Event Comment: The young gentleman who played the part of Valdore , being indisposed, makes it necessary to defer the new play of the Insolvent (designed for this day) till Thursday the 16th, when it will be performed with a variety of new entertainments as will be particularly specified in the bills. The part being a principal one, and of a considerable length (as the notice of the Gentleman's Indisposition is but just receiv'd) makes it impracticable to have it acted sooner. The tickets that could not come in on the first night for want or room will be admitted on Thursday

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Mainpiece: Not acted in 20 years. [See 27 Jan. 1744.] With the Humours of Sir John Falstaff. Pit and Boxes laid together, and the Stage formed into a commodious amphitheatre. Boxes, pit, and Stage 5s. Ladies send servants by 3 o'clock; otherwise, Woodward cannot be responsible for any mistake. Places with tickets to be had of Woodward at his house in the Piazza, cg. This Day Publish'd, The Dramatic Execution of Agis. Price 6d. Receipts: #300 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Smith. Mainpiece: not acted these 4 years. No building on stage. Receipts: #60 12s. 6d. plus tickets #222 5s. (boxes 458; pit 605; gallery 170). Charges #63. Mr Robt. Lewis came in for 1 share (Account Book). [Smith advertised, and it appeared his house at his benefit was too full & [there was] confusion in getting to places (Winston MS 8). See Smith's note in Public Advertiser, 16 March.

Event Comment: A Free Benefit for Ryan. Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [See 3 April 1756.] Written by the late Mr Hughes. [For Afterpiece, see note.] Receipts: Door, #87 7s. Tickets #121 17s. (boxes 267; pit 286; gallery 122). (Account Book). [Ryan had advertised his benefit on 15 March to be The Siege of Damascus and a new Dramatic Satire called The Anniversary, being a Sequel to Lethe. On 16 March the following letter appeared in the Public Advertiser: "Upon reading Ryan's advertisement of a New Dramatic Satire, I was extremely pleas'd with a Description of the motive that occasioned it. He being last week at dinner with a set of particular friends, they inquired what Play and Farce he had chose this year for his Benefit. He inform'd them the Siege of Damascus and Lethe. Lethe, replied a Gentleman is very pleasing, but your friends have seen it, and you must fall into the fashion of having a new additional Scene; for a little bit of novelty may give assistance to its merit, and prove to your advantage. Why, then, said a facetious Gentleman, who sat very near him, Pray sir, do you write him one; 'twill cost you little trouble, and, you know, you are very capable. No more capable than yourself, Good Sir, answered the other; but to show I am full as willing, if you'll attempt to please his friends with one, upon my word I'll use my best endeavor to do the same, in writing of another. We need not fear Severity, for none will blame a friendly inclination to serve a man, who, I believe everyone wishes well. "Twas agreed, but Ryan judiciously observed, 'twould be a shame that two Gentlemen, each capable of writing to give an audience satisfaction, should condescend to make mere Lacqueys of their pens, and send them forth to hold the tail of Lethe; therefore if they should once begin, let them each write only one Hour longer, and they might raise a Structure of their own. They kindly undertook it, and in a Week sent him the piece he has now advertised."

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 16 Years. [See 27 Dec. 1746.] Benefit for Shuter. Receipts: #173 16s. 6d. Tickets #150 13s. (boxes 272; pit 551). Charges: #63 (Account Book), [#325 9s. 6d. marks the largest house in money value this season. Shuter advertised his benefit early, then on 28 March inserted this puff in the Public Advertiser: [Mrs Centlivre's Comedies have a vein of pleasantry in them that will always be relish'd. She knew the Genius of this nation, and she wrote up to the spirit of it; her Bold Stroke for a Wife, was a masterpiece that much increased her reputation: it establish'd that of Kit Bullock, a smart sprightly actor. His performance of Col. Feignwell was greatly applauded. Shuter has judiciously chosen to play to at his own benefit, and everyone that knows his powers, knows he will play it at least with drollery and justice equal to him."

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Not acted these 3 years. [See 8 April 1756.] The great Demand Mrs Cibber has had for places, has oblig'd her to lay the whole Pit into the Boxes; and the Stage form'd into an Amphitheatre, where servants will be admitted to keep places. Tickets deliver'd for Barbarossa 9 March will be taken. Receipts: #300 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Clarke. Mainpiece: Not acted these 8 years. [See 22 March 1750.] No building on the Stage. Receipts: #49 4s. 6d. Charges: #63. Deficiency covered by #114 14s. from tickets (boxes 160; pit 394; gallery 156). Rec'd from John Rich, #300, being part of the sum paid Mrs Finny on account of the New Building. Paid out for sundries from the theatres and sum, to Barry and Lee, #284 14s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Elmy. Receipts: #46 7s. Charges: #63. Deficiency covered by #80 15s. from tickets (boxes 169; pit 162; gallery 142) (Account Book). Mainpiece: Not acted there these 4 years. [See 28 Jan. 1755.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Shakespear. Not acted these 7 years. Benefit for Bencraft and Vincent. Receipts: #50 4s. Charges: #63. Deficiencies of #6 8s. apiece covered by income from tickets; Benecraft, #55 14s. (boxes 123; pit 151; gallery 23); Vincent, #62 1s. (boxes 78; pit 213; gallery 106) (Account Book)

Event Comment: After-Money will be taken [i.e., half price after the third act] (Winston MS 8). Receipts: #44 7s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Burton and Philips. Mainpiece: At the Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Not acted these 10 years. [See 18 Dec. 1749.] Music for Afterpiece compos'd by Mr Arne. Tickets deliver'd by Clough, Mossop, Peacop and Mrs Addison will be taken. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: We play'd the Beggar's Opera & ye Oracle by Children for the Benefit of some distress'd Actors who formerly belong'd to the Theatres. There was #102 in the House, the following Persons receiv'd from it Mr Marshall #23. Mr Morgan #21. Mrs Edgerton #5 5s. Mr Bowman #5 5s. Mr Phenix #10 10s. Mrs Gardner (formerly printer to ye house) #2 2s. N.B.: Mrs Clive refus'd to play her part of Lucy , it was done by Miss Young. New performers engag'd Y: Fletewood, Obrien, Packer, Perry, Miss Glen (Cross)

Event Comment: N.B. This was Mr Packer's first appearance at Drury Lane Theatre. He had acted one night at Covent Garden in the preceding season, Johnson, in the Rehearsal and the Frenchman in Lethe, which pieces were perform'd for Mr Lee's Benefit. Mr Garrick was there, and engag'd Mr Packer, who was going to Ireland, with Mr Barry, and Mr Woodward, into the Drury Lane Company. I am writing this on the sixth of April 1801--tonight Mr Packer told me the above Particulars at Drury Lane Playhouse, where he has always remained since his first being engaged there (J. P. Kemble's note on Huntington bill). Receipts: #100 (Cross); #107 1s. 6d. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: MMr Fleetwood in ye fight with Paris in ye last Act, having a Sword by his Side instead of a Foil, run Mr Austin (Paris) into the belly, he lay some time but at last call'd to be taken off--a Surgeon was sent for--No harm, a Small Wound, & he is recover'd (Cross). Receipts: #140 (Cross); #153 6d. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not Acted in 2 Years. [See 17 Jan. 1757.

Event Comment: About this time Mr Theo: Cibber Mr Maddocks the wire Dancer, & several other Theatrical performers, with & number of other Passangers embark'd on board the Dublin, Captain White, in order to go to Ireland but the Ship was lost & every Soul perish'd (Cross). As Mr Sparks & others complain'd of Mr Wilkinson for taking them off, it [Diversions of ye Morning] was intended to be omitted this Night, But the Audience call'd so violently for it, that we were oblig'd to let him do it--he took off Foote & Sheridan, & wou'd have left out Sparks but ye Audience wou'd not be satisfied without it--when they first call'd Mr Foote went forward & said as some of the performers had complain'd it was to be omitted; as for being taken off himself he had no Objection to it, as he was always glad to contribute to their Entertainm[en]t &c. (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years [see 14 Oct. 1756]. Receipts: #130 (Cross); #139 10s. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: [G$Goldsmith's comment in The Bee (1759, p. 14) the following season seems to have glanced at Mrs Pritchard's performance of Jane Shore, since Mrs Pritchard was growing quite stout at this time: In his remarks of "casting" he is distressed at "an actress that might act the Wapping Landlady without a bolster, pining in the character of Jane Shore, and while unwieldy with fat endeavoring to convince the audience that she is dying from hunger." The part at Drury Lane for the next eight years went to Mrs Yates, Mrs Pritchard playing it only once again "for that night only" at her daughter's benefit, 7 April 1766.] Receipts: #140 (Cross); #138 18s. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 18 years. Receipts: #130 (Cross); #123 4s. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these two years. [See 22 March 1757.] Receipts: 180 (Cross); #178 5s. 6d. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Benefit for Charles Sarjant, late of Uxbridge, under Misfortunes. Afterpiece not acted this season. Ladies send servants by half after three. Mr Sarjant hopes his friends will favor him with their company tonight, and excuse his not having paid his respects to them in person, having been unhappily confined by the gout