Event Comment: Mainpiece: With the original Musick of Matthew Locke, and Accompaniments by Dr Arne and Linley? Sen. Receipts: #283 13s. 6d. (229.10.6; 52.17.0; 1.6.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. Mainpiece: By Permission of George Colman Jun., Esq. [Prologue by George Colman Jun. (Kemble Mem.), printed in Henry Angelo,@Reminiscences, 1828, I, 331-32.] Morning Herald, 29 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 2, Frith-street, Soho. Receipts: #538 18s. 6d. (251.19.6; 32.18.0; 3.0.0; tickets: 251.1.0) (charge: #163 9s. 2d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 1st piece: In I act. Public Advertiser, 11 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 2, Frith-street, Soho

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. 3rd piece: By permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Morning Chronicle, 6 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 2, Frith-street, Soho

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. Public Advertiser, 10 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 8, Air-street, Piccadilly

Event Comment: Benefit for Baddeley. 3rd piece [1st time; F 2 (?), author unknown. Public Advertiser, 16 Apr. has synopsis of plot; assigns Toby Todman-Jun.; and lists, unassigned: Mr Stockfield, Sir William Matchem, Mr Harland, Lucetta. Not in Larpent MS; not published. This piece has reference to a prize-fight, on which thousands of pounds were said to have been wagered, which took place at Odiham, Hants, on 9 Jan.]. Public Advertiser, 25 Mar.: Tickets to be had of $Baddeley">R. Palmer; Billy Dibley-$Bannister Jun.; and lists, unassigned: Mr Stockfield, Sir William Matchem, Mr Harland, Lucetta. Not in Larpent MS; not published. This piece has reference to a prize-fight, on which thousands of pounds were said to have been wagered, which took place at Odiham, Hants, on 9 Jan.]. Public Advertiser, 25 Mar.: Tickets to be had of $Baddeley, No. 10, New Store-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #323 11s. [107.6.0; 10.2.6; 0.13.6; tickets: 205.9.0) (charge: #109 4s. 2ds.)

Event Comment: Ode [1st time; composed by Thomas Linley Jun. (see 18 Mar. 1778), text by John Hoadly]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: The Music by Purcel and Dr Arne, with the additional Airs and Chorusses by the late [Thomas] Linley Jun. Receipts: #183 8s. 6d. (161/9/0; 20/7/0; 1/12/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Additions [by John Philip Kemble] from Dryden. The Music by Purcell and Dr Arne. With new Airs and Chorusses by Linley Jun. Receipts: #225 8s. 6d. (188.14.6; 34.19.0; 1.15.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; D 5, by Benjamin Thompson, altered from Menschenhass und Reue, by August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue. Prologue by William Linley; Epilogue by Matthew Gregory Lewis (European Magazine, Mar. 1798, p. 260)]: With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. With Musick [by Thomas Shaw]. "Mrs Siddons was succesful in all the impassioned parts; but she cannot sustain a mixed character. She is the Muse of Tragedy herself, and when she descends from her lofty state to the level of familiar dialogue, she instantly ceases to astonish and we to admire" (Monthly Mirror, Apr. 1798, p. 234). "The dialogue must be considerably abridged, as well for the purpose of preserving the interest of the piece, as for shortening the time of representation, which is at least an hour too long, it being half past ten before the curtain dropt" [see 26 Mar.] (Morning Herald, 26 Mar.). Receipts: #420 7s. 6d. (378.11.6; 40.18.0; 1.8.0)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. [Public Advertiser, 18 Feb., refers to the Overture to Rodelinda, which opened the performance, and to Street Bird, sung by Miss Linley, accompanied on the organ by Stanley; Oft on a plat of rising ground by Miss Prudom; Hide me from day's garish eye by Miss Linley; Horn and Morn by Reinhold.] 2nd piece: Set to Music by Handel. Tickets to be had and Places for the Boxes to be taken of Fosbrook at the Stage Door of the Theatre, at half a guinea each. Pit 5s. 1st Gallery 3s. 6d. 2ndGallery 2s. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same throughout oratorio season]

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 3, by Prince Hoare. Larpent MS 1126; not published; synopsis of plot in Monthly Magazine, May 1796, p. 320]: With new Scenes, Dresses, Decorations, &c. The Musick principally composed by the late Mr Storace [who had died on 19 Mar.], with a few Selections from Paisiello, Haydn and Sarti. [Grove, under Storace, states that the music was completed and prepared for the stage by Kelly and Sga Storace.] The Scenes designed and executed by Marinari and assistants. The Dresses by Johnston, Gay and Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. "It was exceedingly tedious the first night, not being over till eleven o'clock. Since, it has been prudently cut down, and yet has lost nothing. A prologue, written on the very morning of representation, deploring the loss of the composer, was spoken (perfectly) by the last unfortunate Benson [for whom see 9 June. It was written by Hoare (Universal Magazine, May 1796, p. 362), and Was perhaps spoken only on the 1st night; it is not listed on any playbill]" (Monthly Magazine, May 1796, p. 320). "In short, possessing all the science of Harrison, the melody of Incledon, and the pleasing articulation of the late Mrs Kennedy, we have no hesitation in pronouncing [Braham] the first public singer of the present day. He was three times encored. His action is indifferent, and his dialogue scarcely audible" (Morning Herald, 2 May). Receipts: #297 14s. (258.10.6; 38.19.6; 0.4.0)

Event Comment: DDaily Post, 29 May: We are assur'd that there will be no more Plays acted this Season at [dl], and we hear that there was Yesterday no Play acted...as had been advertiz'd for that Day; the Occasion we are inform'd was, that at Midnight on Saturday last several persons arm'd took Possession of the same, by Direction from some of the Patentees, and lock'd up and barricado'd all the Doors and Entrances thereunto, against the whole Company of his Majesty's Comedians, as also against Mr Cibber, Jun. notwithstanding he had paid to one of the Patentees several hundred Pounds for one third Part of the Patent, Cloaths, Scenes, &c. and all Rights and Privileges thereunto annexed, for a certain Term not yet expired. Mr Cibber, Jun. and the rest of the Company of Comedians, and this Morning to wait upon his Grace the Duke of Grafton, Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Houshold, with their humble Petition, and the Representation of their Cast, and to beg his Grace's Favour and Protection

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. Public Advertiser, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun., No. 6, Great Russel Street, Covent Garden. Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years [not acted since 21 Oct. 1760]. Afterpiece: For that night only; never acted here. [Miss Bannister's 1st appearance on the stage was at HAY, 27 Aug. 1783.] Receipts: #206 19s. 6d. (114/1/0; 23/7/6; 1/5/0; tickets: 68/6/0) (charge: #108 14s. 3d.)