Event Comment: This Morning we were surpris'd with the unhappy News, that Frederick Prince of Wales Dy'd the Night before between ten & eleven-Mr Beard's Benefit was to be on Thursday & many of ye Bills were posted before we heard of this Accident the Bills were immediately torn down, & the House shut up before my Ld Chamberlain sent orders for so doing-on fryday the 5th of Ap: my Lord sent us leave to open on the 8th: being Easter Monday; it is said our having permission to open so soon, & before the prince was Bury'd was on account of the Actors Benefits depending (Cross)

Event Comment: This play was reviv'd instead of ye London Cuckolds by way of Compliment to the City--not lik'd at all--Mr Ross being ill Mr Mattocks did his part at 2 Day's Notice, wch at the end of the 4 Act Mr Woodward told the Audience, & tho Mr Mattocks was hiss'd before, when he next appear'd they gave him great Applause. Mattocks never play'd a principal part before in London (Cross). Mainpiece: Never Acted there. [Inspector No 206 reports a letter on the lack of wisdom of giving the London Cuckolds on Lord Mayor's Day, as the morals of the trading youth have been corrupted by it the writer rejoices to see the substitution of Eastward Hoe for it (Daily Advertiser and Literary Gazette).] Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: mong the Addresses of the Lords and Commons to the Sovereign which appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine (Nov. 1751, pp. 513-14) one recommended that provision be made for suppressing audacious crimes of robbery and violence. A contributor called Mr Urban's attention to a "method of reformation earnestly recommended more than 40 years ago by an eminent Divine" (Dean Swift). In this treatise occured the following paragraph: "The Reformation of the Stage is entirely in the power of the Court; and in the consequence it hath upon the minds of younger people, doth very well deserve the strictest care. Surely a pension would not be ill employed on some men of wit, learning and virtue, who might have power to strike out every offensive and unbecoming passage from plays already written, as well as those that may be offered to the stage for the future, by which, and other wise regulations, the theatre might become a very innocent and useful diversion instead of being a scandal and reproach to our religion and country."] Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Ross, belonging to Drury Lane, is recover'd from his late illness, and will appear this week in the character of Lord Townly in the Provok'd Husband. Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: Some Hissing, tho' play'd Well-Garrick Kiteley &c. (Cross). Mainpiece: Written by Ben Johnson, never acted there. Characters Dress'd in the Old English@Manner. Receipts: #200 (Cross). We hear that His Majesty intended to go to the theatre Royal in Drury Lane this evening, to see the Comedy of Every Man in his Humour, wrote by Ben Johnson in 1598, acted the same year by the Lord Chamberlain's Servants, and dedicated to the great Mr Camden; and was reviv'd since the Revolution with Great Applause, having a new Epilogue spoken by Ben Johnson's Ghost , written by the late Earl of Dorset (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: Suppos'd Garrick's Benefit (Cross). This day publish'd at 1s. Every Man in his Humour, a Comedy written by Ben Johnson [sic] with alterations and additions, as it was perform'd at Drury Lane (General Advertiser). [Inspector No 298 comments on a blemish in the performance of Richard III, where the character of the Lord Mayor has Buffoonry in the handling." Taswell frequently acts it thus, but perhaps is not to blame, the decision as to the manner of the part probably having been made by the Manager (Daily Advertiser and Literary Gazette, 13 Feb.)] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: At the Desire of Several Persons of Distinction. The Thirteenth Day. The Ladies are particularly desired to come early. Yesterday Orders were sent from the Lord Mayor to the Managers of the Entertainment last Night, exhibited at the Castle Tavern, Paternoster Row, to discontinue that part of it call'd The Old Woman's Oratory, the above being an unlicensed Place (Daily Advertiser, 19 Feb.)

Event Comment: Benefit Mause, Madge. On Tuesday Evening several Performers by an order from the Lord Chamberlain were taken up for acting Plays, or Drolls, at Shepherd's Market, May Fair, and carried before a Magistrate who committed them to Prison on the Vagrant Act (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: noise still (Cross). [See 6 Nov.] Mainpiece: It appears that Mr Garrick is solicitous to banish vice from the theatre, by his having first omitted to exhibit that scandalous piece the London Cuckolds on the evening of the Lord Mayor's Day [9 Nov.] contray to immemorial custom, and the practice of the other house. He has also made a vigorous attempt to exclude folly but the friends of folly appeared to be so numerous, that he could not effect his purpose (Gentleman's Magazine, Nov. 1752, p. 535). Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: The Lord Chamberlain to the Manager of the Theatre in Covent Garden...These are strictly to charge and command you not to act any Plays, Oratorios, or any other Theatrical Performance in Passion Week for the Future on any Pretence whatsoever (Deutsch, Handel, p. 740, from Public Record Office: L.C. 5@162, pp. 2 ff.). [Deutsch cites similar ones for dl, king's and hay.

Event Comment: [N+New Wells, Lemon St. Goodman's Fields.] As Church wardens and Overseers of the Parish of Whitechapel did lately receive Information, that several young Persons have exhibited Plays at Goodman's Fields Wells...that the said young Persons have actually met and rehearsed Plays on the Lord's Day, in Defiance of all Laws, Divine and Human; the said Churchwardens and Overseers, assisted by proper Authorities, went last Night to Goodman's Fields Wells, which they found vastly crowded, and having severly reprimanded the Performers, dismissed the Audience (Daily Advertiser, 2 March)

Event Comment: A new Musical Entertainment. Written by Mr Rolt, and set to Musick by Mr Arne. To begin at 6:30 p.m. Pit and Boxes 5s. Gallery 3s. Originally announced for 4 Feb.; postponed to 11 Feb. because of the illness of Mrs Arne, and again. Mr Arne is obliged to inform the Publick...his new English Opera is called Eliza and the performance stopped by a Prohibition from the Lord Chamberlain (Daily Advertiser, 21 March)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A new farce by Doctor Heffinal [sic] for his benefit. O Sad! (Cross). Tickets at Forrest Coffee House, The Bedford, and Randall's, and author's lodgings at Mew's Coffee House. To the Printer of the Public Advertiser, 24 April: Sir, Let this suffice for a general answer to all unfriendly whispers or paragraphs against the new farce to be performed tonight at Drury Lane -its author never previously Caballed, never published his sentiments of any stage performance till after the run -then neither the writer nor manager could be injured -its principal characters are Lady Protea, a coquet alarmed at the apprehension of dying amid; Lord Epigram Strainwit, a pert coxcomical witling; Dr Matho, a Virtuoso, Antiquarian, and in love; Dreadnought Broadside, a sea-officer and strenuous Antigallican. I am &c. Receipts: #90 (Cross)

Event Comment: A New Opera. The Musick by Sig Baldassare Galuppi. [Mingotti had been advertising for subscriptions for next season but now Vanneschi announces that he was secured the licence for next year from the Lord Chamberlain and he is the new Director of the operas (Daily Advertiser).

Event Comment: PPublic Advertiser: Mr Vanneschi begs leave to inform the Nobility and Gentry, that a Licence being granted to him from the Lord Chamberlain's office, with his Majesty's most gracious Approbation, for exhibiting Italian operas at the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, Subscriptions for the ensuing Season will be taken in by Mess. Drummond and Co., Bankers at Charing Cross. He humbly desires his Protectors and Subscribers, to oblige him with an early Payment of their Subscription Money, in order that he may be able to give the necessary Securities to Sga Colomba Mattei, and to Sg Pasquale Potenza, as also to the Rest of his Singers and Dancers. It being given out that Mr Vanneschi hath not engaged the Use of the Opera House for the ensuing Season of Operas, it is hereby certified, that the Proprietor thereof hath agreed with Mr Vanneschi for the same. Sign'd by order of the Proprietor. Peter Crawford, Treasurer of said Theatre

Event Comment: LLa Serva Padrona; or, The Servant Mistress announced but cancelled. [This entertainment was advertised as to be given by particular desire, with the addition of a new act, and a new character, as it was performed originally at the Theatre Royal in Naples. Set to music by Pergolesi. With Dancing. The Scenes and Cloaths entirely new. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. The house to be illuminated with wax candles. The whole to be under the direction of Sg Storace and Mr Oswald. Sga Seratina being recovered from her late indisposition to perform this night. Notice, however, on the proposed day of performance appeared in the Public Advertiser: "La Serva Padrona is stopp'd by a particular order of the Lord Chamberlain, but as a great many of the Nobility and Quality are very desirous to see this entertainment, it will be soon presented at another theatre." See 29 March.

Event Comment: Sunday the 21st about 4 in the afternoon I receiv'd an order form the Duke of Devonshire [Ld. Chamberlain] to Shut up the House 'till farther Notice, -Fryday 26th about eleven in ye Morn[in]g I receiv'd an Order from my Lord to open on the Monday following (Cross). Theatre clos'd from 20 January 1759 on account of the death of the Princess Royal of England, Countess Dowager of Holland & Governant of the United Provinces & of the Miny of the Stadholder (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: This Day Publish'd elegantly printed in one Volume Octavo (Dedicated to the Right Hon. Garret, Lord Mornington) A General View of the Stage, by Mr Wilks, of Dublin. Printed for J. Coote. [Contains 355 pages on the stage and its usefulness in presenting tragedy, comedy, opera, farce and pantomime. Discusses the art of acting, reviews plays and parts. Chapter VI on [Dress and its propriety" suggests the growing interest in historical authenticity in costume: [The judicious propriety in 'dress' adapted with sufficient exactitude to the age, time, and circumstances of [the] character...may be call'd the last colourings and finishings of [the] picture; and in this case very much will depend on knowledge of ancient history and historical paintings." Thirty-two pages praising Garrick the actor, and discussing in some detail all the characters he had performed to that time.

Event Comment: At Shuter's New Booth, George Inn Yard, West Smithfield. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. First Gallery 1s. Upper Gallery 6d. To begin each day at Twelve Noon. An Excellent Band of Musick is provided. The Scenes and Habits all entirely new. Public Advertiser, 22 Aug.: Whereas the partnership between Mess Shuter and Yates has been dissolved; and as Mr Shuter intends to carry on the Business in a more extensive manner than has been performed hitherto, he is now at a great Expence erecting a Repository in an entirely new Taste, in the George Inn Yard...prfviding new, nice, and different Assortments of Theatrical Wares, such as Wit, Humour, Incidents, American Interludes, black and white, Duets and Dances, of which the Public will be informed by Catalogue of the whole Stock, which will be delivered Gratis to his Friends and Customers...He flatters himself that no Person will serve them better or cheaper, for ready Money only, and all purchases of Five Pounds worth or upwards, shall be allowed 5 per cent of Discount. That the Publick may not mistake the Shop, over the Door way will be my Picture without a Frame, very indifferently painted, with this Motto beneath it, Shuter. Daily Advertiser, 3 Sept.: On the Great Parade after the Fair is proclaim'd, the Bold Shuter will review his Troop; and the Publick are requested to observe that the full Figure at the Middle of the Platform is the Chief...or Sachem of the Five Nations. He will be attended with Mamamawks, Papapawks, and Tomahawks...The Lords may laugh, the Ladies may laugh, and the Commoners may laugh...and that will make me laugh. Edward Shuter, born Anno Domini