Event Comment: Paid Mr Palmer of Bath 2 bills for spermecetti candles #91 3s.; Rec'd of Mr Blagden One Year's rent due at Xmas #3 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #190 14s. (Treasurer's Book)

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: SShuter having engag'd with Mr Rich Garrick in Bayes said you are a good Actor & I am sorry you have left me-a Clap (Cross). Both plays put up for last time of performing this season. Full prices throughout performance. No money returned after curtain is up. Tis hoped no gentlemen will take it ill that they cannot possibly be admitted behind the scenes or into the orchestra, the Entertainment depending chiefly upon the Machinery and Music. Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Books of the Farce to be had at the Theatre. Mr Powell's first appearance in Jaffier. Got much applause (Hopkins). Mr Powell's first appearance in Jaffier--he performed the first part of it with feeling, but in the fourth act he was wild, and wanted power--But was much applauded (Hopkins Diary--MacMillan). Tomorrow, The Midsummer Night's Dream, Written by Shakespear; with Alterations; Interspersed with Airs, Compos'd by the most eminent English Masters. Receipts: #235 7s. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: Mainpiece Never Acted there before. The Characters to be New Dress'd after the Manner of the Old English Comedy. And the Pieces of Music before the Play, and between the Acts, will be selected from the Old English Masters. Cross: The play went off with 'toll: success. [See contemporary comments in D@@ry L@@ne P@@yh@@se Broke Open. In a letter to Mr G@@@@(London, 1748) pp. 17-18.] Receipts: #150 (Cross); #152 19s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: FFoote play'd Ben , Miss Macklin Miss Prue , Mrs Clive Mrs Frail . Foote cou'd not sing ye Song in Ben, so said two or three times, I can't do it & upon a little Hissing, said, Gentlemen I have no talents for singing-ye whole play Hum (Cross). [Opposed to Cross's summary of the effect of the performance appeared in Gray's Inn Journal the Murphy account (19 Jan.): The excellent Comedy of Love for Love has been revived here this week, the humorous and diverting Part of Ben, the sailor, was performed with great pleasantry by Mr Foote, who showed by his manner and his looks, that he had entered into the secret of the character, tho' twas visible at the same time, that his powers were greatly suppressed by his solicitude for his first appearance in a new character. It may be said of Miss Macklin, tho perhaps better qualified for spirited genteel comedy, that she acquitted herself with great applause in a part in which Mrs Clive has displayed so many inimitable strokes of humour."] Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Arne. Afterpiece: By Desire. House Charges #68 16s. 6d. [Profits to Mrs Arne #150 18s. 6d.] Tickets deliver'd for The Beggar's Opera will be admitted. Dido oblig'd to be defer'd a few days. Paid 1 year's Watch for St Martin's #10 2s.; Reynolds Oil bill #46 4s.; Carpue (silk dyer) #7 9s. 6d.; Jennings (glover) #13 12s.; Vernon on note #21; Chorus 1 night #2 5s. 6d.; Hautboy 5s.; Salary list #294 2s. 8d. [Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #219 14s. (Treasurer's Book). At 4 dined at the Chop House in St Clements. At 5 went to Drury Lane to see the Tempest for the benefit of Mrs Arne the prettiest performer at the house...She has a sweet little voice...A grand Dance of Fantastic Spirits in different shapes. At the end of the play a Double Hornpipe by Mr Walker and Miss Tatley. We had the entertainment of Daphne and Amintor with dancing by Sg and Sga George, Sg Tessoni, Miss King, &c. Having a seat in the third row of the Pit, was much pleased as all the principal characters were well played and the scenery is very fine. Had I been later in going, I should not have got in (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Hobson, at the Stage Door of the Theatre. By His Majesty's Command, no person to be admitted behind the scenes, nor any money to be return'd after the curtain is drawn up. To begin exactly at Six o'clock

Event Comment: Farce greatly hiss'd & Mr Woodward promis'd it shou'd be done no more; notwithstanding this they wou'd not suffer us to end it (Cross). Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Places for boxes to be had of Mr Thurston at the stage door. No persons admitted behind the Scenes, nor any money returned after the Curtain is drawn up. Play to begin at 6 o'clock. [This admonition about not appearing behind the scenes occurs frequently on bills this season and will not be noted further.] Receipts: #80 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMrs Clive Ly Wishfort -(bad) Fribble Garrick (Cross). Benefit for Mrs Clive. Part of Pit laid into Boxes Tickets of her in Henrietta St. and of Mr Varney at the Stage Door. Receipts: #310 (Cross)

Event Comment: For one night only. Never acted before. By particular desire. An Historical Play, taken from Holinshead's Chronicles, and written by the late Mr Lillo, Author of George Barnwell. Tickets for Boxes and Pit to be had of Mr Cross, at his House in Crown Court, Russel St., Covent Garden; and of Mr Varney at the Stage Door. 7 P.M

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Afterpiece: A New Musical Entertainment in 2 acts, words imitated from Rousseau, with his original Musick (Burney). Books of the entertainment at the Theatre, published for 1s. Paid Mr Chitty his coal bill #91 13s. and Mr Johnston's bill for guilt leather #24 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [Advertisement to 2nd Edition, 1766: Upon rehearsing the music it has been thought necessary to retrench the Second Act for fear of satiety: for though the Airs and Dances after the reconciliation of Celia and Phoebe are by no means inferior to the rest in point of composition; yet as no other business remained to be done after that circumstance but that of mere festivity, the Editor, with some reluctance, submitted to the omission of such airs as are printed with inverted commas; which, however, are all publish'd with the music by Mr Bremner in the Strand."] Receipts: #150 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: A Gratis Play. This is put for ye Benefit of Mrs Horton, an old Actress who has left ye Stage some Years, but Mr Morgan (an old Actor) is to have a third of it (Cross). No building on Stage. None behind Scenes. No money returned after Curtain is up. Receipts: #89 (Cross)

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: 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: A Dramatic Masque reviv'd. With proper Decorations, particularly a Grand Scene of Comus's Palace. The Music composed by Mr Arne. Receipts: #90 (Cross)

Event Comment: Written by Mr Hume. Author of Douglas. Went off wth. great Applause (Cross). A New Tragedy. The Music composed by Dr Boyce. As this is the 1st night of representation, and much depends upon keeping the scenes clear, 'tis hoped no gentleman will be offended that he cannot be admitted upon the stage or into the orchestra. [See Theatrical Review, 1757 and Beginning of 1758 for contemporary comment on source, and at act-by-act progress of play. Judicial but appreciative. Finds some rant and bombast, as well as inconsistency, in Lysander 's characterization: "If...not...known that the author of Agis is the same to whom we are indebted for Douglas, one would not have suspected those two tragedies to have sprung from the same pen...Agis inspires us with admonition; Douglas speaks forcibly to our softer feelings. In Douglas he has shown himself perfect master of nature and the human heart: in Agis of contrivance in point of plot and incidents. What a masterpiece may not we expect from such talents when united in one tragedy!"] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Jones ye author of the play. A Gift Night. Mrs Pritchard ill, Mrs? Bennet read ye Queen . So ended the Season. Receipts: #130 (Cross)