Event Comment: Benefit for Miss DeCamp. 1st piece: Never [previously] acted here. Times, 11 May: Tickets to be had of Miss DeCamp, No. 14, Tottenham-court-road. Receipts: #435 2s. 6d. (153.16.6; 57.2.0; 1.16.0; tickets: 222.8.0) (charge: #232 15s. 2d.)

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time; D 3, by Henry Neuman, based on Der Opfertod, by August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue. Text (R. Phillips, 1799) assigns no parts]. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Rice, at the Theatre. The Theatre, since the last Season, has been newly Decorated. [Beginning with 19 June the playbill: Printed by T. Woodfall, Drury Lane; on 4 Sept.: No. 104, Drury Lane.] Morning Chronicle, 27 June 1799: This Day is published Family Distress (2s.). Gentleman's Magazine, May 1800, pp. 406-8, prints a letter from "J. B." in which strong exception is taken to Kotzebue in general, and this play in particular. "Theatrical entertainments have an extensive influence upon the manners of Society. When well regulated, and the pieces for representation well selected both as to matter and manner, they may be esteemed friendly to morality, and improvers of public taste. But what shall we say when both these ends are disregarded; when moral virtue is banished from the scene, and purity of taste is destroyed by affected language and pantomimical decorations? Improvements in almost every art and science have been within a few years, rapid and important. But that is not the case with the stage; nor can it be, while Kotzebue and his friends usurp the venerable boards of Shakespeare." The writer then, in sarcastic terms, outlines the plot of Family Distress. [Pope and Miss Chapman were both from cg.

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss DeCamp. Mainpiece: The Overture, Chorusses, and new Musick by Dr Arnold. The Scenery by Rooker, Marinari, &c. Morning Chronicle, 9 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Miss DeCamp, No. 14, Tottenham Court Road, near Bedford-square

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Margarita to Mrs Powell, and Clara to Miss Heard, but Mrs Powell "being suddenly indisposed, Miss Heard was her substitute" (Morning Chronicle, 30 Sept.). It is not stated who acted Clara.] Receipts: #245 2s. (150.3.6; 92.18.6; 2.0.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Andrew Franklin]: The Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations entirely new. The Overture and Musick composed by Florio. The Scenes, designed by Greenwood, and painted by him, Banks, and assistants. The Machinery, Dresses and Decorations designed by Johnston, and executed by him, Gay, and Underwood. The Female Dresses designed and made under the direction of Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "With thy exception of Pizarro, this is one of the most magnificent spectacles the stage has for some time produced. The dresses...are attended with particular accuracy to the costume of the country...and the scenery is locally correct" (Monthly Mirror, Mar. 1800, p. 173). "As a singer [Mme Mara's] powers are indisputable; but as a performer she exhibits herself in a light which alternately provokes our ridicule and pity. Her delivery is an absolute libel on the profession. To the defects of a foreign pronunciation she joins a natural impediment of speech, which partakes too strongly of a lisp to warrant her bearing part in the prose dialogue of a play. What could possibly induce her to appear before the public under such disadvantages, unless she did it in compliment to the composer, we are at a loss to conjecture; nor less are we puzzled to account for the supineness of an audience which can patiently tolerate such puny efforts" (Dramatic Censor, I, 347-48). Morning Chronicle, 14 June 1800: This day is published The Egyptian Festival (2s.). Receipts: #320 18s. 6d. (277.6.6; 42.8.0; 1.4.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Ledger, Thompson, Klanert, Claremont, Simmons, Wilde, Miss Mills, Miss Sims, Mrs Lloyd, Mrs Masters, Lee, Goostree, Street, Mrs Mills, Mrs Sydney, Abbot, Mrs Egan will be admitted. 3rd piece: Representation of the Battle, as 9 Nov. 1799. Receipts: #424 9s. 6d. (40.13.6; 5.3.0; tickets: 378.13.0)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Prologue to Bonduca refers to She Ventures and He Wins. As Bonduca was advertised in the London Gazette, No. 3126, 24-28 Oct. 1695, the play was certainly not acted later than early October 1695, probably not later than September 1695. The Edition of 1696 includes on the titlepage: With A New Entertainment of Musick, Vocal and Instrumental. [The music was composed by Henry Purcell. See Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XVI, vii-xiii.] Those songs for which a performer is named are as follows: O lead me to some peaceful gloom, sung by Miss Cross, and Sing ye Druids, all your voices raise, sung by Mrs Ayliff, both in Songs in the Tragedy of Bonduca, ca. 1696. To arms, sung by Freeman and Edwards, is in Thesaurus Musicus, The Fifth Book, 1696

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Younger. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. At 6 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit Topham, Gardiner, Miss Jones. Afterpiece: Which was originally acted at the Haymarket. With Alterations, Additions, and Amendments. Written by Mr Carey

Event Comment: Benefit Ridout, Raftor, Miss Bennet. By Particular Desire. [Tickets for Reed and Master Ferg taken also.

Event Comment: Benefit Julian, Mrs Lamball, Miss Naylor, Miss Haughton

Event Comment: Benefit Winstone, Taswell, Miss Budgell, Miss Cole. Tickets deliver'd for Sir Courtly Nice will be taken. Yeaterday Morning died, after a short illness, Mr Norton, Author of the new Tragedy call'd Mahomet, Perform'd at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane.-General Advertiser. On Friday died the Rev. Mr Miller of Roehampton, author of the Tragedy of Mahomet (which was acted last Friday, for the third time at Drury Lane Theatre), the Humours of Oxford, and other Dramatic performances.-Daily Advertiser, 30 April

Event Comment: By Permission Benefit Miss Jenny Cibber. Tickets deliver'd out for the 12th will be taken. By particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. [T. Cibber says: It was hinted to me, I might, unmolested, take a Benefit for myself, or Daughter, or both.-Serio-Comic Apology, p. 18.

Event Comment: Benefit for the Two Misses Scott. Pit and Boxes to be put together, 5s. Gallery 3s. To begin at half an hour after Six. No persons to be admitted but by printed tickets, which may be had of the two Misses Scott, at Mr Hind's, painter in Silver St., near Golden Square, and at the theatre where places may be taken. Several of the principal performers being engag'd for tomorrow night, the Misses Scott are oblig'd to take this night for their benefit, and humbly hope the Gentlemen and Ladies who intend them the honour of their company will excuse it, and the same tickets will be admitted. Note tickets deliver'd out for the Castle Tavern in Paternoster Row for the 14th of January will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit Raftor and Miss Edwards. Play By Desire. Being the last time of acting this season

Event Comment: Benefit for Anderson; Harrington (Prompter); Miss Ferguson; and Miss Morrison. Tickets deliver'd out by Messing, Plummer, and Mrs Dupre will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Simpson, Shawford, Rogers and Miss Minors. Receipts: #200 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel); cash, #31 10s.; tickets #151 10s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: Benefit for Marten and Miss Young. Charges #60. Deficit to each #14 3s. 9d., covered by income from tickets: Marten #62 17s.; Miss Young #57 2s. Advanced to Servandoni #5 5s. N.B. The Opera Rosamond cannot be performed on account of Miss Falkner's Indisposition. Receipts: #31 12s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Simson, Raftor and Miss Pitt. Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Arne and Miss Young. Mainpiece: Acted there but twice. Afterpiece: A reviv'd Burlesque Opera not performed these 16 years. Set to Music by Mr Arne. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Falkner. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets for the Merchant of Venice will be taken. Mr Lowe being incapable of performing by a cold, obliges Miss Falkner to change the Farce [Pyramus and Thisbe had been advertised]

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Afterpiece: A New Dramtic Satire in two acts. N.B. As several of the Town have prejudged the Pit the Boxes and Galleries acting their own parts themselves for their diversion, to be of the same species of the Lick at the Town last year; and that it can mean only the ordinary Approbation or Disapprobation of the Audience, Signor Pasquin thinks it incumbent on himself to assure to Publick that all those conjectures are groundless; And farther, he assures them that the Pit, &c. acting their parts has no other meaning than the common literal sense; and that the Audience are really interwoven in the piece; and are to be bona fide part of the Dramatis Personae; and he makes no doubt but that he shall make them perform their parts to a numerous and polite audience, and with universal Applause. But he begs that those Ladies and Gentlemen who intend to perform in the Pit and Galleries will be at the Theatre betimes, for particular reasons; and those who are to act in the Boxes are requested to send their servants to keep their places by three o'clock. Signor Pasquin has received the letters sent by the Town and the Village, and they may depend upon having Places kept for them upon the Stage. The Hiss concerning the Robin Hood Society will be complied with (General Advertiser). [The parts were: Pasquin, Marforio, Sir Eternal Grinn, Sir Conjecture Positive, Sir Roger Ringwood, Bob Smart, Soloman Common Sense; Count Hunt Bubble, Sir John Ketch, hic and Hac (Scribblers), Hydra, Lady Lucy Loveit, Miss Diana Singlelife, Miss Brilliant, Miss Bashfull (Larpent MS 96).

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Afterpiece: A Comedy in 2 acts written by Foote, with Prologue and Epilogue by him. Miss Macklin did Calista and a part in the farce,-all went well (Cross). A Comedy in answer to the French Farce A Frenchman in London, with a Dialogue Prologue, spoken by Macklin & his wife. Epilogue spoken by Miss Macklin. All by Foote. Part of Pit laid into the boxes, with an amphitheatre on stage, all at 5s. Full Prices (Winston MS 8). The Englishman at Paris has been better recev'd that I expected. Garrick, &c., &c....say kinder things of it than modesty will permit me to repeat. Upon the whole it was damnably acted, Macklin miserably imperfect in the words and in the character (a stain to Comedy). You might have seen what I meant,--an English Buck, by the power of dulness instantaneously transformed into an Irish chairman. Miss Roach, accompany'd by some frippery French woman occupy'd, to the no small scandal of the whole house, the Prince's box, whilst the duchess of Bedford &c., &c. were oblig'd to take up with seats upon the stage. The piece will be printed the 25th instant, which I will enclose to you (Samuel Foote to Mr Delaval, MS in Folger Shakespeare Library, written either 24 March, or, perhaps more likely, 24 April, since Foote states later in the letter he is leaving for foreign parts the first of May)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Macklin. Miss Macklin did Monimia (Cross). Afterpiece: For last time this season. With a New Prologue. To prevent mistakes, those Gentlemen and Ladies who send for Places, are desired to send for Tickets; which may be had of Miss Macklin, in Bow St.; and of Mr Crudge at the stage door

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Macklin, to which he spoke a farewell Prologue hinting at his new scheme (a Coffee house now fitting up in the Piazza) Mrs Mack, Miss & He play'd (Cross). [Macklin discharged last June from Covent Garden, one night given him at Drury Lane when he took leave; Poor I toss'd up...King Henry 7, 1764 (Winston MS 8). Gray's Inn Journal noted this performance by the bequeathing to the stage of Miss Macklin who should succeed in genteel comedy.] Receipts: #220 (Cross)