Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by
Richard Brinsley Sheridan, adapted from
Die Spanier in Peru, by
August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue. Prologue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (consisting of the 1st 30 lines
and the concluding couplet of his Prologue to
The Miniature Picture); Epilogue by the
Hon. William Lamb (see text). For publication see 1 July]: The Scenery, Dresses,
and Decorations entirely new. The Musick, Airs
and Chorusses incidental to the Piece composed
and selected [from
Gluck,
Sacchini, &c. (
Morning Chronicle, 25 May)] by
Kelly. The Symphony preceding the Play,
and those between the
Acts, composed for the occasion by
Dussek. The Scenery designed
and executed by
Marinari,
Greenwood? Jun,
Demaria,
Banks,
Blackmore, &c. [See
Theatre Notebook, XX, 30-32, for suggestion that one scene was designed by
DeLoutherbourg.] The Machinery, Decorations,
and Dresses under the direction of
Johnston,
and executed by him,
Underwood,
and Gay. The Female Dresses designed
and executed by
Miss Rein. Account-Book, 14 May: Paid
Miss Anne? Plumtree [i.e.
Plumptree] for
Spaniards in Peru #25. [It was this translation of
Kotzebue's play that
Sheridan adapted for the stage as
Pizarro. For an account of the relationship between the translation
and its adaptation see
Marcella Gosch, "'Translators' of Kotzebue in
England,"
Monatshefte fur deutschen Unterricht, XXXI, 178-83.] Paid
Johnston [on this
and other days] for sundries for Pizarro #135 14s. "It requires certainly more than English patience
and spirits to sustain any Play of five hours in length. It is not one of the worst features of
Pizarro that it contains a great deal which may be spared, without injury to the piece [see 25, 27 May]" (
Morning Chronicle, 25 May). Receipts: #540 3s. 6d. (406.0.6; 17.5.0; 0.4.0; tickets sold by
Fosbrook's Office: 116.14.0)