Event Comment: [Mrs Vernon is identified in Oracle, 31 Jan. Author of Address unknown.] Receipts: #227 2s. (222.9; 4.13)

Event Comment: [Mrs King was from the Stamford theatre.

Event Comment: The United Company. Lord Ashburnham's Diary: I went to the Play (the Rehearsal) where there was a great deal of company (Ashburnham MS 932; see 14 Dec. 1686). The play was reprinted in 1687. Cibber, Apology (ed. Lowe, I, 167): People were so fond of seeing her [Mrs Mountfort] a Man, that when the Part of Bays in the Rehearsal had for some time lain dormant, she was desired to take it up, which I have seen her act with all the true coxcombly Spirit and Humour that the Sufficiency of the Character required

Event Comment: At Mr Gibbin's and Mrs Violante's Great Booth

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. To prevent confusion Ladies are desired to send their Servants by half past Four o'clock. Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years [acted 15 May 1782]. Afterpiece: Not acted these 5 years [not acted since 25 Mar. 1775]. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Banquo to Bensley, but "Poor Bensley's illness last night took him off; but on another night he will give and take in the triumph" {Public Advertiser, 4 Feb.). In afterpiece he is assigned to The Guardian. On the Kemble playbill in both cases his name is deleted and MS annotations substitute Hull's.] "Macbeth at Drury-lane will. . . gag the drivellers who, on the failure of Constance [in King John], ventured a sweeping prophecy of condemnation that 'the Siddons never could play Shakespeare.' Would it not have been better to have borrowed Farren, rather than Hull, for Banquo?" (Public Advertiser, 4 Feb.). "'Why,'say some of the critics, 'should Mrs Siddons wear a white dress in her last scene of Lady Macbeth? She is supposed to be asleep, not mad.' What reason except custom can be given for a mad heroine appearing in white we know not [and see DL, 20 Dec. 1782]. Yet there is an obvious reason why a person walking in their sleep should wear a white dress of the loose kind worn by Mrs Siddons ... It [is] the nearest resemblance which theatrical effect will admit, to the common sort of night-dresses" (Public Advertiser, 7 Feb.). Receipts: #346 16s. (198/10/0; 7/2/6; 0/8/6; tickets: 140/15/0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Chapman. Tickets delivered for The Toy will be admitted. 3rd piece [1st time; D 1, author unknown. Larpent MS 950; not published. Songs by John Collins and Charles Dibdin (MacMillan, Larpent Catalogue, 157-58)]. Morning Herald, 14 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Chapman, No. 16, Henrietta-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #244 18s. (122.10; 13.5; tickets: 109.3) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wright and Chapman. Gazetteer, 10 May: Tickets to be had of Chapman, No. 49, Carey-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields [Wright not listed]. Receipts: #210 5s. (56/13; 1/19; tickets: 151/13) (charge: #115 10s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Chapman and Williames. Morning Chronicle, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Chapman, No. 5, Prince's-street, Drury-Lane; of Williames, No. 2, Duke's Court, Bow-street. Receipts: #283 6s. (59/4/0; 16/11/6; 0/18/6; tickets: 206/12/0) (charge: #109 5s. 7d.)

Event Comment: Benefit Chapman. Receipts: money #39 12s.; tickets #89 19s. Daily Post, 24 April: We hear that on Monday next the Hon. and Antient Company of Lumber Troopers will perform a fine Exercise in New-street Square, and from thence proceed in a Body...to...Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, to see...the Busy Body, with the Opera of Flora...for the Benefit of Mr Chapman, belonging to the said Troop

Event Comment: Benefit Chapman. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets deliver'd for the Pilgrim will be taken at this play. Tickets and places to be had at Mr Chapman's, the corner of Bow St., Covent Garden

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Ward as Lady Sneerwell, but on the Kemble playbill a MS annotation substitutes Mrs Inchbald.] Receipts: #209 11s. 6d. (176/14/0; 32/16/0; 0/1/6)

Event Comment: [Miss Chapman was from the Margate theatre. Account-Book, 27 Oct.: Paid Miss Chapman, expenses from Margate #5 5s.] Receipts: #246 (242.13.6; 3.6.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. [Afterpiece in place of Who's the Dupe?, announced on playbill of 1 May.] Receipts: #165 12s. (48/1; 17/7; 0/13; tickets: 99/11) (charge: #110 12s. 7d.)

Event Comment: Benefit Hulett and Chapman. Receipts: money #7 4s. 6d.; tickets #68 3s

Event Comment: Benefit Chapman and Lanyon. Receipts: money #20 12s.; tickets #87 4s

Event Comment: Benefit Chapman. [Daily Advertiser lists Damon and Phillida, but Daily Journal omits it.] Receipts: money #28 6s.; tickets #102 5s

Event Comment: Benefit Morgan and Chapman, the Poet in The Beggar's Opera. Receipts: money #10 2s.; tickets #134 18s. Probable attendance: boxes, 8 by money and 198 by tickets; stage, 6 by money; pit, 15 by money and 300 by tickets; first gallery, 12 by money and 299 by tickets; second gallery, 21 by money

Event Comment: Benefit Hall and Chapman. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: #32 5s. 3d.; tickets #109 4s

Event Comment: At Hippisley-Chapman Booth

Event Comment: Benefit Chapman and Mrs Berriman. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Receipts: #16 1s.; tickets #117 11s

Event Comment: With a select Band of Musick. Hippisley and Chapman's Booth in the George Inn-Yard, Smithfield, during the short time of the Fair. [Notice repeated 26 Aug.; from the dramatis personae, this piece may be the droll The Bilker Bilk'd; see University of Texas@Studies@in@English, 1946, pp. 201-8.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Chambers. Receipts: money #49 1s.; tickets #99 15s

Event Comment: [Seymour is identified in European Magazine, Oct. 1787, p. 315. Address by Edward Hickey Seymour (London Chronicle, 4 Oct.).] "The clock striking two -instead of the usual folly of a small table bell, when Macbeth's drink was ready -forms an alteration of much good sense and propriety" (World, 2 Oct.). "Of the Lady Macbeths [since the time of Garrick] Mrs Siddons has exhibited the most happy effect of her skill -has shown a portrait of Lady Macbeth which before existed but in imagination. Mrs Yates claims the second place of eminence; her deportment and manner were equal to Mrs Siddons, but very inferior to her in pathos and energy. Mrs Pope's performance lays claim to praise, particularly in the sleeping scene, but there is a certain delicacy and tenderness associated with the powers of that lady which prevents her giving a glowing picture of that female fiend. Mrs Bates's performance was sufficiently marking and bold in some passages, but the whole wanted uniformity and finishing" (Public Advertiser, 4 Oct.). Receipts: #225 (224.5; 0.15)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Cross and Mrs Vincent. Receipts: money #30 14s.; tickets #100 10s

Event Comment: Benefit Kelly, Gwinn, Mrs Harrison. Receipts: money #18 3s. 6d.; tickets #171 19s