Event Comment: For the Relief of Mr Chetwood, late Prompter at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, and now a Prisoner in the King's Bench. Receipts: money #219; seals #15 (Account Book); #250 Rylands MS.). [William Shenstone saw Cibber act on 12, 13, or 14 Jan. See Letters of William Shenstone, pp. 14-15.

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. lists at Harvard. See VanLennep, "Plays on the English Stage", p. 15. The play was not printed, and the only source of information concerning it is in Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 30: The Woman made a Justice: Wrote by Mr Betterton: Mrs Long, Acting the Justice so Charmingly; and the Comedy being perfect and justly Acted, so well pleased the Audience, it continu'd Acting 14 Days together: The Prologue being spoke to it each Day. [It is possible that this date represents the premiere, since Saturday was frequently a day on which plays were first acted, but there is no certainty on this point.

Event Comment: Benefit for a Widow & Children (Cross), who are fallen into great distress (Winston MS 8). Tickets to be had at Mr Gladman's, a Trunk-maker, Charing Cross; at the Amsterdam Coffee House, behind the Exchange; at the Rainbow and Janeways in Cornhill; at Anderton's and the Temple-Exchange, in Fleet St.; at George's, Temple Bar; Somerset Coffee House, Strand and at Stage Door of the Theatre. Receipts: #97 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Comic Opera. The Music by Hooke, [text attributed to Thomas Bridges. Prologue spoken in the character of Flora by Mrs Gardner. At the conclusion Dido hangs herself in her own garters. She is cut down and gives her hand to Iarbas.

Event Comment: The Jubilee consists of Dialogue Singing & Dancing. This Entertainment was written & compil'd by Mr G.-and it was receiv'd with bursts of Applause the Procession of Shakespear's Characters &c. is the most Superb that ever was Exhibited or I believe ever will. There never was an Entertainment produc'd that gave so much pleasure to all Degrees Boxes pit and Gallery (Hopkins Diary). The Music by Dibdin. With New Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. [On all subsequent bills, though some are shortened, the PAGEANT is advertised in large capitals. Larpent MS 298, includes descriptive notes and stage directions, p. 24: "Here follows the Pageant, with Bells ringing, Fifes playing, Drums beating, and Cannons firing. In The Procession every scene in the different plays represents some capital part of it in action...The last Scene is a magnificent Transparent one in which the Capital characters of Shakespeare are exhibited at full length with Shakespeare's Statue in the middle crowned by Tragedy and Comedy, fairies and Cupids surrounding him and all the banners waving at the upper end. Then enter the dancers." The Pageant appeared at the top of the stage and came forward, Reviewed in Freeholder's Magazine, Oct.

Event Comment: New Overture and Pieces of Music Between the Acts. Music by Barthelemon. New Scenes, Habits and Decorations. The Scenes designed by DeLoutherberg, and painted by Messrs French, Royer, and Greenwood. Books of the songs and Chorusses to be had at the Theatre. This piece is got up in a most Superb manner. The Scenery is beyond description fine -& the whole Performance tho' the most complicated upon the stage went off with uncommon Applause. Mrs Abington played finely--Mr Slingsby & Sga Hidou danc'd for the first time & were Amazingly well Rec'ed. The Ballets are very Grand (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Rec'd stopages #17 18s.; Paid salary list #567 16s.; J. French on Acct #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Mainpiece: Never performed before, by John Burgoyne. [The review in the Westminster Magazine, Nov. 1774, tells the plot, and concludes: "After some superb exhibitions of transparent scenery, several characteristic airs, and elegant dances, Mr Oldworth...proclaims Maria his only daughter and gives her to Sir Harry. After a dance of Cupids, Hymen, &c....offering them eternal wreaths, the Druid of the Oaks, freed by the present powers of Beauty from that sequestered habitation to which by mystic spells he had long been doomed, appears to ratify their union, and astonishes the spectators by his magic influence, in a glorious vision of that felicity the virtues of the happy pair had so justly insured. An admirable vaudeville, and a grand dance, conclude the dramatic entertainment....Had it not appeared obvious that the whole was intended as a mere vehicle for the splendid spectacle, we do not suppose, in spite of the managers Orders and Puffs, that the author's labors would have been tolerated. The very excellent scenery, however, of the ingenious Mr Loutherbourg preserved this piece from that damnation, which as a dramatic production, it justly merited."] Receipts: #263 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author [of mainpiece, who is named in the Account-Book, but not on the playbill]. "A considerable tumult prevailed last night among the audience of this Theatre, on account of the unavoidable substitution of Miss Chapman and Mrs Harlowe for Mrs Esten and Mrs Wells (who are both indisposed). It was not that the audience objected to the former two, but because the names of Mrs Esten and Mrs Wells were printed in the bills usually sold about the Theatre, though not in those properly issued from the House. [Mrs Esten's name, however (but not Mrs Wells'), is listed in the "House" playbill for this night.] The audience were very violent, and the actors, after having nearly finished the first Act twice, were obliged to begin the Comedy a third time, before it was suffered quietly to proceed" (Morning Herald, 9 Feb.). "The fracas at Covent-garden Theatre on Wednesday evening was occasioned by the dexterity of certain Lottery Office keepers, who, in order to give notoriety to their shops, daily cause spurious Dramatis Personae of the theatres to be circulated; and on the reverse of these bills is conspicuously held forth the advantages of the public paying their cash into their gambling treasuries" (Morning Herald, 10 Feb.). Receipts: #191 17s. 6d. (187.2.6; 4.15.0; tickets: none listed)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted here. [Mrs Armstead is identified in Morning Chronicle, 16 May. Prologue by George Colman elder (Collection...of English Prologues and Epilogues, II, 207).] Afterpiece: Not acted these 20 years. With a new Overture, the Original Prologue [by David Garrick], and a New Scene, in which will be introduced an air. With a Grand Jubilee-Pageant, in Honour of Gulliver. The Music, Dresses, Scenes, Trophies and Decorations entirely new. The Music composed by Dr Arnold. ["Lilliput was altered by Garrick (its author), and a procession of cards introduced in it, Gulliver walking as the Knave of Clubs" (Gilliland, I, 121-22). London Chronicle, 16 May, gives a synopsis of this pageant.] The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be taken at the Theatre. After this Evening the Entertainments of this Theatre will be discontinued till further Notice, on account of the Performers employed at Drury Lane Theatre [see 28 May]

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: Receipts: #200 7s. 6d. (Account Book). Mainpiece: With New Dresses and Decorations. [The first of a series of five performances (the last, Merchant of Venice, 18 Nov.) which got Macklin dismissed from the theatre until 1775, when his lawsuit against six persons whom he claimed formed a conspiracy to hiss him from the stage and ruin his livlihood was concluded favorably for him. His performance of Macbeth was favorably treated but with certain misgivings in the Morning Chronicle (25 Oct.), but he was mercilessly criticized in the London Evening Post and St James Chronicle: "In Act II, Sc. i, Shakespeare has made Macbeth murder Duncan; Now Mr Macklin, being determined to copy from no man, reversed this incident, and in the very first act, scene the second, murdered Macbeth." The favorable review (Morning Chronicle) thought he did well in first and last acts, but gave way to stage rant and "vehemence of energetic expression" wanting any variation in tone in between. It also pointed out a certain faulty memory of his lines. His novel stage effects came in for a paragraph of comment: The alterations in the jeux de theatre respecting the representation of this tragedy do Mr Macklin great credit. His change of the scenery is peculiarly characteristical. The Quadrangle of Macbeth's castle, and the door which is supposed to lead to Duncan's apartment (both of which are entirely new) are additions of consequence to the exhibition of the play. The door also through which Macbeth comes to the Weird Sisters, in the 4th act, is a better and more probable entrance than through the common stage portal. The dresses are new, elegant, and of a sort hitherto unknown to a London audience, but exceedingly proper. The Banquet was superbly set out, and it must be confessed that the managers seem to have spared neither cost nor assiduity to ornament and add to the effect of the representation." A favorable letter from a correspondent to the London Evening Post adds: "I must observe, Mr Printer, that from the graceful and characteristic manner in which Macbeth was introduced by the martial music and military procession, from the manner of M. Macklin's acting, from his judicious alteration of the dresses, the disposition of the scene where the King is killed, the cave of the witches in the 4th act, from the improvement of Mrs Hartley's thinking in Lady Macbeth and from her manner of speaking, which seemed plainly to be the effects of some intelligence she had received from Mr Macklin...I thought Mr Macklin deserv'd great praise." See the newspaper comments all gathered and reprinted in an Apology for the Conduct of Charles Macklin, (London, 1773). See also note to 30 Oct. See also London Chronicle, Oct. 23-26 (cf. Odell, I, 453). The Westminster Magazine suggests the performance was pitiable. "Macklin knew what he ought to do, but could not do it." The Scenemen's pay this week was about double the normal cost. (Account Book).] Verse Squibs from St James Chronicle (Oct. 1773) against Macklin: @Macbeth@"Eight Kings appear and pass over in order, and Banquo the last"@Old Quin, ere Fate suppressed his lab'ring breath@In studied accents grumbled out Macbeth:--@Next Garrick came, whose utt'rance truth impressed,@While ev'ry look the tyrant's guilt confess'd:--@Then the cold Sheridan half froze the part,@Yet what he lost by nature sav'd by art.@Tall Barry now advanc'd toward Birnam Woodv@Nor ill performed the scenes--he understood--@Grave Mossop next to Foris shaped his march@His words were minute guns, his action starch.@Rough Holland too--but pass his errors o'er@Nor blame the actor when the man's no more.@Then heavy Ross, assay'd the tragic frown,@But beef and pudding kept all meaning down:--@Next careless Smith, try'd on the Murd'rer's mask,@While o'er his tongue light tripp'd the hurried task:--@Hard Macklin, late, guilt's feelings strove to speak,@While sweats infernal drench'd his iron cheek;@Like Fielding's Kings [in Tom Thumb] his fancy'd triumphs past,@And all be boasts is, that he falls the last.@ Also from St James Chronicle:@The Witches, while living deluded Macbeth@And the Devil laid hold of his soul after death;@But to punish the Tyrant this would not content him,@So Macklin he sent on the stage to present him.

Event Comment: Note, That Subscribers' Tickets pass this Day, and every Day during Mr Penkethman's stay at Greenwich, unless it be some particular Actor's Benefit-Day