Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Cross, Mrs Bridges, Miss Young. The General Advertiser included the following Puff: Sir, As I am continually searching for latent Curiosities, out of a sincere regard for the Public Satisfaction, I think it my Duty (lest among the Multitude of Diversions now flourishing, some other might engross the attention of the Curious) to inform the world, that the Farce which will be perform'd this Evening at Drury Lane theatre, call'd May Day, or the Merry Milkmaids of Islington, was written by the particular desire of King Charles II who had it first performed at Newmarket; how agreeably that jovial Monarch was entertained, every person, who thinks it worth his while to see it, according to his abilities, will be a competent judge, Yours, &c A. Virtuoso. [Part of the Multitude of Diversions referred to included announcement in the same paper for a Rehearsal of the whole Band of Music at Ruckholt House, the following Monday; a paragraph Puff on the diversions at Sadler's Wells in consequence of the late happy Victory of the Duke of Cumberland over the Rebels, with special notice of a New Interlude of Music call'd Strephon's Return, or the British Hero, perform'd this night with many advantages of Dress and Decoration, and a new Ballet by Matthews; and further notice of the Representation of the Battle near Culloden House which had met with universal applause, and which would continue to be repeated at the New Wells in Goodman's Fields. The Farce at Drury Lane this evening was advertised as not having been played for 20 years. It was taken from Thomas Nabbes' Totenham Court Road, by the Compiler of the Muse of Newmarket, 1680. The MS Occasional Prologue praising Cumberland is in the Larpent Collection.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mattocks. 1st piece [1st time; INT 1, by John Cartwright Cross. Larpent MS 1213; not published]. Genest, VII 365, states that the Epilogue Address "was in all probability the Epilogue to Alonzo [by David Garrick]." 3rd piece: conclude with a Rural Procession: Four Lads bearing Streamers-Plough decorated with Flowers-Four Countrymen bearing a May-day Garland-Four Lasses Bearing Implements of Husbandry-Country Girls leading a Lamb, decorated with Flowers-Four Lasses bearing a Garland-a Chorus and Finale. Tickets delivered for Every One has His Fault will be admitted. Times, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mattocks, No. 8, Great Russell-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #259 16s. 6d. (124.7.0; 2.13.0; tickets: 132.16.6)

Event Comment: Mr Baker made his first Appearance in Jerry Sneak--he is a tall, thin, awkward Figure, looked like a Pinmaker, is a very strong Copy of poor may in Time be a tolerable Actor in low Comedy--pretty well received. [Note added by $J. P. Kemble">Weston, has some Requisites, may in Time be a tolerable Actor in low Comedy--pretty well received. [Note added by $J. P. Kemble: Mr Baker, I have heard, had at this Time just received an Inheritance of fifteen thousand Pounds, which he so quickly dissipated as to be reduced within five years after to the Condition of Coachman to a Bristol Diligence] (Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #181 2s

Event Comment: Benefit for Whitfield. 2nd piece: Written by George Colman, Esq. Not acted these 10 years [acted 20 Dec. 1777]. After which, a Grand Procession of the principal Characters of Shakespeare, as exhibited at the Jubilee at Stratford upon Avon [in Sept. 1769]. Public Advertiser, 5 May: Tickets to be had of Whitfield at his house, Leicester Court, Castle Street, Leicester Fields. Receipts: #114 4s. (45/18; tickets: 68/6) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Caulfield, Miss DeCamp, Miss Tidswell & Miss Heard. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Mr Worthy to Benson but "an apology was made for the absence of Benson...His part of Worthy was read by Whitfield" (Thespian Magazine, July 1793, p. 50).] Tickets delivered for the 8th of June will be admitted. Morning Herald, 24 May: Tickets to be had of Caulfield, No. 8, Dartmouth-street, Westminster; of Miss DeCamp, No. 70, Tottenham-Court-Road; of Miss Tidswell, No. 3, Little Charles-street, St. James's-square; of Miss Heard, No. 13, Panton-street, Hay-market. Receipts: #182 3s. (28.17; 3.5; tickets: 150.1) (charge: #86 8s.)

Event Comment: "This may be called the Coalition Season, the Actors of both Theatres playing at either house indiscriminately" (MS annotation by J. P. Kemble on Kemble playbill). Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be had of Fosbrook at the Stage Door. No Money to be taken at the Stage Door, nor any Money returned after the Curtain is drawn up. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 16 Oct.]. Receipts: #226 8s. 6d. (193.9.0; 32.12.0; 0.7.6)

Event Comment: Account-Book, 21 Oct.: Paid Lee Lewes on cancelling his engagement #21. [Lee Lewes acted on the night of his benefit, 9 May 1785, but not again this season.] Receipts: #104 0s. 6d. (78/7/0; 25/12/0; 0/1/6)

Event Comment: [The playbill lists Wilson as Justice Shallow in mainpiece, and as Father Luke in afterpiece. On the Kemble playbill his name is deleted, but the substitute name has been cut by the binder. "It is necessary to inform those who may have read a long criticism on Wilson's performance of Justice Shallow, on Tuesday evening [in Public Advertiser, 2 Nov.], that Wilson did not perform that or any other character, as he is laid up, or rather down, with a violent fit of the gout" (General Advertiser, 3 Nov.). For Fearon as Justice Shallow see 30 Apr. 1785, 29 Nov. 1786; for Booth as Father Luke see 25 Nov. 1785.] Receipts: #139 6s. (134/5; 5/1)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sedgwick. Morning Herald, 20 May: Tickets to be had of Sedgwick at Mr Gibson's, jeweller, Charlotte-street, Rathbone-place. Receipts: #156 17s. (100.16; 54.4; 1.17; tickets: none listed) (charge: #212 16s.)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of A Trip to Scarborough, announced on playbill of 9 Mar.] 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT I, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]: With a new Scene invented and designed by DeLoutherbourg for the occasion. [Music composed by Thomas Linley Sen. Miss Wright is identified on playbill of 24 May; and see 19 Feb.] Public Advertiser, 27 Mar. 1779: This Afternoon at Four is published A Monody (1s. 6d.). Afterpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Receipts: #213 10s. 6d. (180.18.0; 32.6.0; 0.6.6). "Some of the verses [of the Monody] were responded [to] by the principal vocalists, accompanied by the band, who occupied an orchestra built on the stage, as at the oratorios. The whole of the performers [were] requested to appear in black clothes" (Parke, I, 17)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini [who had 1st acted Phebe at CG on 13 Mar. and 10 May 1784]. Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. Afterpiece: Never perform'd here

Event Comment: Benefit for Fearon. Afterpiece: Never performed here. Public Advertiser, 3 May: Tickets to be had of Fearon, No. 1, Broad-court, Bow-street. Receipts: #224 6s. (79.14.6; 7.6.6; tickets: 137.5.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for R. Palmer. 2nd piece [1st time; INT I(?), author unknown; not in Larpent MS; not published]. Public Advertiser, 12 May: Tickets to be had of R. Palmer, No. 14, East Place, Lambeth. Receipts: #302 (104.8.0; 18.16.6; 1.6.6; tickets: 177.9.0) (charge: #106 17s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Phillimore, Miss Tidswell, Miss Barnes & Miss DeCamp. [La Fete Marine was 1st performed at king's, 27 Apr. 1786.] Oracle, 19 May: Tickets to be had of Phillimore, Little Russel-street; of Miss Tidswell, Stanhope-street, Clare Market; of Miss Barnes, No. 23, Clare-street, Clare Market; of Miss DeCamp, No. 64, Tottenham-court-road. Receipts: #41 14s. (27.4; 11.13; 2.17; tickets: none listed) (charge: #108 7s. 2d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Leak. 3rd piece [1st time: BO 2, author unknown. Larpent MS 1170; not published]: The Overture and Musick entirely new, by Dr Arnold, Composer to His Majesty. True Briton, 20 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Leak, Upper Mews-Gate, Castle-street, Leicester-Fields. Receipts: #364 6s. 6d. (65.9.0; 59.13.0; 2.6.0; tickets: 236.18.6; (charge: #213 10s. 2d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Stephens. Morning Chronicle, 21 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Stephens, No. 85, Park-street, Grosvenor-square. Receipts: #326 18s. 6d. (63.5.0; 51.10.6; 0.15.0; tickets: 211.8.0) (charge: #212 0s. 4d.)