Event Comment: Gave King's Footmen (by Ferry) #2 2s.; Queen's Footmen (By Rumford) #2 2s.; King's Chairmen (by Jupp) #2 2s.; Queen's Chairmen (by Webster) #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #217 19s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Wheeler. Public Advertiser, 19 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Miss Wheeler, No. 9, Craven-buildings, Drury-lane. Afterpiece: Not acted these 2 years. Receipts: #111 12s. 6d. (33/8/0; 15/19/0; 0/7/6; tickets: 61/18/0) (charge: #106 4s.)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. [Mainpiece in place of The Grecian Daughter, advertised on playbill of 29 Jan.] "In the pantomime Miss? Leak supplied the place of Welsh" (Oracle, 2 Feb.). Receipts: #692 1s. (691.12.6; 0.8.6)

Event Comment: By Authority. Not acted there before. Tickets delivered out by Miss Barton will be taken. Also an additional Reinforcement of Mr Bayes's new raised Troops

Event Comment: Acted there but once. By Authority. Tickets deliver'd out by Miss Barton which could not get in on Thursday last, will be admitted this Night. [An Epistle from Mr Theophilus Cibber, to David Garrick, Esq. London: 1755, dated Nov. 20, 1755: When Th. Cibber returned from Guilford last July, he found a discharge from Covent Garden (p.5) He got a license from the Duke of Grafton to open Little Haymarket (p. 6). He began and acted ten nights in three weeks, with some success, but when Drury Lane opened, Th. Cibber was ordered to stop (p. 7). He then petitioned the Duke of Grafton to have The Haymarket for two or three times weekly for the rest of the season. He hoped that the Little Haymarket might be a nursery for young performers, as well as for new pieces (p. 24). See dl 24 Nov.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Beaumont and Fletcher, reviv'd. Afterpiece: Not acted these three years. [See 8 Aug. 1761.] Mr Powell made his first appearance this Night in Philaster. His Reception was very great, he play'd the part amazingly well, & Seems to have Requisites to make a very Capital Performer. N.B. Covent Garden Theater begun to play every Night (Hopkins). Philaster by Mr Powell. Prodigious applause (Cross Diary). This play [Philaster] was wrote by Beaumont and Fletcher, and is now altered by Mr Colman. Mr Powell, a young gentleman clerk to Sir Robert Ladbrook, made his first appearance in the character of Philaster.--A greater reception was never shown to anybody,--he was so very much frightened, he could not speak for some time, and, when he did, the tears ran fast down his cheeks,--but he soon recovered himself, and went through the part with a great deal of nature and feeling,--Continued claps and huzza of bravo! &c. &c. Upon the whole I think him possessed of every requisite necessary to make him an ornament to the stage.--N.B. Mr D. Garrick instructed him in this part--when I see him in another shall be able to judge better of his capabilities.--Miss Pope appeared this Night in the character of Maria in the Citizen,--by endeavoring to be very fine she overdid it,--and it was plain to see she wanted her master. N.B.--Covent Garden began to play of our nights--the first time they ever begin first since Mr Garrick was manager (Hopkins Diary--MacMillan). Receipts: #258 11s. 6d. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: Rec'd of Miss Townsend for a place in the Boxes last night 5s. Gave King's Footmen #2 2s.; Queen's Footmen #2 2s.; King's Chairmen #2 2s.; Queen's Chairmen #2 2s.; Duke of Glouster's Footmen #2 2s. (Account Book). [The Account Book shows on this night a profitable balance of #5365 19s. 4d., for the operation of the theatre this season. During Rich's time a regular sum was deduted nightly for the Rich account (#6 in 1760-61) and in addition he withdrew large sums (up to #800) on many occasions. No such deductions or withdrawals appear so far in this last season of Beard's management.] Receipts: #197 15s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Afterpiece: A Comedy of two Acts never performed. Dr Thomas Francklin. [According to the Biographia Dramatica, "This is a poor performance, founded on Destouches' L'Amour Use, and met with no success; being nearly condemned, nothwithstanding the King and Royal family were present. Foote told his friends, that, when he lighted the King, to his chair, his Majesty asked who the piece was written by: 'It was written (says the wicked Wit) by one of your Majesty's Chaplains; but it is dull enough to have been written by a Bishop.)'"]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 16 years [not acted since 27 Oct. 1758]. With Alterations [by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by David Garrick]. The Characters new dressed. This Play is revived with Alterations (by R. B. Sheridan Esq) and a new occasional Prologue written by Mr Garrick? and spoken by Dodd, both well received. Miss Essex made her first Appearance upon this stage in Silvia, a small mean Figure and shocking Actress, so bad that she is to do the Part no more. Reddish was very imperfect in Vainlove from the Beginning, but was so very much so in the last Act, that the Audience hissed very much, and cryed out, 'Off, Reddish, Off!" He went forward, and addressed them as follows, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I have been honoured with your Favour and Protection for these ten years past, and I am very sorry to give any cause for your Displeasure now; but having undertaken the Part at a very short Warning, in order to strengthen the Bill, and having had but two Rehearsals for it, puts it out of my Power to do Justice to the Part, or myself.' The Play then went on. So great a Lye was never delivered to an Audience by any Actor or Actress before. He had the Part at least six weeks in his Possession, and repeated Notice to be ready in it, and six Rehearsals was called for it,--indeed, he attended but three. Vernon undertook to study the Part at eleven o'clock to-night, and to perform it to-morrow (Hopkins Diary). [Miss Essex was from the hay.] Receipts: #209 6s

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Farren. Mainpiece: Never acted here

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Revised and Altered [reduced from 5 acts to 4] by the Author [Richard Cumberland; MS of this version: Larpent 1026]. [In afterpiece the playbill retains Bannister Jun. as Robin, but he "being ill, Benson play'd Robin" (Powell).] Powell: Natural Son rehearsed at 11 (Miss Farren absent, Miss Tidswell one scene). Receipts: #149 9s. 6d. (106/6/6; 34/13/0; 8/10/ 0)

Event Comment: Powell: Wonder rehearsed at 10 (Packer one scene; Miss Farren three scenes). Receipts: #222 12s. (140/14/6; 75/16/0; 5/12/6; tickets not come in: 0/9/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: As altered from Beaumont and Fletcher. Not acted these 18 years [acted 3 Oct. 1780. For Miss Allingham see 13, 18, 27 Oct.]. Receipts: #152 (143.8.6; 8.11.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Phillimore, Denman, Cooke, Stokes, Miss Tidswell, Miss Heard, Mrs Benson. Morning Herald, 9 June: Tickets to be had of Miss Heard at Mrs Fletcher's, No. 239, Piccadilly; True Briton, 5 June: of Mrs Benson, No. 31, Hart-street, Bloomsbury [no others listed]. Receipts: #78 10s. (35.0.6; 41.2.6; 2.7.0; tickets: none listed) (charge: #224 15s. 3d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Havard. Fairy Tale deferr'd, Miss Wright ill. This morning Mr Obrien was married to Lady Susan Strangeways. Mr Powell made an Apology & Mr King play'd his part in the Farce. N.B. This Night Mrs Yates sent me word She could play no more this Season (Hopkins). Mr Obrien married, cou'd not come. Mr King play'd his Part Mr I. Palmer King's (Cross Diary). Mr O'Brien being married this morning to Lady Susan Strangeways [sic] after the Play Mr Powell made apology that Mr O'Brien had sent word he was not able to do his part [Lovel], and that Mr King had undertaken it at every short warning, and hoped for their indulgence.-Mr J. Palmer did Mr King's part [Sir Harry's Servant]. This Night Mrs Yates gave notice she could play no more this season (Hopkins Diary-MacMillan). Receipts: #214 2s. (MacMillan); charges: #64 4s. [Profit to Havard: #149 18s.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Yates. Pit and Boxes laid together where servants will be allowed to keep places. Those Ladies and Gentlemen who have taken places in the Pit, are humbly desired to come as early as posible, for their own conveniency, and to prevent trouble in getting to their seats. Charges #66 5s. Balance to Mrs Yates #39 18s., plus income from 713 Box & Pit seats (laid together for price purposes) #178 5s. Paid Miss Atkinson and Miss Pope for walking 12 nights in Man & Wife; 26 Nights in Harlequin's Jubilee; 12 Nights in Timanthes #6 5s. each. Paid Mrs Warwell for walking 12 nights in Man & Wife #1 10s.; Paid Miss Lawrence and Mrs Bates 5s. each for walking 2 nights in Harlequin's Jubilee (Account Book). Receipts: #106 3s

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Mainpiece: Not acted in 10 years. [But see 24 April 1760.

Event Comment: Paid five days salary at #82 5d. per diem--#411 12s. 1d.; Paid Mr French on Acct #30; Miss Ambrose salary short paid 15s.; Mr J. Richard's for Trumpeter's coats and banners #100 16s.; Miss Hayward 15 nights not on [salary] list #7 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #109 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. Afterpiece: By Desire. Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 15 Feb. 1770.] Paid salary list #333 19s.; Mrs Abington's Cloaths acct #1; Mr S. French 6 days #1 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #250 6s. 6d. Charges: #69 16s. Profits to Miss Pope: #180 10s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Louisa Dudley first time Miss Hopkins very well receiv'd (Hopkins Diary). Mrs Smith being hoarse, the Wedding Ring deferr'd. Paid Miss Berkley on note 25 Aug. #2 2s.; Mrs Sykes for women's Cloaths #21. Receipts: #163 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Younge. Interlude [1st time; M. INT I, by Edward Jerningham]: Interspersed with Music [by James Hook. Text 1st published in Jerningham's Poems, vol. I (J. Robson, 1786)]. Public Advertiser, 20 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Miss Younge at Thelwall's, Silk Mercer, King-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #222 9s. (80.14; 18.10; 1.19; tickets: 121.6) (charge: #65 17s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Wright. Account-Book adds: "Mrs Sharp [who was at first advertised as sharing in the benefit] having sold her 1/2 to Miss Wright." Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years [acted 6 Apr. 1780]. Receipts: #244 17s. 6d. (67/17/0; 18/9/6; 0/11/0; tickets: 158/0/0) (charge: #107 13s. 4d.)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Lady Sneerwell to Miss Sherry, but on the Kemble playbill a MS annotation substitutes Mrs Whitfield. Miss Sherry was ill; she died early in October.] "Sheridan has also despised the faults of another school, trap claps. Not a word in The School for Scandal is to be found in praise of Laws, Jack Tars, Innocence, an Englishman's castellum, or Liberty" (Reynolds, II, 227). Receipts: #193 13s. 6d. (155/11/0; 37/12/6; 0/10/0)

Event Comment: [Mrs Siddons's 1st appearance as Mrs Lovemore was at Bath, 31 Oct. 1778. Afterpiece in place of The Humourist, announced on playbill of 25 Nov.] "[Mrs Siddons's] retort courteous, mimicry of laugh, and listless indifference of Lovemore were truly excellent . . . [Miss Farren's] descriptions of Ranelagh Ladies meeting, &c. were highly seasoned, and had an excellent counterpart in Smith's appendix" (Public Advertiser, 28 Nov.). Receipts: #232 2s. 6d. (219/3/0; 12/17/0; 0/2/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Brunton. Afterpiece: Written by Garrick; Not acted these 12 years [acted 2 Mar. 1776]. Public Advertiser, 26 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Brunton, No. 5, George-street, York-buildings. Receipts: #197 17s. 6d. (123.18.6; 5.16.0; tickets: 68.3.0)