Event Comment: MMr Woodward's Night for Making ye Genii (Cross). There was such a Prodigious crowd to get into the Pit and Galleries at Drury Lane, being Mr Woodward's Night, that many of the females who came there with aprons, Handkerchiefs, caps and Capuchins, returned home without them; it was the most numerous and brilliant Audience that has been seen for some time(Public Advertiser, 16 Jan.). Receipts: #206 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Woodward's Night for ye Pantomime (Cross). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Woodward's Night for ye Pantomime (Cross). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Woodward was taken ill, & Mr Yates his part of Lucio, & Mr Rooker did the Harl: (all well) a Disturbance was design'd by the officers occasion'd by a new Scene (which no Effect) about a Captain being in Leading strings, but we left it out & all was Quiet (Cross). Receipts: #80 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Woodward continuing ill Vernon did his Part-(all right) (Cross). Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Woodward play'd-1st after his illness (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted for 2 years. [See 14 Nov. 1755.] Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Woodward said--I have been getting you (to Bayes) a fine parcel of Monsters, & they have knock'd me down & taken 'em from me--(thinking of the late Dispute) a little hissing &c. but it went off--Great Applause all thro'. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Afterpiece: A New farce written by Mr Woodward-for his Benefit, The farce was a kind of dispute among ye Actors, & went off, as it was a Benefit, without Interruption, but I believe will not be play'd agen, ye Epil: was a parody upon Shakespear's Stage of Life, & was Lik'd (Cross). No Part of Pit will be rail'd into the Boxes. Ladies send servants by three. Tickets to be had of Woodward at Clarendon's Warehouse, and of Hobson at the stage door. Last time of performing the mainpiece this season. [Larpent MS 92, indicates the afterpiece as a criticism from the actors' view of the way they are handled by audiences, and of their own damnation of a play presented to them. All works up to the Epilogue: @'All the town's a farce-he says and swears,@And all the men and women merely players...'@ which is severe upon politicians, doctors, statesmen and connoisseurs. The characters appear under their own names, Cross, Clive, etc.] Receipts: #300 (Cross)

Event Comment: New Music, Dresses, Habits and Decorations. Full Prices. [Which were maintained during run of this pantomime]. A New Pantomime. This Pant: was made by Mr Woodward & met wth great applause, Young Vernon sung for the first time very well. It is said some of the Scenes were bought from Sadler's Wells, wch is shut up by ye Law (Cross). Woodward Harlequin 1st time in three years. Pantomime a New Entertainment in Italian Grotesque Characters (General Advertiser). Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: Farce never performed before, taken from second part of ye Busy Body (Cross). For the benefit of Woodward. Garrick had Woodward act Polonius seriously (Genest, IV, 408). Receipts: #300 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit Woodward and Mrs Haughton. Tickets for Dove and Bowcher also taken

Event Comment: A New Pantomime, compos'd by Mr Woodward--it went off with great Applause (Cross). [Full prices were demanded throughout the season. Not further noted herein.] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMrs Cowper did Sylvia, for her first appearance here (she came from Bath, Richmond &c.)-Toll. Afterpiece as originally perform'd (Cross) [i.e., without the burlesque scenes of The Fair (see 6 Nov. 1752).] This piece [Harlequin Ranger] was now acted as originally written. It is surprising that Mr Garrick should be the first to introduce Pantomime Entertainments (this season) especially as his own universal talents are seconded by a good company of performers. We suppose he does it to gratify the taste of the town; but such Smithfield exhibitions should certainly be banish'd from all regular theatres; and as Mr Woodward is an excellent comedian, it would be more eligible in him if he chuses to wear the motley dress any more to appear in the character of a speaking Harlequin, after the manner of the Italian Comedy; and indeed it is not a little surprising that nothing of this kind has yet been admitted upon our stage (Gentleman's Magazine, Oct., p. 493, from Grays' Inn Journal, 13 Oct. 1753.). Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: [Pantomime new by Woodward] Went off with great Applause. ye Cyclops Dance encored (Cross). New Habits, Scenes, and Decorations. Full Prices. As the performance greatly depends upon the Music and Machinery, no gentleman can possibly be admitted into the Orchestra or behind the Scenes. [This prohibition repeated in all subsequent performances, will not be further noted here.] N.B. The Play of the Revenge oblig'd to be deferred on account of Mossop's indisposition. Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: The Afterpiece a New Pantomime [by Henry Woodward, satirizing Garrick's Jubilee] with New Music by Fisher. New Scenes painted by Messrs Dahl and Richards. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken. [Full Prices notice throughout the run of the pantomime this season. Town and Country Magazine (from Theatre No XIII) comments: "In the Pageant scene several of the characters that walk at Drury Lane are highly ridiculed, particularly Mark Antony and Cleopatra, who dance off with their black retinue to the playing of casquets." The scene closes with the descent of the statue of the late Mr Rich under the name of Lun, and the Harlequins all pay him honour.] Receipts: #250 6s

Event Comment: MMr Devisse has Tickets (Cross). Last till Holidays. Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Mossop Osmin ye 1st time (Cross). Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Austin did Aboan (Cross). Third time of his appearing on this stage (Public Advertiser). Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Oram buried at St. Martins (Cross). [This year was translated and published Rousseau's Letter to M D'Alembert (Preface and 190 pp.) on the effect of dramatic entertainments on mankind. Thesis: Aim of the stage is to amuse; authors succeed when they follow the whims of the public. "Let us not then attribute to the stage a power of changing opinions or manners, when it is only that of following or heightening them."] Receipts: #130 (Cross); #129 16s. 6d. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: MMr Taswell dy'd -an excellent Actor, the best in that Way since Johnson (Cross). Receipts: #160 (Cross); #165 16s. 6d. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: MMr Garrick being still indisposed with cold & hoarseness, Guardian deferred till tomorrow. Receipts: #160 (Cross); #158 18s. 6d. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: MMr Jackson did Oroonoko for the first time (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: MMr Jefferson played Buckingham for the first Time, as a tryal, and is engaged for the next season. --Pretty well (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: MMr Aickin hissed for being imperfect.--This night was introduced at the end of the Pantomime a Grand Masquerade in imitation of that given by the King of Denmark at the Opera House, and lighted up after the same manner--Every performer belonging to the House was on, even Mr Garrick and his brother.--The dresses were very elegant, and the whole very striking,--and gave pleasure to the Audience (Hopkins Diary). [The masquerade remained a part of Queen Mab and was also attached to Fortunatus. It evoked the following verse in Lloyd's Evening Post, Nov. 21-23]: One night last week a merry blade,@Who'd seen the Royal Masquerade,@And paid ten guineas for admission,@Began to damn the imposition;@His friend reply'd, "You may complain,@For I last Night at Drury Lane,@Saw full as much for eighteen pence,@As you got at such vast expence."-- G.S. C y

Event Comment: MMr King--Richard 3d as you might expect (Hopkins Diary). Benefit for Mrs King