Event Comment: Benefit for Wild. 1st piece: Written originally by Shakspeare [see E. K. Chambers,@William@Shakespeare, 1930, I, 539-42], and revised by Theobald. Not acted these 26 years [acted 6 May 1767. Hoy is identified in Not. Dram.]. 2nd piece [1st time; P 1, by Mark Lonsdale; music by William Reeve. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: Being partly new, and partly selected from the much admired Pantomimes of the Rival Knights, Provocation, &c. &c. Oracle, 26 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 31, Long-Acre. Receipts: #188 15s. (47.5; 7.16; tickets: 133.14)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sedgwick. Sedgwick's Illness depriving him of the Power of appearing this Evening, he trusts his Friends and the Public will, with their usual Liberality, admit of his Indisposition as an Apology. Morning Herald, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Sedgwick, No. 66, St. Martin's-lane, Long-acre. Receipts: #394 18s. 6d. (83.5.0; 43.7.0; 8.16.0; tickets: 259.10.6) (charge: #157 7s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett [who had 1st acted Jemmy Jumps at York, 28 Apr. 1788]. Tickets delivered for The Female Pursuit will be admitted. Morning Herald, 5 May: Tickets to be had of Fawcett, No. 153, Drury-lane, facing Long-Acre. Receipts: #282 4s. 6d. (155.1.6; 6.17.0; tickets: 120.6.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered for this Evening [Account-Book: by Andrews, Calkin, Chatterley, Dangerfield, Edwards, Gardiner, Gilles, Henderson, Humphreys, Irish, Long, Massingham, Panchaud, Scott, Sherratt, Smith, Stevens, Thompson] will be admitted. Receipts: #57 15s. 6d. (36.14.6; 17.14.0; 3.7.0; tickets: none listed)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Sims. Mainpiece: As altered from Wycherley by David Garrick, Esq. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Tickets to be had of Sims, the Theatrical Register, Wrekin Tavern, Broad-court, Long-acre; at the Blue Post Coffee-house, Charlotte-street, Rathbone-place; the Tun, Goodge-street, Middlesex Hospital; the Green Man, Union-street, Middlesex Hospital; the Wheat Sheaf, Rathbone-place; of Price, at the Coach and Horses, Holborn; at the Duke of Clarence Coffee-house, Haymarket; Spencer's, Two Blue Posts, Southampton-buildings; and of Rice at the Theatre

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb. Larpent MS 961; not published; synopsis of plot in Universal Magazine, Nov. 1792, p. 393]: The Scenes entirely new, designed and executed by Greenwood. With new Dresses and Decorations. The Music composed principally by Storace, with a few Pieces selected from Anfossi, Bianchi and [La Bella Pescatrice, by] Guglielmi. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 15 Apr. 1793]. "The dialogue of operas now a days is thought of little consequence, and in this instance, the author has certainly strictly adhered to that opinion; however, by the aid of Painter, Composer, Taylor and Performers [The Pirates] will certainly long continue to attract admiration" (Thespian Magazine, Jan. 1793, p. 169). Receipts: #359 10s. 6d. (336.6.6; 23.0.0; 0.4.0)

Event Comment: Tickets Delivered for this Evening [Account-Book: by Andrews, Bowley, Calkin, Chatterley, Dangerfield, Edwards, Faux, Gilles, Henderson, Humphries, Irish, Long, Massingham, Panchaud, Scott, Sherratt, Smith, Stevens, Thompson, Wooldridge] will be admitted. Receipts: #64 18s. 6d. (54.5.6; 10.13.0; 0.0.0; tickets: none listed)

Event Comment: A new Grand Serious Opera, with Chorusses; the Music by Bianchi, under the direction of Federici. With entirely new Scenes designed by Marinari, Dresses composed and executed by Sestini, and Decorations. "[Banti] I must ever consider as far the most delightful singer I ever heard . . . Her first appearance in this country was in the opera of Semiramide, and all her part in it was of the most beautiful description. In addition to the songs belonging to the opera, she introduced a remarkably fine air by Guglielmi, from the Oratorio of Deborah, with an accompaniment for a violin obligato, originally played by Cramer, afterwards by Viotti and others. This song, though long and one of great exertion, was so prodigious a favourite that it never failed of being encored, not only in its novelty, but in every subsequent revival. Her acting, and recitative were excellent, and in the last scene, where Semiramide dies, was incomparably fine" (Mount-Edgcumbe, pp. 82, 84)

Event Comment: "The Theatre was extremely crowded on Saturday night. Again the cruel practice of sticking up sentinels on the stage produced an accident. One of the poor fellows, exhausted the position [of] continuing so long motionless, fell down apparently dead, and was carried off. He fell almost at the foot of Mme Banti, on whom the shock was so instantaneous as to disable her for some minutes from proceeding. For this she was very becomingly hissed by some persons, who, if they knew the reason, did not betray much humanity on the occasion...We trust that this degrading and cruel practice of turning men into figures will be discontinued" (Morning Chronicle, 18 Jan.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Munden. 4th piece: To conclude as 15 Apr. Morning Herald, 12 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Munden, No. 77, corner of Long Acre, and at Prospect-Place, Kentish Town. Receipts: #454 11s. 6d. (148.15.0; 7.16.0; tickets: 298.0.6)

Event Comment: 2nd ballet: With entirely new Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. The Scenes painted by Greenwood, and under his direction. "Magnificent, perhaps beyond parallel on a British stage, but it is considerably too long, as it was past twelve before it was concluded" (True Briton, 8 Feb.)

Event Comment: "It was with extreme regret that we perceived the ravages of time in the person of [Mrs Crawford, who had not acted in London since 12 Apr. 1785], tho' we were much consoled in observing that his influence is not equally apparent in her abilities...The blaze is gone, but there is a richness in the setting lustre...Kemble is evidently [Johnston's] model, and he followed him so closely, as even to the crossing of the legs in dying; so that where he was best, his efforts seemed to be the effect of imitation" (True Briton, 24 Oct.). "Mrs Crawford has had her day; but the sun of her genius has long sunk beneath the horizon...Many parts of her performance, we were sorry to observe, evinced the most evident decline of powers, and her tremulous accents, the debility of which was rendered the more striking from the want of several teeth, proclaimed that her days of play and action were nearly brought to a close...She was received with reiterated plaudits throughout...Nature has been very bountiful in supplying [Johnston] with a voice of much compass and melody, but he does not appear to have paid much attention to the cultivation of her favours. His transitions are often abrupt, and sometimes discordant; and the management of his tones is of so strange a nature that it appears more like two distinct voices than a judicious modulation of his natural accents" (Morning Herald, 24 Oct.). Receipts: #260 9s. (253.4.6; 7.4.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act I incidental to the Tragedy, a Grand Masquerade. [This was included in all subsequent performances.] Afterpiece: With the Fantoccini, as 30 Oct. ["In the late performance of this play at Covent Garden theatre, we perceive that this objection [i.e. Romeo and Juliet in III. v standing on the stage] is removed; the principal part of the scene is spoken from a balcony...The grand funeral dirge is introduced with magnificence and ostentation. A long procession of monks, friars, &c., accompanied with music, is made to passover the stage. But what end is all this farce and shew to answer?...We must rather laugh at so much pomp and expence bestowed on Juliet. If there is any distress stirring, the candle-snuffers and scene-shifters, who assist as chief mourners, have it all to themselves" (Monthly Mirror, Nov. 1797, p. 293). Receipts: #197 3s. 6d. (193.5.6; 3.18.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Murray. 1st piece: By Permission of the Author [Walsh Porter], and the Manager of the Theatre Royal Bath [William Wyatt Dimond]. [This was 1st acted at Bath, 27 Feb. 1798. It refers to the nation-wide attempt, being made at this time, to raise funds by voluntary contribution for the defense of the country. And see 9 Feb. Larpent MS 1197; not published. Miss Murray's 1st appearance on the stage was at Bristol, 1 July 1793.] Times, 27 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Murray, No. 77, Long Acre. Receipts: #198 17s. (102.6.0; 4.1.6; tickets: 92.9.6)

Event Comment: 2nd ballet: 1st time; composed by Barre; the Music by Bossi. "Mme Hilligsberg, who possesses the first rank among the dancers of London, is a woman of distinguished merit: she succeeds with peculiar happiness in sportive and jocose expressions, and she is bewitchingly graceful as a Welch or Scotch country girl. Her figure is very handsome; but her arms are somewhat long and thin. The third dancer is Mme Laborie; she possesses an agreeable figure, much animation and native gracefulness. She might become a first-rate dancer [if] she did not trust too much to her natural talents, and bestowed more attention on the art" (Goede, 265). "Les Deux Jumelles, ou la Meprise, pouvoient tres bien faire le sujet d'unjoli divertissement; mais pour un grand ballet, il a fallu y appeller le secours des dieux, & faire descendre ce que nous appelons une gloire de nuages qui se developpent assez mal: c'est la faute du machiniste ou du charpentier. D'ailleurs, cette gloire ne sert a rien, puisque l'Amour vient dans un assez mauvais cabriolet, pousse par des hommes qu'on voit un peu trop distinctement, & s'en retourne de meme a reculons. Nous avons vu souvent le char de l'Amour aller en avant; mais il est rare qu'on le voie reculer, & cette meme gloire eprouve autant de difficulte pour remonter qu'elle en avout eue pour descendre, laissant le spectateur tres convaincu de son inutilite" (Anthony LeTexier, L'Ami des Meres, 1799, I, 192-93). The subscribers are most respectfully intreated to be careful to whom they give their Tickets, as many improper persons have lately presented themselves for admission into the Theatre with those Tickets; and the subscribers are requested to observe that, in future, persons of this description will be conducted directly to the identical Boxes to which such Tickets belong, instead of being admitted into any other part of the Theatre. And the public are intreated to understand that neither Ladies in Undress Hats or Bonnets, nor Gentlemen in Boots will be admitted into the Pit of the Opera

Event Comment: Benefit for Murray. Morning Chronicle, 8 May: Tickets to be had of Murray, No. 77, Long Acre. Receipts: #263 0s. 6d. (118.7.6; 6.11.0; tickets: 138.2.0)