Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. A great Noise,
the whole House against us-When
Garrick appear'd one from
the Slips cry'd out Monsieur, & great Numbers Hiss'd-
the play went on-wch done,
the Mutiny began, amazing noise-no plating, except one Apple; ye pit to ye Boxes cry'd-now draw yr Swords, wch makes us think,
the Riot was occasion'd by
the Box people being so busy & turning some out of
the pit & Gall: before. Some benches were pull'd up, &
Mr Lacy gave up
the Dance to appease 'em-being Sat: our friends were at ye Opera, &
the common people had leisure to do Mischief (
Cross). [
Lynham in
The Chevalier Noverre, quotes from
the Journal Etranger of 25 Nov. 1775: '
The blackguards...tore up
the benches and threw
them into
the Pit on
the opposing party;
they broke all
the mirrors,
the chandeliers, &c., and tried to climb onto
the stage to masacre everybody; but, as
there is a magnificent organization in this
theatre, in three minutes all
the decor had been removed, all
the traps were ready to come into play to swallow up those who might venture up, all
the wings were filled with men armed with sticks, swords, halberds, &c., and behind
the scenes
the great reservoir was ready to be opened to drown those who might fall on
the stage itself."
Cross lists no Receipts.