Event Comment: Both pieces By Command of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. We hear that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, with Prince Edward will be this night at Covent Garden, to see the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, and Harlequin Skeleton. On Tuesday 3 March, will be reviv'd a Tragedy call'd Macbeth (as written by Shakespear) the part of Macbeth by Barry, and Lady Macbeth by Mrs Cibber, being the first time of her appearing in that character. To which will be added the Oracle, a new Dramatic piece (of one act) taken from the French, the Principal Part to be perform'd by Mrs Cibber. Pit and boxes laid together

Event Comment: [Letter to Woodward from Samson Edwards, The Merry Cobler of Haymarket. Answer to Henry Woodward's reply on Hill's Letter, 6d. Ironical defense of Hill casting further opprobrium upon him.] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Masque [by Capt. Edward Thompson] never perform'd. With New Music, Dresses, Scenery, and Decorations. The Music composed by Fisher. The Scenes painted by Dall and Carver. Books of the songs to be had at the Theatre. [The Westminster Magazine for March also lists Boreas -Reinhold; Carlos -DuBellamy; Traverse -Mahon; Druid -L'Estrange, and tells the story of the play. The reviewer did not approve of the piece, since for him it lacked unbounded fire of fancy, originality of idea, language, and character. He approved of Fisher's music.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With a New Scene and New Dresses. Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Charles Dibdin and Edward Thompson. Thompson's name does not appear on the title-page of the text; it has been added by J. P. Kemble on the half-title of his copy now in the Huntington Library]: The Music chiefly composed by Dibdin [Public Advertiser, 15 Nov.: Three of the airs and the finale were composed by Samuel Arnold; one air by John Abraham Fisher]. With New Scenes [ibid: by Dall, Richards, and Carver], Dresses and Decorations. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 7 Feb. 1777: Paid Dibdin in full for copyright of the Seraglio #20; ibid, 2 June 1777: Received of Cooper for Songs & Books sold of The Seraglio #19 10s. 9d. [Mrs Ward was from the Birmingham theatre]. Receipts: #221 11s. 6d. (219.7.0; 2.4.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Younge. Interlude [1st time; M. INT I, by Edward Jerningham]: Interspersed with Music [by James Hook. Text 1st published in Jerningham's Poems, vol. I (J. Robson, 1786)]. Public Advertiser, 20 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Miss Younge at Thelwall's, Silk Mercer, King-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #222 9s. (80.14; 18.10; 1.19; tickets: 121.6) (charge: #65 17s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dickinson, 1st gallery office-keeper. Afterpiece [F 2, by Edward Thompson, 1st acted at Richmond, 1 Aug. 1776; not published; Prologue probably by the author]: Never performed there. Public Advertiser, 17 May: Tickets to be had of Dickinson, No. 5, Wild-court, Wild-street, near Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #276 17s. (21.14; 7.10; 0.0; tickets: 247.13) (charge: #84)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Edward Topham, with incidental music by Shield. MS not in Larpent; not published. Prologue by George Colman, the younger (European Magazine, May 1786, p. 370)]. "An old and established rule among the youth of Westminster [School will] not permit any exhibition on the stage reflecting upon their body ... In the second act Mrs Wells made her appearance in the dress of a Westminster scholar, when a general uproar [instigated by the scholars] took place, and the [rest of the] piece was prevented from being heard" (Town and Country Magazine, May 1786, p. 235). Public Advertiser, 8 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 188, Oxford-street. Receipts: #282 17s. (166/0/6; 21/19/6; tickets: 94/17/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Edward Topham. Larpent MS 772; not published; synopsis of plot in Public Advertiser, 3 May. Prologue by George Monck Berkeley (European Magazine, June 1787, p. 411)]. Public Advertiser, 24 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 417, Strand. Receipts: #257 3s. 6d. (160.4.6; 5.7.0; tickets: 91.12.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. 2nd piece: Written by Edward Jerningham, Esq., with Alterations and Additions (interspersed with Music, after the manner of Rousseau's Pygmalion). The Music composed by Hook. The subject of the above Performance is taken from a remarkable incident in the Life of Margaret . Morning Herald, 2 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Pope at her house, No. 5, Half-moon-street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #368 15s

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; T 4, by Edward Jerningham. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (see text)): With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. Times, 24 Dec. 1793: This day is published THE SIEGE OF BERWICK (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #284 6s. 6d. (258/10/6; 25/16/0)

Event Comment: 2nd piece: With Alterations. "On the first night Ethelberta died; at the succeeding representations her life was spared" (Edward Jerningham and his Friends, ed. Lewis Bettany, 1919, p. 97). 3rd piece: In 3 acts. Receipts: #219 13s. 6d. (202/11/6; 17/2/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. At the particular Desire of his Excellency the Ambassador [see 7 May] from the Sublime Porte:. 3rd piece: At End of Act I of the DIVERTISEMENT. Written by Edward Jerningham, Esq., with Alterations and Additions, interspersed with Music, after the manner of Rousseau's PYGMALION. Morning Chronicle, 19 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Pope, Half-Moon-street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #231 17s. (138/14; 3/3; tickets: 90/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for R. Palmer, Russell & Dowton. 1st piece [1st time; B 1, by Edward Henry Iliff. The title-page has "by Edmund Spenser, Ynger." On his copy, now in Huntington Library, J. P. Kemble has written, "Iliffe [sic] is the real Name of the Authour"; he has made a similar notation on the playbill]: Founded on the 17th Number of The Spectator. 3rd piece [1st time; MF 1. Larpent MS 1219; not published. The characters are all taken from previous plays by John O'Keeffe, as follows: Sadboy (The Young Quaker); Signor Arionelli and Bowkitt (The Son-in-Law); Motley (The Dead Alive); Tully (The London Hermit); Lingo and Cowslip (The Agreeable Surprise); Ephraim Smooth (Wild Oats); Nipperkin (Sprigs of Laurel); Jemmy Jumps and Betty Blackberry (The Farmer); Mrs Casey (Fontainbleau)]: Written by Mr O'Keeffe. Times, 4 June: Tickets to be had of R. Palmer, No. 2, Queen's-row, Pimlico; of Russell, No. 19, Martlet-court, Bow-street; of Dowton, No. 5, Strand-lane, Surry-street, Strand. Receipts: #413 11s. 6d. (76.17.6; 37.7.0; 1.0.0 tickets: 298.7.0) (charge: #215 10s. 5d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Edward Morris. Prologue by Charles Morris; Epilogue by George Colman, ynger (see text)]: With new Dresses and Decorations. Morning Chronicle, 14 Mar. 1799: This Day is published The Secret (2s.). Receipts: #371 18s. 6d. (319.17.0; 49.14.6; 2.7.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A new Tragi-Comedy. Benefit the Author. [Author unknown. Apparently not published.] Boxes 5s. pit 3s. Gallery 2s. There's none Sir Courtly, can my Lord Beau call, He's a bold-Fop, and represents you all

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Written by Colley Cibber. [The Old Maid for 8 May 1756 reviewed this performance of Lethe, or possibly the one with the same cast on 30 April. The reviewer was 'particularly diverted with Mrs Clive's Italian Song, in which this truly humorous actress parodys the Air of the Opera, and takes off the action, of the present favorite female at the Hay-Market, with such exquisite ridicule, that the most zealous partisans of both, I think, must have applauded the comic genius of Mrs Clive, however they might be displeased with this application of it." The reviewer is lukewarm in praise of the "New Character"..."What is there new in a Lord's having Gout, loving a bottle, pretending to taste, or being follow'd by a flatterer?"] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [See 22 Oct. 1760.] Lord Townly by Mr Powell, 1st time great applause. Mr Castle hiss'd in Count Basset (Hopkins). Mr Powell's first appearance in Lord Townly-The last scene he felt greatly, and in a few times performing will play the part well (+Hopkins Diary-MacMillan). Receipts: #231 19s. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: [Extra night] By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Mrs Lisley, late Miss Barsanti. T. Davis's benefit, which was intended for Tuesday next, is obliged to be deferred till a Future Day, of which Proper Notice will be given. [Digges's 1st recorded appearance as Lord Townly was at Edinburgh, 6 Mar. 1756.

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Mr Garrick played Lusignan and Lord Chalkstone. It is almost impossible to express how finely he played both characters. The Prologue was called for. Mr Garrick went on directly to speak it--as soon as he appeared a general clap and a loud huzza,--and there was such a noise from the House being so crowded, very few heard anything of the prologue.--As soon as the play began there was a great disturbance in the Gallery, and some called out, Guards Guards! that they could not go on.--Mr Lacy went on the Stage, and looked up to the gallery, and came off again without saying anything.--They soon grew quiet, and the play went on.--Monsr Rousseau sat in Mr Garrick's box (Hopkins Diary). [Account in the Public Advertiser of the original story upon which VanBrugh founded some circumstance in his Provok'd Wife, signed Heartfree. The Gentleman's Magazine, January, in the Historical Chronicle section noted that Jean Jacques Rousseau arrived in England on 13 Jan. and "was at the play on the 23rd, and presented himself in the upper Box fronting his Majesty."

Event Comment: MMr Reddish played Lord Townly, being his first appearance in London, --was well received and met with Applause, --but an indifferent figure, --will be useful (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: At 5 went into the Pit at Covent Garden to see Mrs Yates do Lady Townly. Yates is an excellent Sir Francis, but Powell does not shine in Lord Townly....The Entertainment was the new comedy in two acts called the Oxonian in Town, with a prologue by Woodward in the character of a student....It being suspected that a number of sharpers whose characters and practices are laid open in this piece, would attempt to damn it tonight (the 3rd of its being Performed) under pretence of its casting odium on the Irish, bills were dispersed in the House during the play vindicating it from any such intention. Woodward was allowed to speak the prologue, but as soon as the curtain drew up catcalls began. When the performers retired, Powell spoke several times, but was not heard. I was told that the author (Mr Colman) desires to know whom he has offended. The Pros were a very great majority, and at last after a contest of better than 1!2 an hour, the victory was over and the piece was performed. I think it contains many good sentiments, and excellent instruction to young men and is not unworthy of Mr Colman. If vice must not be exposed to hatred and contempt, the usefulness of our theatres is at an end. Only I think the Covent Garden pleasures are represented in too favourable a light. When all was over Powell came on the stage and thanked the audience for their generous protection (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #212 12s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Authority [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for the Westminster New Lying-In Hospital

Event Comment: By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Mrs Jewell. The out-standing Tickets of Jewell's, for September the 2d, will be admitted

Event Comment: By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. By Desire of the Most Noble Order of Bucks. Benefit for Griffith. [Author of Epilogue unknown.] Tickets delivered for November 22 and for The West Indian will be admitted. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15