Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; DO 3, by Prince Hoare, based on Didone Abbandonata, by Pietro Metastasio]: The Musick is chiefly new, and composed by Storace. The Selections are made from the most celebrated works of Salieri, Paer, Rampini, Sacchini, Sarti, Giordani, Cimarosa, Schuster, Andreozzi. The Scenery and Machinery designed by Greenwood and executed by himself and his Pupils. The Dresses of the Tyrians, Trojans and Africans entirely new, and taken from the most accurate descriptions of the Habits of their respective Nations. [Both Miss Barclay and Master Welsh had 1st appeared at the king's oratorios, 24 Feb.]. "A procession was introduced in which an Ostrich, a Dromedary and an Elephant marched to slow music. The Masque, which concluded the opera, was some insipid stuff about Neptune and Nereids, with a representation of the Temple of Neptune. Young Welsh sang prettily in this said Masque" (Morning Herald, 24 May). "[Mara] retained only one song of her Didone [see king's, 14 Feb. 1786]; the brilliant bravura, Son Regina, of Sacchini" (Mount-Edgcumbe, 80). Morning Herald, 28 May 1792: This Day is published Dido (price not listed). Receipts: #244 8s. 6d(213.14.5; 28.15.0; 1.19.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum and Mrs Powell. [Afterpiece in place of The Devil to Pay, advertised on playbill of 23 May.] Morning Herald, 23 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 25, New North-street; of Mrs Powell, No. 22, Henrietta-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #510 1s. (54.13.6; 26.7.6; 3.17.0; tickets: 425.3.0) (charge: #160 5s. 10d.)

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera; the music by Cimarosa, under the direction of Federici. The music of both dances by Miller. With entirely new Dresses, Scenes and Decorations, both in the Theatre itself, and in the Representations. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. No Money to be returned. The Subscribers are respectfully entreated to observe that they are to produce their Tickets at the doors. The Doors to be opened at 6:30. To begin at 7:30 [same throughout season, except on 15 May). The Ladies at the Head of the Boxes arc respectfully reminded that such Boxes as shall not be paid for at the opening of the Theatre become then vacant, and may be claimed by any of the old Subscribers. No one to be admitted behind the scenes. For the greater Safety of the Company in coming and going out of the Theatre Mr Townsend has taken charge of the Peace Officers, and will himself attend every night of Performance. [Morning Herald, 12 Jan., notes than the original gallery is now divided into two, a lower and an upper, and that the chief colors used in the repainting of the auditorium are blue, white and gold. Ibid, 13 Jan.: The scenes [in the opera], which were entirely new, have never been exceeded in splendour of general effect...One, representing the hall of an Italian villa, shews a ceiling designed like that of the theatre itself [which the same newspaper, 4 Jan., describes as being Apollo and the Muses, in a cove enriched with allegorical figures, flowers, and medals, in chiaroscuro].]

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Chapman. [In 1st piece the Young Lady is identified in Morning Herald, 20 May, only as "Niece to the late Alexander Fordyce, Esq., and a pupil of the veteran Macklin."] Morning Herald, 10 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Chapman, No. 33, Norfolk-street, Strand. Receipts: #199 8s. 6d. (62/4/0; 10/12/6; tickets: 126/12/0)

Event Comment: 3rd piece [Ist time; MF 2, attributed to Mrs Rainsford, for whom see Morning Herald, 9 May; London Chronicle, 23 May, states that it was written by "A Lady," but gives no name. MS: Larpent 1025; not published]: The Music composed by Webbe. Receipts: #118 4s. (109/3; 9/1)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild, prompter. 1st piece: Not acted these 20 years; altered from Dryden (by Joseph George Holman (Not. Dram.)]. 2nd piece [Ist time; M.INT 1, probably by John Cartwright Cross. MS: Larpent 1028; not published]. 3rd piece: In which an Engagement between an English and a French Man of War, a Shipwreck, and a Grand Military Procession as it pass'd, when the French Colours taken by the British Army were conveyed from St. James's to St. Paul's Cathedral [on 17 May 1794]. The above Procession is represented by Moving Figures, in which the Horse and Foot Guards, the Band of Music, the French Colours, &c. are seen to pass in the exact order they appeared on that memorable occasion. Morning Herald, 17 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 46, Drury-lane. Receipts: #293 2s. 6d. (112/17/6; 14/2/0; tickets: 166/3/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Middleton. [1st piece in place of NAPLES BAY, advertised on playbill of 27 May.] 3rd piece [1st time; MD 3, by Henry Siddons. Author of Prologue unknown]: Taken from the Sicilian Romance of the Author of the Romance of the Forest [Ann Radcliffe}. Overture and Music entirely new by Reeve. Morning Herald, 6 June 1794: This Day is published THE SICILIAN ROMANCE (1s.) [In 3rd piece the playbill lists Incledon, but "an apology was made on account of Incledon's indisposition, whose character in the After-piece was well supported by Townsend" (Thespian Magazine, July 1794, p. 281).] Morning Herald, 22 May: Tickets to be had of Middleton at Vint's, perfumer, No. 3, Tavistock-row, CoventGarden. Receipts: #203 13s. 6d. (92/14/0; 9/3/0; tickets: 101/16/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Hook Jun. Larpent MS 1065; not published; synopsis of plot in Pocket Magazine, May 1795, p. 334]: The Musick composed by Hook? Sen. The Scenes, Dresses, Decorations and Machinery are entirely new. The Scenery of the Opera designed and painted by Greenwood and Capon. The Masque and Decorations by Marinari. The Machinery by Cabanel and Jacobs.The Dresses by Johnston and Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. [Afterpiece in place of The Adopted Child, advertised on playbill of 5 May.] Receipts: #269 8s. (213.0.6; 53.16.0; 2.11.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; BALL. P 1, by James Byrn. Performed in place of Windsor Castle, advertised on playbill of 11 May]: The Overture and new Music composed, and the rest compiled, by W. Parke. "It being thought, by some, intended to treat the Clergy with disrespect, produced much disapprobation. The next night [20 May], when given only as an Interlude, it met with better success" (Oulton, 1796, II, 177). Receipts: #158 12s. (152.8. 6.4)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Widow of the Late Mr Farren [who had died on 9 May]. Morning Herald, 11 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Farren, No. 85, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #391 6s. (104.8; 8.3; tickets: 278.15)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mountain. 2nd piece: Engagement and Funeral Processionv as 6 May. Morning Herald, 18 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mountain, No. 6, York-street, Covent Garden, Receipts: #245 18s. 6d. (89.18.0; 6.15.0; tickets: 149.5.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sedgwick [whose 1st appearance as Comus was at dl, 20 May 1790]. Morning Chronicle, 18 May: Tickets to be had of Sedgwick, No. 27, Maiden-lane, Covent-garden. Receipts: #456 17s. (129.14.6; 82.10.6; 7.13.0; tickets: 236.19.0) (charge: #219 4s. 8d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Middleton. 3rd piece [in place of The Frolics of an Hour, advertised on playbill of 1 June]: Engagement and Funeral Processionv as 6 May. Morning Chronicle, 30 May: Tickets to be had of Middleton, No. 53, Great Marlborough-street, Oxford-street. Receipts: #172 9s. 6d. (106.3.0; 6.9.0; tickets: 59.17.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clendining. 2nd piece: Not acted these 10 years [acted 25 Apr. 1788]. 3rd piece [1st time; M 1, altered by John Gretton from his Ode performed at the Pantheon, 4 May. Larpent MS 1087; text printed in Morning Chronicle, 2 May 1795, with parts as above]: The Words by John Gretton, Esq. The Music by Spofforth; the Dances by Byrn. Books containing the Words of the Masque will be delivered gratis at the different Doors. Morning Herald, 5 June: Tickets to be had of Mrs Clendining, No. 13, King-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #204 5s. (72.17; 7.15; tickets: 123.13)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Powell. "If we make allowances for embarrassment and imperfect study, the performance of Mrs Powell was by no means indifferent" (Monthly Mirror, May 1796, p. 50). Afterpiece: Not acted these 4 years. Morning Herald, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Powell, No. 22, Henrietta-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #466 11s. 6d. (189.3.6; 53.1.6; 4.14.6; tickets: 216.15.0) (charge: #212)

Event Comment: Notice on playbill of 13 May: Mrs Siddons having consented, at the desire of many Ladies and Gentlemen who were disappointed of Places for the New Tragedy, to delay her departure from Town [see 2 May] His Majesties' Company will perform Almeyda on Monday next. Being positively the Last Night of Mrs Siddons's Appearance this Season. Receipts: #448 16s. 6d. (377.14.0; 68.19.0; 2.0.6; ticket not come in: 0.3.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Burton, Miss Heard, Miss Tidswell, & Mrs Bramwell. [2nd piece: With alterations by John Philip Kemble.] 3rd piece: Not acted these 6 years. "Of [Wroughton's] comedy something favourably must be said. His personations are usually natural, easy, and spirited; he is perhaps too locomotive: he cannot bear to stand still...To this peculiar bustle of his motion may be attributed much of his success in Sir John Restless [in All in the Wrong]...For the same reason, no man can play Ford with half the effect Wroughton does" (Monthly Mirror, Mar. 1796, p. 304). Morning Herald, 30 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Heard, No. 43, Haymarket [others not listed]. Receipts: #337 6s. 6d. (30.13.0; 40.16.6; 3.4.6; tickets: 260.10.0; odd money: 2.2.6) (charge: #202 11s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. 1st piece: Never acted in this Theatre. [Prologue by George Colman, elder. Monologue by Hester Lynch Piozzi (European Magazine, May 1797, p. 343).] True Briton, 12 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Siddons, No. 49, Great Marlborough-street. "The scenery destroyed much of the effect of the tragedy; for the characters are supposed to be 'steeped in poverty to the very lips;' and yet their apartments would have become a family in the meridian of wealth and prosperity. Mrs Siddons was also too well dressed for Mrs Wilmot" (Monthly Mirror, May 1797, p. 308). "In the scene in which [Mrs Siddons's] son having put into her hands a casket to keep, and she having touched a spring it opens and she sees jewels, her husband (Kemble) enters, and in despair exclaims, 'Where shall we get bread?' With her eyes fixed on the jewels, she runs to him, knocks the casket against her breast and exclaims, 'Here! Here!' In Mrs Siddons's tone and in her look there was an anticipation of the murder which was to take place" (Robinson, I, 39). Receipts: #618 2s. (386.8.6; 43.19.0; 2.4.0; tickets: 185.10.6) (charge: #211 1s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. 1st piece: Not acted these 10 years. [3rd piece in place of The Irish Mimick, advertised on playbill of 3 May.] True Briton, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Pope at his house, No. 5, Moon-street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #398 12s. 6d. (237.14.6; 10.15.6; tickets: 150.2.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Munden. [Mrs Litchfield is identified in Thespian Dictionary, 1805; as Miss Hay she had acted at cg on 27 May 1796.] 2nd piece [1st time; MF 1, by John O'Keeffe. MS not in Larpent MS; not published]: Altered [by the author] from Sprigs of Laurel. True Briton, 1 May: Tickets to be had of Munden, No. 16, Clement's-Inn. Receipts: #418 8s. 6d. (122.8.6; 9.19.6; tickets: 286.0.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Knight. 3rd piece: Illumination, &c. as 18 May. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. True Briton, 1 May: Tickets to be had of Mr and Mrs Knight, No. 47, Rathbone Place. Receipts: #221 9s. 6d. (93.0.6; 17.8.6; tickets: 111.0.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bowden. [1st piece in place of The Duenna, advertised on playbill of 19 May.] 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1]. True Briton, 8 May: Tickets to be had of Bowden, No. 6, Lower Brook-street, Grosvenor-square. Receipts: #236 12s. (101.14.6; 8.5.0;tickets: 126.12.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild, prompter. 1st piece: Illumination, &c. as 18 May. 3rd piece: A short Description of the Scenery, &c. The Hall of Fingal--the Banquet preparatory to the celebration of the Nuptials of Oscar and Malvina. The Mountain of Ben Lomond. The Military Procession of Carrol to the Hall of Fingal. A View of the Sea and Rock from which Oscar escapes, by leaping from a precipice 20 Feet high, into the arms of his Soldiers. A View of the Bridge with the Camp of Carrol. The Death of Carrol by the hands of Malvina, with his Descent into the Sea, and the Burning of the Camp of Carrol. The Music, &c. as 8 Apr. Morning Herald, 18 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 46, Drury-lane. Receipts: #326 0s. 6d. (164.17.6; 11.2.6; tickets: 150.0.6)