Event Comment: NNeville MS Diary: Went to ye Pit to see ye
Beggar's Opera-oblig'd to stand till ye play was over-Read some parts of ye Opera which I borrowed at
Davies's, before it began and between the acts.
Barry is a good
Macheath, but most persons who have seen him when young observe that he has not ye activity and fire he then had. He sings tolerably as does
Mrs Dancer; but both are greatest in ye acting part. Mrs D. is ye best
Polly I ever saw, having that sensibility which your mere singing Pollys generally want.
Mrs Mahon did
Lucy with great ease and propriety, and has a good deal of expression in her countenance.
Thomson has a force and mellowness of voice very suitable to ye character of
Lockit. I do not think
Weston excels in
Filch.
Shuter raised vast applause by adding, after
Trapes has said "done under the Surgeon's hand'--"Oh dreadful and in such weather too!"
Bannister in
Mat added--"Die hard"--and
Palmer in
Budge--"Die game--" Mrs Gardner's pretending to get drunk in
Mrs Slam is new. We had at ye end of Act 2 the
Fing., of Act 3 a
New Hornpipe, and at ye end of ye Opera the
H. Peasant by $Miss Froment, with
Duke and No Duke-of which I am tired