Event Comment: The Public are respectfully informed that, a sufficient Profit being allowed to the Persons who sell Plays and Books of Songs in the Theatre, those Persons are forbidden to demand for such Plays or Books of Songs more than the Price marked thereon, upon pain of dismission from their employ. [Afterpiece in place of The Pannel, advertized on playbill of 27 Dec.] Powell: Messrs Danby & Fisher absent from this Evening's Performance, Ill. Measure for Measure rehearsed at 10; New Ballet at 12. Receipts: #208 8s. (167.4.6; 39.13.6; 1.10.0)

Event Comment: A Serious Opera (1st time at this Theatre [1st performed at Venice, 1783]); the Music by Bianchi. "The splendour of the Opera this year in point of crowd and fashion surpasses every thing within our memory. It used to be only full on the Saturday evening...Mlle Parisot, a new dancer from Paris, is a most beautiful figure, about 18 years of age...Her balance is postively magical, for her person was almost horizontal while turning as on a pivot on her toe" (Morning Chronicle, 10 Feb.). "[Mlle Parisot's] acting proves what art may effect by beautiful simplicity. She never makes use of those tours de force with which the best female dancers at Paris still endeavour to shine. Every step of Mlle Parisot is marked by the greatest truth and dignity of nature. Every one of her movements is expressive, spirited and harmonious" (Goede, pp. 264-65)

Event Comment: Among the Principal Instrumental Performers are G. Ashley, Leader of the Band; C. Ashley, Principal Violoncello; Wm. Parke, Sarjant, J. Mahon, Boyce, Bridgtower, Parkinson, Lavenu, Taylor, W. Ware, Flack, Dressler, Gwilliam, Nicks, [the] Munros, I. Sharp, W. Sharp, M. Sharp, J. Sharp, Archer, Cobham, Jackson, Wood, Coyle, Cornish, Purney, Leffler, Woodham, Piele, [the] Cantelos, Skillern, Beale, Lloyd, Franki, Simpson, Jenkinson, &c.; J. Ashley, Organ; R. Ashley, Double Drums (used at Westminster Abbey). The Chorusses will be numerous and complete. The whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon at the Office in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout oratorio season]. Books of the Performance (with the imprimatur of E. Macleish) to be had at the Theatre. [Sga Galli did not sing in The Messiah when it was originally performed in Dublin in 1742, or in London in 1743, in which year the cg oratories under Handel were established.] "I had the curiosity to go, and heard [Sga Galli] sing, 'He was despised and rejected of men' in the Messiah. Of course her voice was cracked and trembling, but it was easy to see her school was good; and it was pleasing to observe the kindness with which she was received, and listened to; and to mark the animation and delight with which she seemed to hear again the music in which she had formerly been a distinguished performer. The poor old woman had been in the habit of coming to me annually for a trifling present; and she told me on that occasion that nothing but the severest distress should have compelled her so to expose herself, which after all did not answer its end, as she was not paid according to her agreement" (Mount-Edgcumbe, pp. 19-20). [At the rehearsal, 1 Mar., I know that my Redeemer liveth sung by Mme Mara; Comfort ye my people by Braham; But@thou didst not leave by Miss Poole (Morning Herald, 2 Mar.).] "The chorusses are not such as would give satisfaction to a musical amateur: in this department we must endeavour to be content with noise and bawling, instead of sense and science:--they are not, however, worse than usual" (Monthly Visitor, Mar.1797, p. 262)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Acasto to Murray, but "An apology was made for Murray, who was prevented by illness from playing Acasto, which, at a short notice, was taken by Hull" (True Briton, 14 Oct.).] "This whole of [Mrs Spencer's] performance was marked by such unaffected simplicity that it was almost impossible to consider it as the mere fiction of the scene. This lady is really a great aquisition to the house" (True Briton, ibid). Receipts: #254 6s. 6d. (244.18.6; 9.8.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Calkin, Edmonds, Gorman, Gooding, Humphries, Henderson, Jacobs, Marks, Massingham Jun., Perry, Ross, Scott, Waterer will be admitted. Receipts: #40 7s. (18.11.0; 19.11.6; 2.4.6; tickets: none listed)

Event Comment: [Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Appleby, Bennett, Butler, Calkin, Dale Jun., Fosbrook, Gooding, Henderson, Humphries, Jacobs, Marks, Powell, Perry, Gaudry, Phillimore, Ryder, Scott, Tice, Williams, Wooldridge will be admitted.] Receipts: #58 10s. 6d. (28.15.6; 18.2.6; 0.0.0; odd money: 11.12.6; tickets: none listed)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Aberdein, Bennett, Calkin, Cameron, Dale Jun., Dashwood, Douglas, Ditcher, Dudley, Fishett, Francois, Fuller, Gooding, Humphries, Hough, Harman, Lings, Monday, Marks, Macdougall, Rogers, Scott, Smith, Tice, Tildsley, Tirrell, Wyatt, Waterer, Williams, Willey will be admitted. [Miss Usher is identified in MS list in Kemble playbills of new performers for this season.] Receipts: #56 1s. (31.1.6; 24.4.6; 0.15.0; tickets: none listed)