Gilles, Henderson, Humphries, Irish, Long, Massingham, Panchaud, Scott, Sherratt, Smith, Stevens, Thompson, Wooldridge] will be admitted. Receipts: #64 18s. 6d. (54.5.6; 10.13.0; 0.0.0; tickets: none listed)

Event Comment: A new Grand Serious Opera, with Chorusses; the Music by Bianchi, under the direction of Federici. With entirely new Scenes designed by Marinari, Dresses composed and executed by Sestini, and Decorations. "[Banti] I must ever consider as far the most delightful singer I ever heard . . . Her first appearance in this country was in the opera of Semiramide, and all her part in it was of the most beautiful description. In addition to the songs belonging to the opera, she introduced a remarkably fine air by Guglielmi, from the Oratorio of Deborah, with an accompaniment for a violin obligato, originally played by Cramer, afterwards by Viotti and others. This song, though long and one of great exertion, was so prodigious a favourite that it never failed of being encored, not only in its novelty, but in every subsequent revival. Her acting, and recitative were excellent, and in the last scene, where Semiramide dies, was incomparably fine" (Mount-Edgcumbe, pp. 82, 84)

Event Comment: "The Theatre was extremely crowded on Saturday night. Again the cruel practice of sticking up sentinels on the stage produced an accident. One of the poor fellows, exhausted the position [of] continuing so long motionless, fell down apparently dead, and was carried off. He fell almost at the foot of Mme Banti, on whom the shock was so instantaneous as to disable her for some minutes from proceeding. For this she was very becomingly hissed by some persons, who, if they knew the reason, did not betray much humanity on the occasion...We trust that this degrading and cruel practice of turning men into figures will be discontinued" (Morning Chronicle, 18 Jan.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Munden. 4th piece: To conclude as 15 Apr. Morning Herald, 12 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Munden, No. 77, corner of Long Acre, and at Prospect-Place, Kentish Town. Receipts: #454 11s. 6d. (148.15.0; 7.16.0; tickets: 298.0.6)

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for the Fund, established for the Relief of those Performers who, through Infirmity, shall be obliged to retire from the Stage. The Theatrical Fund was established in 1765, under the auspices of the late Mr Beard and Mrs Rich; and received the sanction of Parliament in 1776. There are now, and have been for more than 20 years, several Annuitants supported by it, chiefly families and widows. Yet notwithstanding it has been so long set on foot, the interest arising from the Funded Capital has never been equal to defraying one half of the annual disbursements. The deficiencies have been continually supplied by progressive weekly contributions from the performers. When this is considered, it is respectfully presumed the generosity of a British Public will be exerted this night in favour of so liberal and beneficial an institution. Thomas Hull, Treasurer. Tickets to be had of Hull, Treasurer to the Institution, No. 7, Duke's-Court, near Dean's Yard, Westminster. Receipts: none listed

Event Comment: 2nd ballet: With entirely new Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. The Scenes painted by Greenwood, and under his direction. "Magnificent, perhaps beyond parallel on a British stage, but it is considerably too long, as it was past twelve before it was concluded" (True Briton, 8 Feb.)

Event Comment: "Incledon is no longer under any engagement at Covent-garden Theatre; having shewn a good deal of restiveness at being obliged to sing in the after-piece of Joan of Arc, he applied to Mr Harris on Friday [16 Feb.] to deliver him up his articles, which was instantly complied with" (Times, 19 Feb.). [On 22 Feb. and 15 Mar. Incledon acted, by Command; but not again until 14 Apr.] Receipts: #256 18s. 6d. (239.10.6; 17.8.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; D 5, by Benjamin Thompson, altered from Menschenhass und Reue, by August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue. Prologue by William Linley; Epilogue by Matthew Gregory Lewis (European Magazine, Mar. 1798, p. 260)]: With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. With Musick [by Thomas Shaw]. "Mrs Siddons was succesful in all the impassioned parts; but she cannot sustain a mixed character. She is the Muse of Tragedy herself, and when she descends from her lofty state to the level of familiar dialogue, she instantly ceases to astonish and we to admire" (Monthly Mirror, Apr. 1798, p. 234). "The dialogue must be considerably abridged, as well for the purpose of preserving the interest of the piece, as for shortening the time of representation, which is at least an hour too long, it being half past ten before the curtain dropt" [see 26 Mar.] (Morning Herald, 26 Mar.). Receipts: #420 7s. 6d. (378.11.6; 40.18.0; 1.8.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Murray. 1st piece: By Permission of the Author [Walsh Porter], and the Manager of the Theatre Royal Bath [William Wyatt Dimond]. [This was 1st acted at Bath, 27 Feb. 1798. It refers to the nation-wide attempt, being made at this time, to raise funds by voluntary contribution for the defense of the country. And see 9 Feb. Larpent MS 1197; not published. Miss Murray's 1st appearance on the stage was at Bristol, 1 July 1793.] Times, 27 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Murray, No. 77, Long Acre. Receipts: #198 17s. (102.6.0; 4.1.6; tickets: 92.9.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Murray. Morning Chronicle, 8 May: Tickets to be had of Murray, No. 77, Long Acre. Receipts: #263 0s. 6d. (118.7.6; 6.11.0; tickets: 138.2.0)