Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Barry. King Arthur oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of Mr Barry's illness. Tickets deliver'd for The Distressed Mother will be taken. Pit and Boxes are laid together. Send servants by Four o'clock. Afterpiece: Not acted these seven years. [See 21 April 1760.] The Farce hiss'd. Mrs Barry Sir Harry (Hopkins Diary). Paid Salary list #333 19s.; Mrs Abington's Cloaths Acct, #1; Mr S. French 6 days, #1 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #296 14s. Charges: #65. Profit to Mrs Barry: #231 14s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mrs Lowe@and@Co. (glaziers) #17 11s. 6d.; Hatsell, (mercer) #142 3s.; Scott (copper laceman) #16 11s.; Marshall & Co., (plumbers) #27 8s.; Ireland (upholsterer) #43 4s.; Stacy (colourman) #18 16s.; Gardner (shoemaker) #36 11s.; Barrow & Co. (oil) #103, 13s.; Thomson (smith) #27 8s.; Cubitt (tinman) #24 15s. Receipts: #143 5s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Tickets at her house in Henrietta St., and of Mr Varney at the Stage Door. Receipts: #260 (Cross)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. It is not certain this is the first performance, but it may well have been. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@139, p. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346. Pepys, Diary: Sir W. Pen and I to the Duke's house, where a new play. The King and Court there: the house full, and an act begun. And so went to the King's. Downes (p. 28): Sir Martin Marral, The Duke of New-Castle, giving Mr Dryden a bare translation of it, out of a Comedy of the Famous French Poet Monseur Moleire: He adapted the Part purposely for the Mouth of Mr Nokes, and curiously Polishing the whole....All the Parts being very Just and Exactly perform'd, specially Sir Martin and his Man, Mr Smith, and several others since have come very near him, but none Equall'd, nor yet Mr Nokes in Sir Martin: This Comedy was Crown'd with an Excellent Entry. In the Last Act at the Mask, by Mr Priest and Madam Davies; This, and Love in a Tub, got the Company more Money than any preceding Comedy

Event Comment: MMrs Davies from Ireland play'd Lady Easy, a pretty Figure-toll: [erable]. Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: Milwood Mrs King So, so, Barnwell first time by Mr Brereton very well. The Jubilee is reviv'd with Alterations and Additions in the Pageant It was receiv'd with vast Applause (Hopkins Diary). [The Westminster Magazine for Dec. remarked on The Jubilee: "It appeared with still greater splendor [than in its original performance in 1769] from the introduction of more pageants and characters. Romeo and Juliet made a different appearance in this procession, and their was likewise a new Pageant for the Tragedy of Coriolanus, which was not introduced before. The scenes were either all new painted, or quite new."] Receipts: #242 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Baddeley. Miss Sherry made her first appearance upon this Stage in Lady Macbeth, a Sensible Speaker pretty good voice Short Clumsy Figure met with Applause--The Farce very well receiv'd (Hopkins Diary). Afterpiece: A Farce by George Downing. Paid 6 day's salary at #82 19s. 9d., #497 18s. 6d.; Mrs Abington on Cloaths acct, #2; Mr S. French 6 days #1 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #135 1s. 6d. Charges: #68 12s. Profits to Baddeley: #66 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Vernon. Rec'd Mrs Johnston's rent 1 year to Lady Day #6. Paid Powney (stationer) #7 2s. 6d.; Ray (linen draper) #25 6s. 6d.; Vaughan (haberdasher) #4 10s. 6d.; Norfolk (glazier) #2 3s.; Barrow and Co. Oil #54 15s. 6d.; Pryer (turner) #5 18s. 6d.; Carter (scowerer) #9 8s. 6d.; Evans for Spermacetti Candles #5; Watch Rate half year #18 15s.; Cubit (tinman) #2 6d. Receipts: #160 10s. Charges: #66 16s. Profits to Vernon: #93 14s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Last time of performing the Mainpiece this Season. Benefit for Mr and Mrs Davies. Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Davies. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: I Went With Mallet to breakfast with Garrick; and from thence to Drury-Lane house, where I assisted at a very Private rehearsal, in the Green-room, of a new tragedy of Mallet's, called Elvira. As I have since seen it acted, I shall defer my opinion of it till then; but I can't help mentioning here the surprising versatility of Mrs Pritchard's talents, who rehearsed, almost at the same time, the part of a furious Queen in the Green-room, and that of a Coquette on the stage; and passed several times from one to the other with the utmost ease and happiness. I dined with Darrel, saw The Way of the World afterward (Edward Gibbon's Journal, ed. D. M. Lowe (New York, n.d.) pp. 185-86). [Apparently Mrs Pritchard rehearsed Millamant in the morning.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Written by Colley Cibber. [The Old Maid for 8 May 1756 reviewed this performance of Lethe, or possibly the one with the same cast on 30 April. The reviewer was 'particularly diverted with Mrs Clive's Italian Song, in which this truly humorous actress parodys the Air of the Opera, and takes off the action, of the present favorite female at the Hay-Market, with such exquisite ridicule, that the most zealous partisans of both, I think, must have applauded the comic genius of Mrs Clive, however they might be displeased with this application of it." The reviewer is lukewarm in praise of the "New Character"..."What is there new in a Lord's having Gout, loving a bottle, pretending to taste, or being follow'd by a flatterer?"] Receipts: #210 (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: MMiss Pope in Corrinna (fine) Mr Wilkinson, Mrs Amlet (sad) (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted in 8 years [but see 3 Jan. 1753]. My mother and I were at Drury Lane to see The Confederacy and Harlequin Ranger, Mrs King, Watson and Miss Pitt sat in our Box, a new actress did Corrinne to perfection, see Schutz Jr, Mr Schutz, Dives and Pigot there (Hailey, 'The Brietzcke Diary," p. 360). Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: Paid 3 day's salary at #100 12s. 6d. per diem #301 17s. 6d. Salaries short-paid last week #168 8s. 6d.; Tabor and Pipe #3 13s. 6d. Louchre [Lauchery] #8 8s. Mr Abington #2; Mr King #3; (Treasurer's Book). [The payment to King was the first of 37 similar ones for extra salary amounting to #111. That to Mrs Abington was the first of weekly payments for her clothes account, amounting to #60 for the season. No further mention will be made of these items.] Receipts: #265 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [From the Middlesex Journal (7-9 Oct.) quoted by Hampden, Eighteenth Century Journal: "The Way of the World, though confessedly replete with wit and character, is not the most entertaining play in representation. It is so full of plot and intrigue, that it demands an Unusual degree of attention in the performers and audience to excite admiration. On Saturday they seemed averse to assist the author. Mr King in Witwou'd was as entertaining and full of spirits as usual. Mr Jefferson in the gay admired Mirabel (independent of the antique mode of his wig, and formal cut of his clothes, which surely were both uncharacteristic) seemed in attempting to be quite natural, to keep the entire plot of the play in his own bosom, looked more like the father than the Mirabel of Congreve. Mr Reddish was a contrast to his friend Mirabel; he seemed attentive nervous, and played the latter part of his character well....Mrs Abington's person, manner and dress were fashionable and elegant; but though the character was certainly a fine one, there was a want of that spirit best calculated to call her powers into action: her delivery was tediously formal; and had the audience been deprived of their sight they would conclude that Capt. Bobadill had got into petticoats. Her dress was no more decent than Madam Hidou's was on her first appearance last year; stays so low cut before puts modesty to the blush; and will not be countenanced by an English audience, though made after the French fashion....Mrs Greville, to convince the town that she could keep a secret, whispered it to only a few friends in the Pit....her indifference is intolerable, and should be noticed by her employer."

Event Comment: Alexander the Great? [announced on playbill of 4 Nov.] is obliged to be deferred. [The playbill lists Mrs Yates as Lady Townly, but see following note. Miss Younge's name appears in all subsequent playbills, except on 19 Dec.] Alexander was advertised for this Night, but Lacy being hoarse, who was to have played Alexander, it was obliged to be deferred, and this Play substituted. It was between eleven and twelve o'clock at (Night) before we got it settled. Mr. Sheridan ordered me not to send to Mrs. Yates about (it) till the Morning. About eight o'clock I sent her Notice that the Provoked Husband was to be performed at Night. A little after nine, she sent Word by her Niece that she was never so ill treated in her life, that she was never before asked to play on the fifth of November [which day was traditionally set aside for the acting of Tamerlane], that she would not play Lady Townly that Night, nor would she play any more; and if she had an Inclination to play, she had no Cloaths ready to play it in; and sent back the Part of Semiramis in a new Tragedy that was preparing [see 16 Nov., 14 Dec.]. I got Miss Younge to do Lady Townly, and an Apology was made by Packer that Mrs Yates having refused this Morning to do Lady Townly, Miss Younge at a Minutes' Notice undertook to do it. Miss Younge was much applauded and Yates had a few hisses (Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #179 11s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Burton and Philips. Mainpiece: At the Particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Not acted these 10 years. [See 18 Dec. 1749.] Music for Afterpiece compos'd by Mr Arne. Tickets deliver'd by Clough, Mossop, Peacop and Mrs Addison will be taken. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard

Event Comment: Paid 3 day's salary list at #76 14s. 1s. per diem, #230 2d. 3d.; Mrs Greville on note #21; Tallow chandler's 1st bill #24 8s. 5d.; Lampmen #2; Bill stickers #3 12s.; Handbills 8s.; Carpenter's Bill #13 3s. 10d.; Taylor's Bill #6 13s. 6d.; Mantua maker's Bill #4 6s. 2d.; J. Stevens 18s.; Mr King's extra salary #1 10s.; Mrs Abington's Cloaths #1; Painters salaries #14 2s.; Mr J. French on Acct #15 5s.; Hire of Violin &c. 7s.; candlemen #1 13s. (Treasurer's Book). [The following items of those listed among the above Saturday expenditures were constant. The averages and total payments for them will be given in the following table, and no further itemization of them will be made]: @Item: Weekly Average Total Season Payment@Lampmen #4 8s. #162 16s.@Billstickersers #2 14s. #99 18s.@Handbills 12s. #22 4s.@Carpenters #9 10s. #351 10s.@Taylors #9 5s. #342 10s.@Mantua Makers #3 #111@J. Stevens 18s. #33 6s.@Mr King (extra as a deputy Manager?) #3 #111@Mrs Abingtons Clothes #1 12s. 4d. #60@Painter's Bills #10 10s. #388 10s.@Candlemen & extras #8 14s. #313 4s.@ Neither Carver or Royee is listed this season, but the amount customarily paid them for the two preceding seasons is made this season as a constant outlay, but "To Painters." DeLoutherbourg receives his first payment 14 Oct.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bradshaw, Mrs Love & Mrs Johnston. Public Advertiser, 14 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bradshaw, No. 93, near Craven Buildings, Drury-lane; of Mrs Love, at Booth's, Brownlow-street, Long-acre; of Mrs Johnston, No. 97, near Craven Buildings, Drury-lane. Receipts: #166 4s. (65.16; 13.14; 0.0; tickets: 86.14) (charge: #65 6s. 6d.)