Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by Mr Dryden, and Composed by Mr Henry Purcell

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Gay. Afterpiece: a new Dramatick Entertainment: Set to Musick by Mr Galliard. With new Cloaths, Scenes, and other Decorations

Event Comment: SSignor Campioni first danc'd here--well (Cross). Afterpiece: With Scenes, Music, Cloths and Decorations entirely new. Paid Rigg (a Smith) #2 10s.; Mr Oram (Scene Painter) on acct #30 by order Mr Lacy (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Musical Entertainment in Two Interludes. The words to be sold at the theatre (General Advertiser). Some Gentlemen crowding behind ye Scenes, ye Audience resented it & ye farce was stop'd for half an hour--I drew lines with chalk, but Miss Norris applying publickly to Capt. Johnson, desiring he wou'd retire, He did & ye farce went on with great Applause. The words of this piece were by Mr Mendez, & set by Dr Boyce (Cross). Added to salary list, Mr Campioni. Paid him for cloaths #21, and for 51 days work, #42 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #140 (Cross); #142 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Costollo and Miss Minors. Tickets of Costollo at his lodgings at Mr Waiter's, Chymist, the Golden Cross, in Russel St., Covent Garden; of Miss Minors, at Mr Nichols's a Baker, in Catherine St., near Russel Court, and at the Stage Door. We are assured that Sg Giardini's Performance on the Violin, at Sga Cuzzoni's Benefit, at the New Theatre in Haymarket, on Saturday Night last, gave the highest pleasure to several of the best judges of that instrument. Receipts: #90 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMrs Cowper did Sylvia, for her first appearance here (she came from Bath, Richmond &c.)-Toll. Afterpiece as originally perform'd (Cross) [i.e., without the burlesque scenes of The Fair (see 6 Nov. 1752).] This piece [Harlequin Ranger] was now acted as originally written. It is surprising that Mr Garrick should be the first to introduce Pantomime Entertainments (this season) especially as his own universal talents are seconded by a good company of performers. We suppose he does it to gratify the taste of the town; but such Smithfield exhibitions should certainly be banish'd from all regular theatres; and as Mr Woodward is an excellent comedian, it would be more eligible in him if he chuses to wear the motley dress any more to appear in the character of a speaking Harlequin, after the manner of the Italian Comedy; and indeed it is not a little surprising that nothing of this kind has yet been admitted upon our stage (Gentleman's Magazine, Oct., p. 493, from Grays' Inn Journal, 13 Oct. 1753.). Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Younger. Tickets deliver'd for Macbeth , by Branson and Miss Helme, will be taken. Mr Younger being oblig'd by Mr Powell's illness, to change his play of Macbeth to the above tragedy, humbly hopes for the Indulgence of his Friends and the Public in general. Charges #67 9s. Balance to Younger #18 3s. 6d. plus #48 9s. from tickets (Box 97; Pit 110; Gallery 77). [Branson and Miss Helme seem to have borne none of the charges and to have received full value for their tickets]: Branson #33 (Box 29; Pit 99; Gallery 109); Miss Helme #16 14s. (Box 1; Pit 63; Gallery 70). Receipts: #85 12s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid five days salary at #82 5d. per diem--#411 12s. 1d.; Paid Mr French on Acct #30; Miss Ambrose salary short paid 15s.; Mr J. Richard's for Trumpeter's coats and banners #100 16s.; Miss Hayward 15 nights not on [salary] list #7 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #109 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With New Scenes and Dresses. This Tragedy was Written by Dr Franklyn very heavy. Was pretty well receiv'd & had Considerable Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Rec'd stopages #15 10s.; Paid salary list #567 11s.; J. French on acct #20; Mr Blanchard per Mr Beckett #5 5s. Receipts: #225 2s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Bland as Ariel , but "Ariel was, on account of the sudden indisposition of Mrs Bland, read by Miss Heard" (Diary, 8 May). Miss Heard may also have substituted for Mrs Bland in the afterpiece.] Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by James Cobb, for whose authorship see Kemble Mem. Larpent MS 982; not published]. Public Advertiser, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Charing Cross. Receipts: #227 8s. (95.17; 7.5; tickets: 124.6) (charge: #90 2s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit Winstone, Taswell, Miss Budgell, Miss Cole. Tickets deliver'd for Sir Courtly Nice will be taken. Yeaterday Morning died, after a short illness, Mr Norton, Author of the new Tragedy call'd Mahomet, Perform'd at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane.-General Advertiser. On Friday died the Rev. Mr Miller of Roehampton, author of the Tragedy of Mahomet (which was acted last Friday, for the third time at Drury Lane Theatre), the Humours of Oxford, and other Dramatic performances.-Daily Advertiser, 30 April

Event Comment: To the Printer of the Public Advertiser, Mr Woodfall: Why don't you constantly, every day, print a list of the Mistakes which the guessing Messieurs Ledger and Gazatteer make in their account of the playbills? Woodward, says the Gazetteer, is to play Harlequin, and Miles the Clown this evening [Friday 14 Oct.] in Harlequin Sorcerer; Tenducci and Brent the Shepherd and Shepherdess. The Ledger informs me that Woodward will play Lissardo in the Wonder, when you say Dyer; and that Mrs Younger is to play Inis, when you advertise Mrs Green will play that character. I dare say, Mr Garrick very shortly will make his appearance in the Gazetteer or Ledger. Your Humble Servant, &c. [Garrick was in France at this time.

Event Comment: In 4th Act, when Olivia draws her Sword, Mr Obrien ran up to the Centry P S & frighten'd the poor Man, that he fell flat upon the Stage,--which greatly diverted the Audience (Hopkins). In the fourth Act Mr O'Brien run up to the Centry, when Olivia draws her sword, and frightened the poor soldier that he fell down flat upon his back to the great mirth of the Audience (Hopkins Diary--MacMillan). Receipts: #81 7s. 6d. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A masque in 3 parts with Music by Dibdin. New Scenes, Machines, Habits, and Decorations. This Entertainment is got up at vast Expence both in Scenery & Dresses very great applause (Hopkins Diary). But I wish it may answer the expence (Hopkins MS Notes). Book of Chorusses & Songs may be had at the Theatre. [The afterpiece thoroughly reviewed and excoriated by Theatrical Review for 28 Oct.] Paid Mr Dorman for coals #45 10s.; Mr Booth over stop'd last season 10s. 6d.; Supernumerary Soldiers #1 11s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #259 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: A new short Introductory Piece before a play [The Meeting of the Company]. This new Prelude call'd The Meeting of the Company or Bayes' Art of Acting by D. G. Esq--it is full of fine Satyr & an Excellent Lesson to all performers, it was receiv'd with very great Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in the wording. The salaries this season were #94 7s. 8d. per day; #566 6s. per week. Kemble's note as to total receipts is short by 8 pence.] Prices: Box 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. [Unfavorable review of Meeting of the Company in The Westminster Magazine (Sept., p. 472). The actor Aickin referred to this season is J. Aickin. Francis Aickin left dl before the beginning of this season. He was dismissed by Garrick in May. See Booden, Private Correspondence of David Garrick, I, 651-55.] Paid Renters #8; Advanced Mr Watson (box office keeper) #10; Ditto to Mr Mortimer (box office keeper) #15 (Treasurer's Book). [The funds to the box office keepers was operating cash which was returned 29 May 1775. Payment to Renters was same for each acting night until the eighty-eighth night (9 Jan. 1775) when it dropped to #4 nightly, since half of the stock holders (the Old Renters) were paid up by that time. The remaining 100 nights of the season plus 11 Oratorio nights yielded #448 to the Renters. No further mention of this item of expense will be made this season.] Total to Renters #1,152. Receipts: #212 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dodd. Mainpiece: Not acted these 12 years [acted 6 Apr. 1772. In mainpiece the playbill assigns Fainlove to Miss Collett, but on the Kemble playbill her name is deleted; the substitute name has been cut by the binder. In afterpiece Miss Collett is retained as Patie, but her name is again deleted, and a MS annotation substitutes Miss M. Stageldoir's]. Receipts: #220 7s.(67/10; 26/1; 0/2; tickets: 126/14) (charge: #107 9s. 5d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Brereton. Music of the Afterpiece (entirely new) composed by Dibdin. Mr Brereton-Jaffier, Much Applause. The Quaker is Mr Dibdins Production he has sold it to Mr Brereton. The Music is pretty & Novel it was very badly perform'd--when it is properly Cast & got up with care it will do very well (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] [The Reviewer for the Westminster Magazine for May gave a paragraph to Dibdin's afterpiece: "The words will not add to Mr Dibdin's reputation as a writer, nor Will the music increase his fame as a composer, the latter, however, possessed more merit than the former. The Finale was in new stile and pleased. Upon the whole this piece, like the rest of Mr Dibdin's performances, proves that this would-be author, is resolv'd in spite. Of Nature and the Stars, to write."] Receipts: #105 19s. 6d. Charges: #69 18s. Profits to Brereton: #36 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; PREL I, by Thomas Holcroft, based on The Covent Garden Tragedy, by Henry Fielding. Larpent MS 1039; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Herald, 16 Sept.]. "The two Queens are represented by Munden and Fawcett, who are dressed up fantastically, wearing as Crowns Models of the two Theatres" (Morning Chronicle, 16 Sept.). Covent-Garden was crowned with a triangular representation of the Piazza; Drury-Lane with her own Theatre, surmounted by Apollo" (Morning Herald, 16 Sept.). [This was Burton's 1st appearance in London; he was from the Norwich theatre. Miss Cornelys was from the Dublin theatre.] No Money to be returned. Boxes 6s. Second Price 3s. Pit 3s. 6d. Second Price 2s. Gallery 2s. Second Price 1s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon at the Office in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 30 Oct.]. Receipts: #305 1s. 6d. (296.10.6; 8.11.0)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of the premiere is not known, but Cibber (see below) states that it was acted in January; the Dedication was signed 7 Feb. 1695@6, and the play was advertised in the London Gazette, No 3157, 10-13 Feb. 1695@6. Two songs were published separately: Go home, unhappy wench, set by Francks and sung by Mrs Cross and the Boy (in Thesaurus Musicus, The Fifth Book, 1696) and What an ungratefull devil moves you, set by Daniel Purcell (in Deliciae Musicae, The First Book of the Second Volume, 1696). A separately-printed sheet of the second song states that it was sung by "The Boy", Cibber, Apology, I, 212-14: The next Year I produc'd the Comedy of Love's last Shift; yet the Difficulty of getting it to the Stage was not easily surmounted; for, at that time, as little was expected from me, as an Author, as had been from my Pretensions to be an Actor. However, Mr Southern, the Author of Oroonoko, having had the Patience to hear me read it to him, happened to like it so well that he immediately recommended it to the Patentees, and it was accordingly acted in January 1695 [i.e., 1695@6]. In this Play I gave myself the Part of Sir Novelty, which was thought a good Portrait of the Foppery then in fashion. Here, too, Mr Southern, though he had approv'd my approv'd my Play, came into the common Diffidence of me as an Actor: For, when on the first Day of it I was standing, myself, to prompt the Prologue, he took me by the Hand and said, Young Man! I pronounce they Play a good one; I will answer for its Success, if thou dost not spoil it by thy own Action....I succeeded so well in both, that People seem'd at a loss which they should give the Preference to. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 16: Ramble: Ay, marry, that Play was the Philosopher's Stone; I think it did wonders. Sullen: It did so, and very deservedly; there being few Comedies that came up to 't for purity of Plot, Manners and Moral: It's often acted now a daies, and by the help of the Author's own good action, it pleases to this Day

Event Comment: Not Acted these Seven Years. Written by Ben Johnson. Daily Advertiser, 1 Nov.: On Saturday Night a great Number of Wax Candles were lighted in the Windows of Mr Cibber's, Mr Booth's, and Mr Wilks's Houses...on account of his Majesty's Birthday

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Congreve. St. James's Evening Post, 31 Oct.: We are informed, that John Ellys Esq: the eminent painter, succeeds Mr Wilks in the management of Drurylane Play-House; and that Mr Cibber Jr succeeds his father, who has resign'd to him

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Brethren of the...Masons. Benefit Mr Heath, a Distress'd Brother and Citizen of London, and Mr Kilburne. Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Farquhar