Event Comment: Being desir'd by many Persons of Quality, for ONE NIGHT ONLY, and By Permission of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Catch-Club, at the Thatch'd House in St Jame's St., will be perform'd the Favourite Catches and Glees which were exhibited Last Summer at Ranelagh-House, With TWO DESIR'D ALTERATIONS. After the 2nd Act, a Concerto on the Violin, by Barthelemon. A Considerable number of the Best Vocal and Instrumental Performers are engag'd on this occasion. Books for the Performance to be had at the theatre. Great care will be taken to keep the Theatre Cool. Ladies and Gentlemen send servants before the opening of the doors, which will be at Half-past 4. No persons can possibly be admitted behind the scenes. To Begin at exactly Seven o'clock. Tickets to be had and places to be taken (ONLY) of Mr Johnston at the stage Door (playbill)

Event Comment: Two glass branches added to the Stage Boxes, and look well (Hopkins MS Notes). Places may be had of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door. Doors open half past 4 o'clock. Play to begin exactly at 6 o'clock. Vivat Rex et Regina. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s

Event Comment: This comic opera of two acts [Padlock] was written by Mr Bickerstaffe and is a very compleat, pretty piece,--the music very striking.--Mrs Dorman was hissed at first, but the piece went off very well, and much applauded (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes, Dresses, Music and other Decorations. Doors opened at half past 4. Play to begin exactly at 6 o'clock. [A three column retelling of the plot of the padlock appeared in Lloyd's Evening Post, for Oct. 5-7.

Event Comment: To begin at 6 o'clock. Doors open at 5 o'clock. Send servants at 4 o'clock. King of Denmark. Ranger-Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). Both pieces By Command of Their Majesties

Event Comment: HHamlet, Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). Hamlet-Holland (Winston MS 10 and playbill). The Revenge deferred. Reddish ill

Event Comment: Mainpiece: An English Opera composed and directed by Dr Arne. In this opera two new performers appeared,--Mr Rathom who played Artaxerxes, a bad figure, extreamly aukward, and much hissed--the other Mrs Forbes, who played Arbaces, a small figure a good voice, was well received, and went decently through the part (Hopkins Diary)

Event Comment: MMr Aickin hissed for being imperfect.--This night was introduced at the end of the Pantomime a Grand Masquerade in imitation of that given by the King of Denmark at the Opera House, and lighted up after the same manner--Every performer belonging to the House was on, even Mr Garrick and his brother.--The dresses were very elegant, and the whole very striking,--and gave pleasure to the Audience (Hopkins Diary). [The masquerade remained a part of Queen Mab and was also attached to Fortunatus. It evoked the following verse in Lloyd's Evening Post, Nov. 21-23]: One night last week a merry blade,@Who'd seen the Royal Masquerade,@And paid ten guineas for admission,@Began to damn the imposition;@His friend reply'd, "You may complain,@For I last Night at Drury Lane,@Saw full as much for eighteen pence,@As you got at such vast expence."-- G.S. C y

Event Comment: [This evening] a cause came on to be tried in the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, in which Mr William Bates, Music Master, was Plaintiff and Spranger Barry, Esq the celebrated tragedian, defendent, upon a demand made by the plaintiff for a large sum of money due to him from the Defendent, for the performance of Miss Slack, the Plaintiff's apprentice, at the Theatre in Cork...After a short hearing a verdict was given in favour of the Plaintiff (Lloyd's Evening Post, 25-28 Nov.)

Event Comment: MMiss Morris was a pupil of Mr Colman's--She was very much approved by the public in the character of Juliet. On the sixth night of her appearance on the stage she was taken ill, and died before the end of this season. See the Bill for her Benefit (Hopkins MS Notes). Afterpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [See 19 May 1762.] [The Occasional Prologue, by Colman, is Larpent MS 288, which introduces Miss Morris as Juliet, and stresses the qualms and fears of a new performer.] Receipts: #227 19s. 6d. (Account Book). Lloyd's Evening Post, 28-30 Nov.: Sir: The managers of both theatres have of late, in order to put a stop to the Public complaint against a dearth of actors, given trials to several stage candidates that seemed to have any promising requisite. Such experiments have not proved fruitless. The most brilliant and interesting of which was the young lady's appearance on Covent Garden Theatre last night, in the character of Juliet. So great was her terror, on presenting herself for the first time before a crowded audience, that, deprived of all her powers, she fell down on the stage in a swoon. The first act in consequence, was all terror on her side, all compassion and anxiety on that of the audience. But having had time between the first and second Acts to recover from her panic, she shone forth in the Balcony Scene the most pleasing promise of a young tragic actress that has been seen for half a century past, and continued so throughout. Her person is genteel, her tone of voice insinuating, variable, and melodious; her recitation is just and sensible; very affecting in the pathetic parts; condescending, free, and polite are the familiar speeches with the Nurse. She is happily devoid of all stage whine, and tragedy Cant. The manner she has been rudimented in does great honour to her instructors, who have so judiciously prevented the so excellent actor of this verily a Shakespeare's Juliet, from being sophisticated by the studied tricks, and false ornamenting of mistaken modern and degenerate art

Event Comment: Paid Mr Abbott for cleaning the Garland, etc. 3s. 6d. (Account Book). Receipts: #168 10s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Author of Zingis. Damon and Phillida was altered into a Comic opera of two acts, and new musick with the addition of some new songs and choruses--the Musick composed by Mr Dibdin,--went off very dull, and some hisses--the muscik not vastly liked (Hopkins Diary). New Overture. Both Zingis and Damon and Phillida published at 1s. 6d. and 1s

Event Comment: ZZingis was to have been played tonight; but Mr Holland cut his hand, and could not play (Hopkins Diary)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. K. & Q. Richard-Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). Neville MS Diary: Garrick played Richard III. In attempting to get into the Pit was forced into the 2 shilling gallery Passage & after being squeezed abominably for an hour got into the street. Should not have received much pleasure if I had got in, as that calf headed son of a whore, George etc. was there

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. K. & Q.; Kitley, Mr Garrick (Cross Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author. Neville MS Diary: went with Mr and Mrs Willoughby to the 2 shilling gallery at Drury Lane to see the new comedy. The School for Rakes, which I do not like. Many of our new pieces are full of absurd compliments to--

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Theatrical Register, 1769: This perhaps is one of the best of all Mr Handel's performances in this species of composition. Charges: #35 (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Theatrical Register, 1769: We cannot rank this among th most capital of Mr Handel's oratorios; and yet it has great merit in one particular, viz. the attempt to characterize the idea of the plagues of Egypt by the power of music, in which, perhaps, the composer has carried the force of imitation to its utmost extent. Charges: #35 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Hopkins

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. Mrs Ward is extremely sorry she is oblig'd to change the Night's Entertainment advertised for her Benefit, but the severe illness of Mrs Mattocks and Mrs Baker, makes it impossible to perform the Opera of Love in a Village, as does Mr Woodward's indisposition the Farce of the Citizen. The Managers have therefore kindly granted her the above tragedy and pantomime. Charges #65 15s. Balance to Mrs Ward #55 5s. plus #53 2s. from tickets (Box 58; Pit 158; Gallery 149). Receipts: #121 (Account Book)