Event Comment: For Occasional Prompter XXI (on Cibber and King John), see Daily Journal, 11 Feb

Event Comment: Benefit Neale and Desse. Tickets to be had of Neale, a Silk Dyer in David St., Moor's in the Playhouse Passage; and at Mr Desse'd, at Gresham's, Shoemaker, in York St., Covent Garden. London Daily Post and General Advertiser announced Chrononhotonthologos as afterpiece by Rylands has The King and Miller, Receipts: #140

Event Comment: Benfit for Taswell, Mayle, Gray, Mrs King, and Mrs Pinny. Tickets deliver'd out for the Relapse will be taken. The Play is oblig'd to be chang'd on account of the Indisposition of a pbincipal performer. Receipts: #100

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Arne. An Historical Musical Drama. The Musick composed by Command of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and never perform'd in England, but at his Royal Highnesses Palace at Cliefdon. The Poem was written by Mr Thompson and Mr. Mallet. The Musick by Mr Arne. To conclude with a Celebrated Ode in Honour of Great Britain in imitation of those formerly sung at Banquets of Kings and Heroes. Boxes 6s. Pit 4s. First Gallery 2s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. 6d. The above Day is fix'd on to avoid interfering with Mr Handel. Mrs Arne hopes humbly the Town will not be offened at this small advance of the Price, this performance being exhibited at an extraordinary expence, with regard to the number of Hands, Chorus singers, building the stage, and erecting an organ; besides all other incidentals as usual. Ladies desired to send servants by 4 o'clock. Tickets of Mrs Arne, next door to the Crown in Great Queen St, by Lincoln's Inn Fields, and places taken of Hobson at the stage Door, with whom Tickets are left

Event Comment: GGeneral Advertiser, 28 Sept.: We hear that Mr Lacy, Master of his Majesty's company of Comedians at D.L. has applied for leave to raise 200 men in defence of his Majesty's person and government, in which the whole company of players are willing to engage. [See 7 Oct.] On Saturday Night the Audience at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane were agreeably surpris'd by the Gentlemen belonging to that House performing the Anthem of God Save our Noble King. The Universal Applause it met with being encored with repeated Huzzas suffciently denoted in how just an abhorrence they hold the arbitrary schemes of our invidious enemies and detest the despotic attempts of Papal Power. [See also Daily Advertiser, 30 Sept. The newspapers at this time run a three phrase slogan in bold face type vertically in the margins: No Pretender. No Popery. No Slavery, accompanied by two more phrases staring boldly from the bottom margin: No Wooden Shoes! No Arbitrary Power!]

Event Comment: Benefit Woodward. Mainpiece: An Historical Play, never acted there before [see 20 March 1738]. At the Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. As written by Shakespear. Containing the wars of Cymbeline with the Romansr, in the reign of Augustus Caesar; the various distresses and Adventures of Imogen the King's Daughter; the noble repulse the Romans met with, on their invading Britain; their defeat, and many other historical passages. Ladies are desired to send their servants early to prevent mistakes. To be Lett, and enter'd upon on Monday next, the 7th instant Commodious Places in the Front and Upper Boxes...for the excellent reviv'd play of Shakespear... For further Particulars enquire of Mr Woodward, at his house near the theatre [in advance bills]

Event Comment: Benefit for Hopkins (prompter) and Mrs Hopkins. Charges #64 17s. [Profit to the Hopkins family #30 19s. plus Tickets.] Tickets delivered by Philips will be taken. Paid B. Johnson's Head bill #1 2s. 3d.; Paid Mr J. Johnston, by order #21; Rec'd Mr Pope's rent 1 year at #30 minus King's Tax of #3 8s.: Total #26 12s. receiv'd. Paid Mr Pope's bill #13 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Before 4 dined behind St Clements, and went to ye First Gallery to see the Distressed Mother....We had the Capricious Lovers, Lisetta by Mrs Clive, who took off the ridiculous sing-song at ye Opera House charmingly (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #95 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Grimaldi (ballet master) and Moody. House charges #64 17s. [Profits to Moody and Grimaldi #5 9s. plus tickets.] Farce not acted in 3 years. [See 12 April 1764.] At 9 got to Drury Lane, could not get in at ye left side of ye Pit or first Gallery. After waiting till the play was over at the other door of ye Pit, got in and saw the Vintage, by Mrs King and Sg Grimaldi (whose benefit and Mr Moody's it was). He dances much better than the fellow who usually dances that dance. My intention in going was to see the F, of the Register Office, not acted these 3 years. [All characters done well] such characters are ye effects of our ill-cemented union (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #70 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for King. Mainpiece: Not acted for 8 years. [See 17 May 1760.] Afterpiece: By Desire. Part of Pit laid into Boxes

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs King

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr King. Part of pit laid into the boxes

Event Comment: Benefit for Widow of the late Miles. Tickets deliver'd for King Lear will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mattocks. Tickets delivered for the 24th of April will be taken. Public Advertiser, 16 Apr.: Tickets [for 24 Apr.] to be had of Mrs Mattocks, No. 7, King-street, Covent Garden. Mainpiece: Written by Richard Steele. 3rd piece [1st time; ENT I, author unknown. Larpent MS 830; not published]. Receipts: #253 17s. 6d. (159.12.0; 8.9.6; tickets: 85.16.0)

Event Comment: [As mainpiece the playbill announces The School for Scandal, but "The Public is most respectfully informed that, in consequence of the sudden indisposition of King, The School for Scandal is unavoidably postponed. This Evening [will be acted] The Heiress" (printed slip attached to BM playbill (Burney 937.c.II)). Thespian Magazine, Feb. 1793, p. 193, also notes this change.] Receipts: #131 15s. (82.15; 45.8; 3.12)

Event Comment: The original Music [of the TE DEUM] is in two Scores, MS., one of them in the possession of the King of Naples, and the other in that of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, by whose gracious condescension the use of this Score will be allowed for that night. The new Organ, built by Green (organ-builder to his Majesty) for the new Subscription Room, will be played upon this occasion by Greatorex. Boxes to be taken of Rice. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. No Money to be returned. The Doors to be opened at 7:00. To begin at 8:00

Event Comment: Tickets delivered for King Richard the Third [Account-Book: by Brandon, Arnold, Little, Brice, Blurton, Bonsor, Hay, Haseler, Lloyd, Berecloth, Savory, Noble, Linton, Castelle, Atkins] will be admitted. Receipts: #484 14s. 6d. (51.0.6; 3.14.0; tickets: 430.0.0)

Event Comment: Last Night of the Company's performing this Season. Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Mrs Shotter, Wyatt, Waller, Gawdrey, Ratchford, the Band, Coombes, Page, Wilkins, Robson (door-keeper), Warwhick, Dosel, Paskin, Wells, Ansell, King will be admitted. Receipts: #467 13s. 6d. (67.10.0; 3.14.0; tickets: 396.9.6)

Event Comment: The Last Night of the Company's performing this Season. [Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Mrs Lloyd, W. Bayzand, Timkins (box-keeper), Street, Barnes, Morris, Rye, Dosel, Wells, King, Timkins (carpenter), Thompson (near Stage), Coates, Roberts, Thompson, (gallery door-keeper) will be admitted.] Receipts: #419 1s. (38.16; after-money: not listed; tickets: 380.5)

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for the Widows and Orphans of those brave Men who perished, and those who were wounded, in the Glorious Action of the 14th February last [see king's, 18 May.] Patrons: His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, His Royal Highness Duke of York, His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence. Stewards: Duke of Leeds, Duke of Bedford, Earl of Chesterfield, Earl Spencer, Lord Kinnaird, Charles Grey Esq., Thomas Tyrwhitt Esq., Wm. Lushington Esq., Wm. Manning Esq., John Thomson Esq., John Julius Angerstein Esq. Boxes to be taken, and Tickets had at the Office of the Theatre, and at the Bar of Lloyd's Coffee-House. Receipts: none listed

Event Comment: Benefit for R. Palmer and Russell. Morning Chronicle, 16 Apr.: Tickets to be had of R. Palmer, No. 12, King's Row, Pimlico; of Russell, No. 8, Broad-court, Bow-street. Receipts: #507 15s. 6d. (111.13.0; 69.19.6; odd and after-money: 11.6.0; tickets: 314.17.0) (charge: #219 12s. 5d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [altered by John Philip Kemble]: With new Scenes, Dresses, Decorations, and Machinery. In Act I, at the opening will be introduced, for the First Time a Battle between the Macedonians and the Persians. In Act IV, the Royal Banquet. [These were included in all subsequent performances.] The Scenes designed and painted by Marinari. The Dresses and Decorations by Johnston and Miss Rein. The Machinery by Cabanel. "[In the last scene] the expiring tone with which [Kemble] pronounces 'Cover me'; his shivering, when wrapt round in the imperial robes; his wan and wasted countenance; the manner of his labouriously drawing his legs together, and their aguish knocking when they meet, surpass all description" (Monthly Mirror, Jan. 1796, p. 180). Receipts: #375 2s. 6d. (306.14.6; 67.3.0; 1.5.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Sherry and Miss Wright. Tickets delivered by Daglish will be taken. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted. Public Advertiser, 22 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Miss Sherry, No. 2, Little Russel Street, Covent Garden; of Miss Wright, No. 54, Drury-lane. Receipts: #257 15s. (48.9.0; 10.8.6; 0.11.6; tickets: 198.6.0) (charge: #89 5s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered for this Evening [Account-Book: by Brady, Dale, the D'Egvilles, Jones, Lyons, Powell, Sherratt, Smith, Whittow, Mrs Heard, Mrs Haskey, Mrs Mills, Miss Palmer, Mrs Shaw] will be admitted. [Miss Davies's 1st appearance, billed as "A Young Lady," was at the hay, 28 July 1786.] Receipts: #279 12s. 6d. (16.1.0; 10.8.6; 0.6.0; tickets: 252.17.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Hilliard. Tickets of Miss Hilliard at Mr Pervil's, Auctioneer, upper end of Bow St., Covent Garden; and of Sarjant at the Stage Door of the Theatre, where places for Boxes may be taken. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted. Receipts: #24 2s. 6d. in cash. Charges #64 5s. Deficit to Miss Hilliard #40 0s. 6d., coverd by income from tickets #79 17s. (Boxes 101; Pit 278; Gallery 129). Paid for 7 doz. wax candles at 24s. per dozen #8 8s