Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs T. Kennedy. Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. Many Tickets of Mr Kennedy's having been stolen, he gives public Notice that no Tickets sold at the Doors or Avenues of the Theatre will have Admission this Evening. Morning Chronicle, 19 May: Tickets to be had of Kennedy, No. 44, Great Queen-street. Receipts: #108 4s. 6d. (41/1/6; 5/3/0; tickets: 62/0/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: "Spectas, et tu Spectabere is the inscription over the curtain in the Little Haymarket Theatre. I was there on 29th [sic] July 1794: they gave a National opera, N. B. a piece in Scottish costumes. The men were dressed in flesh-coloured breeches, with white and red ribbons twisted round their stockings, a short, brightly-coloured, striped masons' apron, brown coat and waistcoat, over the coat a large, broad ensign's sash in the same style as the apron, and black cap shaped like a shoe and trimmed with ribbons. The women all in white muslin, brightly coloured ribbons in their hair, very broad bands in the same style round their bodies, also for their hats. They perform the same abominable trash as at Sadlers Wells. A fellow yelled an aria so horribly and with such exaggerated grimaces that I began to sweat all over. N. B. He had to repeat the aria. 0 che bestie!" (Haydn, pp. 294-95)

Event Comment: By the Great Mogul's Company of English Comedians, Newly Imported. [By Henry Fielding.] N.B. Mr Pasquin intending to lay about him with great Impartiality, hopes the Town will all attend, and very civilly give their Neighbours what they find belong to 'em. N.B. The Cloaths are old, but the Jokes intirely new. N.B. All Ladies that intend to be present during the first Run, cannot take Places too early. To prevent any Interruption in the Movement of the Persons in the Drama (some of whom are Machines) no Person whatever can possibly be admitted behind the Scenes. Boxes 4s. Pit 2s. 6d. Gallery 1s

Event Comment: Rec'd of Miss Townsend for a place in the Boxes last night 5s. Gave King's Footmen #2 2s.; Queen's Footmen #2 2s.; King's Chairmen #2 2s.; Queen's Chairmen #2 2s.; Duke of Glouster's Footmen #2 2s. (Account Book). [The Account Book shows on this night a profitable balance of #5365 19s. 4d., for the operation of the theatre this season. During Rich's time a regular sum was deduted nightly for the Rich account (#6 in 1760-61) and in addition he withdrew large sums (up to #800) on many occasions. No such deductions or withdrawals appear so far in this last season of Beard's management.] Receipts: #197 15s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Both Pieces by Command of Their Majesties (playbill). Gave Yeomen of Guards #2 2s. (Account Book). Receipts: #226 12s

Event Comment: The natural grandeur and commanding air of [Mrs Yate's] deportment contradicts the whole idea of the part...We cannot help thinking that [the two characters] would be much better play'd throughout, if they were exchanged; the haughty Alicia would sit much more characteristically on Mrs Yates, and Mrs Crawford would give a degree of plaintive softness to Jane Shore which seems to have been intended by the author (Gazetteer, 3 Nov.)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Sga Sestini, but "Previous to the Opera, Mattocks apologized for the sudden illness of Sestini; Mrs Martyr would, on a Notice of two Hours, attempt to read the Part" (.Public Advertiser, 9 Nov.). On 9 Nov. Sga Sestini gave birth to a son Qbid., 11 Nov.).] Receipts: #185 18s. 6d. (184/15/6; 1/3/0)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Madge to Mrs Wells, but "We cannot quit this article without noticing the Margery [sic] of Mrs Davis, who gave all the innocent simplicity of the character without 'o'er stepping the modesty of nature'" (Thespian Magazine, Mar. 1793, p. 220. And see 28 Dec. 1792.] Receipts: #237 6s

Event Comment: MMiss Thurmond play'd (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years. Receipts: #150 (Cross); #141 15s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Afterpiece [written by Mrs Clive]: A new farce partly singing, part speakg. Went off well (Cross). Music by Dr Boyce. Five rows of Pit &c. [Stage arranged as on 10 March. The framework for financial analysis of receipts appears in Treasurer's Book, but the figures are missing. The parts for The Rehearsal, according to the Larpent MS 86, were: Mrs Hazard, Nelly, Tom, Witling, Mr Cross; Miranda-$Miss Norris; Corydon-$Beard; Marcella, Miss Giggle, Sir Albany Odelove, Miss Sidell, Miss Daudle.] Receipts: #240 (Cross); charges, #60 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [This New Comedy (by Mrs Elizabeth Griffith) seems not to have been performed this night, according to the author's Preface to her Edition of 1772. Shuter had been unattentive and absent from many rehearsals]: At length though late [in the season] a day was appointed for the representation, and on that morning Mr Shuter appeared at rehearsal, pretty much in the same state as before, and confessed himself incapable of performing his part, that night. Upon which the play was oblig'd to be further postponed, and handbills were sent about at noon, to advertise town of the disappointment....A further final day was afterwards determined on, but the audience being out of humour at their former disappointment, called Mr Shuter to account for it, on his first appearance; which threw him into such confusion, that he was not able to get the better of it, throughtout the whole performance...in the hurry of his spirits the actor not only forgot his part, the deficiency of which he endeavoured to supply with his own dialect, but also seemed to lose all idea of the character he was to perform; and made the Governor appear in a light which the author never intended: that of a mean, ridiculous buffoon. [Mrs Griffith concluded her preface by relating how her friends stood by the piece, but two or three in the gallery, when it was given out again objected and threw an apple at the chandeliers, which so perturbed the management that the play was withdrawn. She therefore published it by subscription, prefixing the names of about 440 subscribers, persons of the first quality, including James Boswell, Edmund Burke, Col. Burgoyne, the Duke of Devonshire, David Garrick, Mrs Montague, William Richardson, and a host of writers, players, and people of fashion. This list provides a pretty good roster of those who filled the boxes and part of the pit of both theatres at the time.] Paid Younger #2 2s. for the license for A Wife in the Right (Account Book). Receipts: #218 12s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@142, p. 81: At the Virtuoso. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348. Nell Gwyn also attended this performance; see VanLennep, Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p. 407. The Diary of Robert Hooke, 25 May 1676: Mr Abraham Hill gave J. Hoskins, Aubery and I an account of Vertuoso play. A song, How retched is the slave to love, the music by Francis Forcer, is in Choice Ayres and Songs, The Second Book, 1679. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 37): The Libertine and Virtuoso: Both Wrote by Mr Shadwell; they were both very well Acted, and got the company great Reputation

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Command of their Majesties. Present Their Majesties, the Prince of Wales and Prince Frederick. Gave Yeomen of Guards #2 2s. Receipts: #221 6s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Receipts: #86 (Account Book). Charges #81 15s. Profit to Society #4 5s., plus #106 17s. from tickets (Box 242; Pit 309) (Account Book). Benefit for Use of the Society at the Thatched-House Tavern For the release and discharge of persons imprisoned for small debts. [The Epilogue was written by Cumberland. (See Folger Library Theatrical Clippings). The Curtain rises and discovers a prison; at some distance a woman, poorly habited, and in a disconsolate attitude; after standing some time montionless, in a posture of fixed attention she speaks]: @Woman: Thou loathsome dungeon in whose dreary womb@The pining Debtor finds a living tomb;@Where 'midst the Clank of Chains and Dismal yells@Of shakled felons my sad husband dwells;@From his dark cell, oh give him to my view!@Let him look forth and take a last adieu.@ [As she advances towards the prison, a person in Gentleman's apparel accosts her.] @Man: Stay, Child of Sorrow, thou whose piercing groans@Might move to pity e'en these senseless stones.@Why dost thou bend thy melancholy way@To that Drear Dungeon? Child of Sorrow stay.@Woman: Why should I stay, or my sad Griefs impart?@Can there be pity in a Human heart?@Away and let me die.@ [...The Man suggests a Human heart can have pity] @Woman: If there be such, O lead me to their sight,@And let me plead a wretched sufferer's right:@Can there be Truth, Humanity or Sense@In laws that make Misfortune an offence?@ [Her husband was a God-fearing weaver who fell ill for 10 weeks, lost his job and was seized upon by a relentless creditor.] @Steel'd to their trade, and deaf to all our cries,@Relentless ruffians seize their legal prize;@From my fond arms a dying Husband tear@And plunge their victims in a dungeon there!@Man: Enough! go speak the healing words of peace@To thy sad mate, and bear him this release;@Tell him the Muse, which on these Scenes attend@That balsam to his wounded spirit sends.@And Know this Truth thyself, 'tis not alone@The Preacher's pulpit and the Monarch's throne@That Charity frequents; but in this age,@She guides the Theatre and treads the stage;@Lo! She is present, cast your eyes around,@And here in each Spectator's heart she's found.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Barry. Mainpiece: A Tragedy altered from Thomson [by Thomas Hull] never perform'd. Part of Pit laid into the Boxes. Servants who are to keep places are desired to be at the stage door by 4 o'clock, and those Ladies and Gentlemen who have taken seats in the Pit are requested to come early to prevent confusion in getting to their places. Epilogue by Sheridan. [This play had been refused a license on 26 March 1739, While Walpole was still Prime Minister, probably because of such speeches as: @Is there a cure on Humankind so fell@So pestilent, to Prince and People,@As the base servile vermin of a court;@Corrupt, Corrupting ministers and favourites?@How oft have such eat up the widow's morsel,@The Peasant's toil, the Merchant's far-sought gain,@And wantoned to the ruin of a nation!-Larpent MS, op. p. 65.@ Also the play equalizes Christianity and Mohammedanism before God, and gives a slight edge to the latter (Act IV, scene ii), suggesting the part politics play in Christian churches. An account of the alterations made for the present performance is given in the Westminster Magazine for March. The review concludes: The Play was got up altogether well, and reputedly acted, and is in its present state what the Ladies call "a very pretty tragedy."

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: Benefit for Henderson. Ode: With the Songs, Chorusses, &c. The Music by Dr Arne. "When I recited Mr Garrick's Ode in a private room, I felt what I said, and I believe gave it some effect. Very different was it upon the stage. My feelings were weakened and confounded by the band, my voice lost its scale, and was overpowered by the music in the orchestra" (Ireland, p. 47). Public Advertiser, 26 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Henderson at his house, Great Buckingham-street, York Buildings. [His 1st appearance as Sir John Brute was at Bath, 1 Jan. 1774.] Receipts: #234 13s. 6d. (charge:#105). Account-Book notes that Henderson sold 319 tickets for the boxes and 85 for the pit, together worth #92 10s., and that tickets sold at the doors were worth #142 3s. 6d

Event Comment: [Munden was from the Chester theatre. "His person is rather under the middle size, his figure good, his features more expressive than anything we have seen for many years, his voice powerful and melodious, and his articulation the clearest and most rapid we ever witnessed" (World, 3 Dec.). "Without the aid of grimace or buffoonery, he gave all the effect to the part that the author intended, and in his general stile of playing he seems to have studied nature more than any living model" (Gazetteer, 3 Dec.).] Receipts: #238 17s. 6d. (228.14.6; 10.3.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clendining. The Poetry of the additional Songs [in 1st piece] by Peter Pindar, Esq. [pseud. for John Wolcot]. Morning Herald, 27 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Clendining, No. 19, Martlett-court, Bow-street, Covent-garden. "Mrs Clendining's endeavours to entertain were successful, and Fitzroy by Incledon gave a rich feast to the musical amateur. The air beginning, 'Dear Tom, this brown jug,' had a fine effect by the music being omitted" (Diary, 18 May). Receipts: #273 17s