Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Charles Dibdin: With New Scenes and Dresses. The Overture, and all the Music entirely new, composed by Dibdin. Books of the Opera to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 18 Jan. 1780: This Afternoon is published The Shepherdess of the Alps (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #158 13s. (156.16.6; 1.16.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe; MS: Larpent 577; not published. The following season this was altered, and acted successfully as The Castle of Andalusia]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. A new Overture, and the whole of the Music under the Direction of Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 29 Nov.: The admirable first scene, the subterraneous Receptacle of the Banditti, is the production of the ingenious Mr Richards. Receipts: #182 10s. (180/12/6; 1/17/6)

Event Comment: The Confederacy and Arthur and Emmeline [the latter announced on playbill of 10 Jan.] are obliged to be deferred a few Days. Receipts: #146 11s. 6d. (108/16/0; 37/10/6; 0/5/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Hannah Cowley, based on The Lucky Chance, by Aphra Behn. Prologue and Epilogue by James Cobb (see text)]: With Variety of new Scenes, Dresses, &c. Morning Chronicle, 28 Dec. 1786: This Day is published A School for Grey-Beards (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #220 8s. (206.14; 13.4; 0.10)

Event Comment: "When Priuli was relating to the Senators the impending and immediate destruction of their wives and families, the Senators, without discovering any emotion, were very pleasantly surveying the house, and laughing with their friends in the Upper Gallery. These gross enormities, that yet hang about our stage and are its disgrace, call aloud for the correcting hand of an intelligent Manager, to weed them out. Thanks to their own genius the Principals take care of themselves-the Subalterns are a disgrace. Is not King responsible for this part at one house, and Lewis at the other?" (World, 8 Oct.). Receipts: #302 2s. 6d. (274.4.0; 27.3.0; 0.15.6)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; CO 2, by John O'Keeffe. Text 1st published in O'Keeffe's Dramatic Works, Vol. II (T. Woodfall, 1798)]: The Overture and new Music composed by Dr Arnold. The Scenery designed and painted by Rooker. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Mainpiece: 15th [recte 14th] Time [i.e. in continuation of the reckoning for the previous season]. With new Dresses, Scenes, Machinery and Decorations. The Music partly from Cimarosa, Gluck, Martin y Soler?, Reeve, Dr Arne. The rest by Shield. The Chorusses selected from Handel, to be sung by the Performers from the Concert of Ancient Music. [Miss Williams was from the Exeter theatre.] Receipts: #137 1s. 6d. (133.7.0; 3.14.6)

Event Comment: [Fennell had acted Douglas at Edinburgh on 5 July 1788, and perhaps Previously.] Afterpiece [1st time: P 2, by Charles Bonnor and Robert Merry. Larpent MS 886; not published. Synopsis of action in Universal Magazine, Dec. 1790, pp. 321-23. Author of Prologue unknown]: Interspersed with Dialogue, Airs, Duettos, Chorusses, Dances, &c. &c. &c. The Scenery, Machinery, and Decorations entirely new, and painted by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, Pugh, Malton, with many Assistants [including W. Hamilton (European Magazine, Dec. 1790, p. 468]. Among others will be exhibited the following Scenes taken from accurate Drawings made on the Spot: The Jacobines Convent, Rue St. Honorie; Places de Greve; Inside of the Hotel de Ville; View of the New Bridge called Pont Louis Seize; Fountain des Innocens; Palais Bourbon; View of the Champ de Mars, with the Grand Pavillion preparatory to the Festival; A Grand Assembly; View of the Triumphal Arch, prepared for the Procession to the Champ de Mars; Perspective View of the Champ de Mars, with the Bridge of Boats. With an exact Representation of the Banners, Oriflammes, &c. &c. in the Grand Procession to the Champ de Mars. The Whole to conclude with a Representation of the Grand Illuminated Platform, as prepared by the City of Paris, on the Ruins of the Bastille, for the Entertainment of the Provincial Deputies, and the Public. [The above has reference to the "Grand National Fete" held in Paris, 14 July 1790, in commemoration of the first anniversary of the fall of the Bastille. It is included in all subsequent playbills.] The Dances [composed] by Byrn. The Music composed and compiled [from Reeve and Naumann] by Shield. The Dresses all Characteristically French and New. Books of the Songs, &c. with a short Description of the Performance [T. Cadell, 1790] to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Account-Book, 11 Jan. 1791: Paid Bonnor #200. Receipts: #316 16s. (296.14; 20.2)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells. Mainpiece [1st time: C 5, by Simon. Prologue by John Henniker (Town and Country Magazine, June 1791, p. 281). Larpent MS 906; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Post, 11 May]. "Scarcely [any] performer in the piece thought it worth while to charge their memories with words, that they would wish afterwards, if they had, to forget as fast as possible...The imitations were some tolerably true, and a few excellent. Siddons and Storace were outrageous caricatures. Mrs Wells once came infinitely nearer the former. She is now deficient in tone and emphasis--all is shiver and sob. Mrs Crawford, Mrs Jordan and Mrs Abington were worthy her talents in the mimetic art" (Oracle, 11 May). Public Advertiser, 27 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No. 12, Weymouth-street, Portland-place. Receipts: #313 3s. (148.15; 8.7; tickets: 156.1)