Event Comment: For the Benefit of the Wid. Kraus & her children whose Husband was murder'd by Robbers near Chelsea (Cross). Tickets to be had at White's Chocolate House, and the St James Coffee House, St James St.; at Allmack's Coffee House, Halfmoon St.; The Mount Coffee House, Grosvenor St.; Sam's Coffee House and The Jerusalem Coffee House, Exchange Alley; of Mrs Kraus, at her house in Halfmoon St., Picadilly, and of Mr Varney at the stage Door, where places may be taken. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: [The customary notice refusing admittance of Gentlemen to the Orchestre-see 7 Oct.-appears in connection with all subsequent performances and will not be noted further this season.] We are assured the report industriously spread of Mr Barry's having quitted the English Stage, and being engaged this winter in Dublin, is entirely groundless. Receipts: #80 (Cross)

Event Comment: A Tragedy written by Mr Murphy went off with great applause (Cross). Scenes, Habits, and Decorations entirely New. No Gentlemen can possibly be admitted behind the Scenes or into the Orchestra. Full prices. Receipts: #170 (Cross); #158 3s. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: Farce not so much hiss'd (Cross). This month published A Defence of Mr Garrick in Answer to the Letter Writer [See 13 Oct.], 37 pp. [Closes with the paragraph: "Nor need I take notice of your accusation against the manager for his neglect in the Decorations of the Scenery, since it is notorious to everyone who has eyes, that the scenes at Drury Lane are as well adapted to the Representations, and as well executed, as any Covent Garden can boast of (though you are pleased to assert the contrary) Pantomimical Decorations not excepted."] Receipts:#100 (Cross)

Event Comment: Never Acted before. A Tragedy [By John Home]. I went to my Office and then slept [?] in at Drury Lane w here I see Mr and Miss Hayes, Lady Lindores who I see into a coach, I slept in at Covent Garden Gallery before the play, but see nobody I knew so I would not stay, otherwise I would have went out as I had set my mind on the Beggar's Opera for once more, but waived it all & went to my Office (Hailey Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 72)

Event Comment: Places for the boxes to be had of Mr Varney at the Stage Door. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. There can be no admittance to the Orchestra on account of the Music and Dancing in the Play. [N.B. This statement customarily appears at the foot of each bill during the season, and will not be noted further.

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No Admittance behind Scenes. No Money to be returned after Curtain is drawn up. Places to be had of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door. To Begin precisely at half an hour after Six. [Customary information at foot of each bill, will not be further noted.] [Announcement of improvements in the physical plant appeared in the newspapers in August 1762. Aug. 2. "A great number of workmen are now employed in getting ready Drury Lane Theatre for the ensuing season. The stage has been greatly lengthened, and the Pit and Boxes considerably enlarged, having taken in one of the lobbies for that purpose; the two galleries are also entirely rebuilt, and rendered much larger and more commodious, and the slips on each side are formed into green boxes. It is computed from the several alterations made that the house will contain #90 more than heretofore." Aug. 11: "We hear that the greatest improvements are making in Drury Lane Theatre against the ensuing season ever known, particularly a fine artificial cascade which will be exhibited in an entertainment the grandest and most beautiful ever seen in this or in any Kingdom."-Theatrical Miscellanies, Boston Public Library, Cuttings, G 60.23.

Event Comment: MMiss Cheney made her first appearance this Night, in Miss Prue, a Pretty Figure, play'd with Spirit, very Aukward, & Speaks too much at the top of her Voice (Hopkins). Miss Prue by a young Gentlewoman. Great Applause (Cross Diary). This night Miss Cheney made her first appearance on the stage in the character of Miss Prue--play'd with spirit,--a very pretty, genteel Figure, but very raw and aukward--got great applause. Think there is materials in her composition with care and application to make an actress.--Mr Yates in the speech where he says 'the more she cries, the less she'll p--' happened to speak the words a little too plain, and was justly hissed by the Audience--his song was encored,--he sung it again,--a Hiss and a Clap when he went off (Hopkins Diary--MacMillan). Receipts: #187 16s. 6d. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Pantomime, the Overture and Comic Tunes compos'd by Potter, the Airs and Chorusses by Batishall. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken. The Words of the Airs and Chorusses in the Entertainment will be given away at the theatre (playbill). At the end of the Play a great Noise & many cry'd out, the whole! the whole, &c. Mr Holland told 'em there never was any more play'd, which a little appeas'd em; but some noise continued till the Curtain was drawn up for the Pantomime & then all was quiet. The Pantomime got great applause; the Tunes were very bad, & a great want of Business & Incidents thro' the whole. The Scenery is very Pretty & well Executed. The Elephant is excellent & has a Fine Effect (Hopkins). Machinery Pleas'd. Business so, so (Cross Diary). [Wording in comment from Hopkins Diary-MacMillan, differs only slightly.] Receipts: #269 13s

Event Comment: Benedick by Obrien-1st time (Hopkins). Benedick does not sit so well upon Mr O'Brien as Ranger-Miss Pope Beatrice-indifferent (+Hopkins Diary-$MacMillan). New Occasional song introduc'd in The Rites of Hecate, the words will be printed and given away at the theatre. Receipts: #130 9s. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: Paid Housekeeper's Bills #21 9s.; Ditto his properties #1 19s. (Drury Lane Treasurer's Book). [These bills amounted to #222 and #37 respectively for the season, or an average of #6 per week for Housekeeping Bills and #1 per week for properties. No further itemization will be made. A patron wrote a letter to the Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser on 6 Oct. 1766, suggesting that he was annoyed by the way "our noisy friends in the Upper Gallery" kept calling for the Prologue. The Uproar increased when the farce or Daphne and Amintor began. Mr Vernon was oblig'd to step forward, Cap in hand and apologize, which put him out of character." Castle was not in bill. Noted in review. See 4 Oct.] Receipts: #145 16s. 6d. (Drury Lane Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. Part of pit laid into boxes. House charges #61 4s. [Profit to Mrs Pritchard #68 8s.] Lent to Mr Johnston, Prompter, by order #2 2s.; Paid to James Aickin on his note #40; Paid Poor's rate (1!2 year for St Martin's) #20 4s.; Salary list #294 2s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #129 12s. (Treasurer's Book). Went to see Macbeth for Mrs Pritchard's Benefit. Got a good seat in the Pit, which was not full for half an hour after I went, tho part of it was laid into the boxes. Read the Public Advertiser of Today' and part of London Chronicle before the play began...Dance of the Furies in the 4th Act, and end of the Play (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: First time in 2 years. [See 17 Jan. 1766.] Harlequin's Invasion revived with alterations, particularly a Patagonian Man and Woman, executed by Mr Johnston, are very fine Figures, and gave great satisfaction to the Audience (Hopkins MS Notes)