Event Comment: By Command of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Account Book: Present Prince and Princess of Wales, Lady Augusta, Princess Elizabeth, Prince Edward, Prince Frederick. [See also 25 Nov.] Receipts: #171 13s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Command of the Prince of Wales. Present Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Edward, William, Frederick. Lady Augusta, and Princess Elizabeth. Receipts: #180 1s. Bought 3 1!2 dozen Wax Candles, #5 8s. 6d. [The complete payroll was met and a balance carried over of #120 13s. 9d. as profit.] (Account Book)

Event Comment: With New Additions and Alterations. [On 1 March (Baker, Diary, p. 106) went to Handel's and heard the rehearsal by "Frasi, Miss Young als [alias], Miss Scott, Cassandra Frederick, Beard, Champness, Baildon."

Event Comment: At The Chapel of the Foundling Hospital. [Deutsch, Handel, pp. 799-801, notes the performance and lists the "Orchestra Bill," for this performance: twelve violins-Brown, Collet, Freeks, Frowd, Claudio, Wood, Wood Jr, Denner, Abbington, Grosman, Jackson, Nicholson, the first three at 15s. and the rest at 10s. each; three "tenners" [violas]-Rash, Warner, Stockton at 8s. each: four hautbois-Eyferd, Teede, Vincent, Weichsel, the first three at 10s. 6d. and the fourth at 8s.; four bassoons-Miller, Baumgarden, Goodman, Owen, the first two at 10s. 6d. and the rest at 8s. each; three violoncellos-Gillier, Haron, Hebden at 10s. 6d. each; two double basses-Dietrich at 15s. and Sworms at 10s.; horns and drums by Adcock and Willis at 10s. 6d. each; trumpets and kettle drums-Trowa, Miller, and Fr Smith at 10s. 6d. for a total of #17 15s. He also lists the bill for the singers: Sga Frasi, #6 6s.; Miss Frederick, #4 4s.; Miss Young, #3 3s.; Beard with services gratis; Champness, #1, 11s. 6d.; Waas, Bailden, and Barrow at #1 1s. each; six boys, totalling #4 14s. 6d.; a second Champness, Ladd, Cox, Munck, Reinhold, Walz, Courtney, and Kurz, at 10s. 6d. each, for a total of #27 16s. 6d. Servants and music porters added #4 14s. 6d. What with #5 5s. 6d. for Smith brought the total bill to #55 11s. 6d. The Constable in addition cost #3 3s.

Event Comment: Both pieces By Command of his Majesty. The Comedy Love for Love design'd to be perform'd this day, is deferr'd till further notice. Present His Majesty and Princess of Wales, Lady Augusta, Princess Louisa, Prince William and Prince Frederick. Boxes #94 7s. 6d. [about 384 persons, nearly the capacity of the Boxes, which was about 560]. Paid Macklin one fifth part of #179 being the surplus after #63 allow'd for the charge as per agreement...#35 16s. Gave the Yeomen of the King and Princess's Guard #2 2s., and the King's Footmen and Chairmen #1 1s. (Account Book). Receipts: #242 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Both pieces By Command. Ladies and Gentlemen who have taken places are desired to send their servants before 3 o'clock. No persons can possibly be admitted behind the scenes or into the Orchestra. Present their Majesties the Duke of York, Prince William Henry, Prince Henry Frederick, and Lady Augusta. [The Winston Theatrical Record lists the customary night's expenses as follows]: @Renters #12 1s.@Barber 5s. 4d.@Music #4 19s. 5d.@Tallow Candles #2 10s.@Wax Candles #1 6s.@Coals 10s.@Lamps #1 12s. 3d.@1 days Billstickers 11s. 6d.@1 days Bills #1 7s.@1 days Advertising 5s.@Wardrobe Bill (a day) #1 7s.@Property Bill (a day) #1 6d.@Extras (for Opera and Rape) #1 6s. 6d.@J. Rich #5 5s.@C. Rich #1@Guards (18) and a Serjeant #1@#36 6s. 5d.@ Extras that night: @Yeomen of His Majesties' guard #1 1s.@Yeomen of Her Majesties' guard #1 1s.@His Majesties' Footmen #1 1s.@Her Majesties' Footmen #1 1s.@Princess of Wales' Attendant #1 1s.@Their Majesties' Coachman 6s.@Total #5 11s.

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Income from Boxes #83 10s. Present Their Majesties, Lady Augusta; Prince William Henry, Prince Henry Frederick, Paid Vincent in full for 10 Lac'd Coats...8 Trumpet Banners and 2 Kettle drum banners #73 10s. Receipts: #232 11s. (Winston Theatrical Record)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties, an Occasional Oratorio "selected from the most celebrated compositions of the late George Frederick Handel." Pit and Boxes to be put together. No person to be admitted without Tickets which will be deliver'd this day at the Office in the Theatre at half a guinea each. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries to be opened at half past Four. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at half after Six. This day Publish'd Price 1s. An Occasional Oratorio, as it is to be performed at Covent Garden...J. and R. Tonson. [The most provocative commentary on Oratorios may be found in [Robert Maddison's] An Examination of the Oratorios performed This Season at Covent Garden, (London, 1763) 63 pages, wherein he seeks to define the genre, then judge the performances in terms of his definition.

Event Comment: Paid Ben Johnson's Head a bill #4 14s. 1d.; Frederick for Rose colour and blew sattin, 120 yds. #42 17s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #228 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Not acted these 2 years. [See 27 Oct. 1764.] Paid French on account #30; and Frederick for cloath #6 15s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #115 9s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Command of their Majesties. Present Their Majesties, the Prince of Wales and Prince Frederick. Gave Yeomen of Guards #2 2s. Receipts: #221 6s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Present Their Majesties, Prince of Wales and Prince Frederick. Gave Yeomen of the Guards #2 2s. Receipts: #234 15s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: With the Stockwell Scenes. [For Stockwell Scenes, see 2 Nov.] Paid Frederick for Sattin #9 11s. 11d., Mrs Gisbitysky for a Lady's white and gold suit of cloaths #9 9s., and Mrs Barbaroux for gilt lea[the]r as per bill #2 9s. (Account Book). Receipts: #185 19s

Event Comment: A sacred Oratorio selected from the works of $George Frederick Handel, Esq.

Event Comment: The Characters all new dressed. [Prologue by Frederick Pilon (London Chronicle, 2 Aug.). The Lecture, as here altered, was published by G. Kearsley, 1785.

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Thomas Lewis O'Beirne, based on Le Dissipateur; ou, L'Honnete Friponne, by Philippe Nericault, dit Destouches. Prologue by Frederick Pilon (Crouch, 1, 90). Author of Epilogue unknown. For Pastoral Interlude see 23 Nov.]: With new Scenery and Dresses. Public Advertiser, 13 Dec. 1780: This Day at Noon is Published The Generous Impostor (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #197 3s. 6d. (183.4.0; 13.10.6; 0.9.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Frederick Pilon. Larpent MS 549; not published. Author of Prologue unknown]. Receipts: #230 4s. 6d. (226.4.0; 4.0.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Charles Macklin, a re-writing of his The True-Born Scotsman, based partly on Nanine, by Voltaire, 1st acted at the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 10 July 1764. Author of prologue unknown. Epilogue by Frederick Pilon (Public Advertiser, 28 May 1781). Text 1st published (unauthorized), Dublin, 1785]: The Characters new dressed. Receipts: #173 14s. 6d. (172.12.0; 1.2.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Miles Peter Andrews. Prologue by Frederick Pilon. Epilogue by Edward Topham (see text)]: With Music High and Low Dutch [ascribed to Dr Arnold]. New Dresses and Decorations. The new Scenes painted by Rooker. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 30 July 1781: This Day is published The Baron....(price not listed)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece: author of Prologue unknown. Epilogue by Frederick Pilon (see 10 May 1781).] Receipts: #199 14s. 6d. (198/12/6; 1/2/0)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Tamerlane, announced on playbill of 23 Dec] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by Ralph Wewitzer and Frederick Pilon. MS not in Larpent; not published. Synopsis of action in Town and Country Magazine, Supp. 1784, p. 717]: With new Scenery, Music, Dresses and Decorations. The Scenes chiefly designed by Richards, and executed by him, Carver, Hodgins, and assistants. The Overture, Songs, Chorusses and the whole Music of the Pantomime new, and composed by Shield. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. The Words of the Songs, &c to be had at the Theatre. "The performance was such as the first performance of pantomimes generally--machinery and scenery not so perfectly executed as when practice has rendered the movements more familiar to those to whom they belong, which, as the beauty of a pantomime depends on the celerity and adroitness of the scene-men, it seldom is discovered on the first night" (Public Advertiser, 28 Dec)

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for the Widow and three youngest Children of the late Dr Glover. [Dr William Frederick Glover, a surgeon, had died on 25 Feb. in straitened circumstances. A subscription--in behalf of which this Benefit was organized--had been set on foot for the relief of his family (see Gentleman's Magazine, Mar. 1787, p. 276). In the 1760's he was for some years an actor on the Dublin stage (see Tate Wilkinson, Memoirs, III, 198).] Tickets to be had at the Thatched-House Tavern, St. James's Street; at Free-Mason's Tavern, Great Queen Street; the Antigallican Coffee House, Royal Exchange; the Globe Tavern, Fleet Street; at Messrs Robinsons, booksellers, Paternoster Row; and of the Printer of the Morning Chronicle, Dorset Street, Salisbury Square. Received from Their Majesties for Box [for season] #70; from the Princess Royal for Box #35. Receipts: #127 11s. (125.5; 2.6; tickets: none listed)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Elizabeth Inchbald. Larpent MS 789; not published. Prologue by Henry Sampson Woodfall Jun. (London Chronicle, 17 Dec.); Epilogue by Frederick Pilon (Public Advertiser, 19 Dec.)]. [Miss Blower had 1st appeared at dl, 27 Apr. 1782, and thereafter in Dublin.] Receipts: #180 7s. 6d. (169.19.0; 10.8.6)