Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years. [See 11 Nov. 1752.] Characters New Dressed in the Habits of the Times. This play is alter'd by Mr Colman and receiv'd with Some Applause, but it don't seem to hit the present Taste a few hisses at the End (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid salary list #630 1s. 6d.; Widow Hunter #2 2s.; King's glass bill #3 17s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [Mainpiece reviewed and contrasted with the original in the Westminster Magazine for Jan.: "Upon the whole we cannot esteem this a striking comedy, even with the assistance it has now received,--the fine manner in which it is got up, and the great expence which the managers have been at in habiting the whole dramatis personae in splendid and characteristic Old English dresses. All the actors except Mr King and Mr Parsons performed but indifferently. Bensley is the worst Old Man we ever saw. He presents the countenace of a sickly old woman; and the uniform goggle of his eye, by which he means to express infirmity and distress is the look of a man in anguish from the colic. Mr Palmer, Mr Brereton, and Mr Davis have a bloated vulgarity about them, which should ever deter the manager from assigning them the parts of cavaliers or men of fashion. Baddeley, as usual, overdid his part, and Mr Yates, as usual, was not very perfect in his."] Receipts: #192 11s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: MMr Vernon-Macheath, 1st time; Mr Parsons-Filch, Mrs Parsons-Mrs Peachum (Cross Diary). Mr William Parsons came with Mr James Love from Edinburg, and Made his first appearance on the stage in London this evening; He died of an asthma on Tues. 3 February in the severe winter of 1795, and was buried in the churchyard of Lea-Church near Blackheath in Kent; he was in his 60th year (Macmillan [Hopkins MS Notes]). Afterpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [See 19 Oct. 1759.

Event Comment: The worst House I ever saw.--This morning Mr Packer's mother died, and we were oblig'd to get Mr Parsons to do Vizard, and Mr Baddeley Smuggler.--No apology was made, and I believe nobody took any notice of the change.--Miss Street and Master Clinton, Dancers, first time, greatly applauded (Hopkins Diary--MacMillan). Receipts: #63 3s. 6d. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: [In 2nd piece the playbill assigns Orlando to Kemble, but "On account of indisposition, Barrymore last night performed Orlando for Kemble" (Oracle, 4 Oct.).] 3rd piece: To conclude with the Glorious Defeat of the Spanish Armada, and a Grand Procession. "Equal to any actor I ever saw, as far as his line extends, is Mr Parsons; his conception and expression of Sir Fretful Plagiary, in Mr Sheridan's Critic, are as strong and masterly as were Garrick's in Kitely [in Every Man in his Humour]; and his 'laughing without mirth' therein equally admirable" (Jonson, ed. Waldron, 171). Receipts: #251 4s. 6d. (213.6.6; 37.0.0; 0.18.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bradshaw and Mrs Johnston. Paid Mr Parsons in lieu of Benefit #105. Receipts: #73 17s. Charges: #64 15s. Profits to Mrs Bradshaw and Mrs Johnston: #9 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)