Event Comment: An Italian Comic Opera by some performers just arriv'd from Paris. Went off pretty well, -a Girl greatly admir'd (Cross). [The girl seems to have been Sga Spiletta.] She plays off with inexhaustible spirits all muscular evolutions of the face and brows; while in her eye wantons a studied archness, and pleasing malignity. Her voice has strength and scope sufficient; has neither too much of the feminine, nor an inclining to the male. Her gestures are ever varying; her transitions quick and easy. Some over-nice critics, forgetting, or not knowing the meaning of the word Burletta, cry that her manner is outre. Wou'd she not be faulty were it otherwise? The thing chargeable to her is (perhaps) too great a luxurience of comic tricks; which (an austere censor would say) border on unlaced lasciviousness, and extravagant petulance of action (Paul Hiffernan, The Tuner, No 1). [Spiletta was the name of the character to whom Sga Nicolina Giordani gave such life that the name stuck to her. See Saxe Wyndham, Annals of Covent Garden Theatre.] [A Comic Opera by G. Giordani, Music by G. Cocchi-Nicoll, English Drama, III, p. 349.] Nothing less than the full price will be taken during the Performance. Printed books of the opera sold at the theatre. Tomorrow, Venice Preserved. [Murphy commented in Gray's Inn Journal (22 Dec.): "A great deal of whatever humour this production may contain, is certainly lost to an English audience; and the manner of acting, being a burlesque upon what people here are not very well acquainted with, is not universally felt. But notwithstanding these disadvantages, there is one among them, Sga Nicolina Giordani, who displayed such lively traces of Humour in her countenance, and such pleasing variety of action, and such variety of graceful deportment, that she is generally acknowledged to be, in that Cast of playing, an excellent comic actress."

Event Comment: Paid Wilford for 10 nights Renters Money #100 (Account Book). [Duly noted in Account Book as third night for the comedy, but no indication of any fee to the author on this occasion. The following verse tribute to Miss Wilford appeared this day in the Public Advertiser: @"Strike the loud Harp and raise the tuneful Song;@On all your wings, Wind, bear her Fame along!@Her eyes are rolling suns, which dart a ray,@Bright as the splendor of a Summer Day;@Her arms are as the foam of Ocean white,@Like waves her Breasts heave slowly to the sight.@Her breath is sweeter than the vernal gale,@Which Zephyr wafts o'er Tempe's flowry vale;@Her cheaks are painted only by that hand@Which scatters roses through the blooming land;@And every ringlet of her glossy hair@Is trusted to some Love's peculiar care.@Her speech the songs of other Nymphs excels,@And on her lips persuasion blushing dwells;@Her smiles are as the streaming pow'rs of Light,@Which cheer and gild the rugged Front of Night.@To the quick Pipe and Tabor's lively sounds,@High as the Hind or Mountain Roe, she bounds;@And if to solemn Notes the cadence flow,@Stately she moves, majestically slow.@Deaf the prais'd ear-yet Modesty must own@The Female Archer by these Marks is known."@ Miss Wilford was the Female Archer.] Receipts: #151 13s. 6d.(Account Book)

Event Comment: Last time of performing this season. Williams for performing the Bells 7s. 6d.; Gard and Singleton 2s. 6d. each for performing in the lion. LeLewes and Quick paid up deficiencies for last season, and Ansell and Green theirs for the 26th inst. (Account Book). Receipts: #155 17s

Event Comment: Both pieces By Command of their Majesties. Present their Majesties. Gave Yeomen of the Guards #2 2s. Advanc'd cash to Quick as per note #50. (Account Book). Receipts: #223 4s

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Much Ado about Nothing; afterpiece of Tom Thumb, both announced on playbill of 8 Oct. The playbill retains Quick as Isaac, but he "was taken ill & Wewitzer supplied his place" (MS annotation on BM playbill, CG, Vol. III).] Receipts: #177 (175/2; 1/18)

Event Comment: Tom Thumb [announced on playbill of 10 Oct.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of Quick and Mrs Kennedy. Receipts: #139 12s. (138/3/6; 1/8/6)

Event Comment: Retaliation [announced on playbill of 13 May] is obliged to be deferred on account of Quick's and Edwin's Illness. Receipts: #182 5s. 6d. (179/18/0; 2/7/6)

Event Comment: The new Comedy called A Bold Stroke for a Husband [announced on playbill of 21 Feb.] is obliged to be deferred till Tuesday, on account of Quick's Indisposition. [In mainpiece the theatre playbill lists Fearon as Justice Shallow. Public Advertiser retains Wilson; and in its issue of 24 Feb. reviews him in the part.] Receipts: #148 9s. (139/0/6; 9/8/6)

Event Comment: "'Was he alive?' [was] uttered with a more rapid tone, and quicker feeling. Though in opposition to her manner in these words stand the great names of Henderson, Colman, and the Author himself" (Public Advertiser, 11 Oct.). Receipts: #299 (276/3; 21/17; 1/0)

Event Comment: The Duenna [advertised on playbill of 7 Dec.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indispoaition of Quick. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Martyr as Lucy, but she "had kibes, and accordingly Mrs Harlowe was drawn out in Lucy" (Oracle, 9 Dec.). Afterpiece in place of Two Strings to Your Bow, advertised on playbill of 7 Dec.] Receipts: #193 9s. 6d. (188.14.6; 4.15.0)