Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Play not acted: theatres closed for death of Augusta Princess Dowager of Wales. [For comment Theatrical Review, II, p. 93 attaches to the evening of 7 Feb.]: Another additional scene was introduc'd this evening, for the first time in which Mr Dunstall, in the character of a Female Ballad Singer, entertained the audience with the following new song, relative to the tricks of the Stockwell Conjuror, which it exposes with some degree fo humour, and which has a good effect, from the manner in which it is introduc'd; but from such poetry, Heaven delvier us!@The Stockwell Wonder@Ye beaux, belles and flirts, who the Pantheon stock well,@Come and see the renown'd Pandemonium at Stockwell.@Where the house and the furniture's all in bon ton@And the pewter and crockery dance cottillon. Derry Down, down, down Derry Down.@A pickling-pan first, which exceeds all belief,@Jumps and skips to the tune of old English Roast Beef;@While a barrel so lively, it cannot be said,@That the beer that is in it can ever be dead, Derry Down &c.@ @The tables, chairs, jars, frisk about too, and soon@The pestle and warming-pan move to some tune;@The clock too chimes in, and we very well know@That a clock that don't stand must undoubtedly go, Derry down, &c.@But let not amazement your fancies perplex@The enchantment arose from th'enchanting fair sex;@A sweet girl was the cause, and girls wonders are rich in@For we all know sweet girls-are extremely bewitching.@Derry down, &c.

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Theatrical Review, 11 March: Written by the celebrated Milton when he was very young...it would have been sufficient had he never produced anthing more considerable, to have transmitted his fame to the latest posterity. It is inimitable set to music by Mr Handel...not strictly an Oratorio, tho' perform'd as such, the subject not being taken from Holy Writ. To which was added the celebrated Te Deum, composed by Mr Handel for the peace of Utrecht...a very grand masterly piece. End of Act I, a Concerto on the French Horn by Mr Ponta, musician to his Serene Highness, the Elector of Mentz, lately arrived in England. What this gentleman executes with the horn is very surprising, but, not being suited to the genius of the instrument, it is not productive of any good effect, when considered musically; as a matter of novelty it may surprise and please, on which account it is worthy the notice of the curious

Event Comment: [Advertised as performed but once, but see 18 Jan. Sheridan in Preface to Edition of 1775 (2nd) refers to withdrawing the piece to remove those imperfections in the first representation which were too obvious to escape reprehension, and too numerous to admit of hasty correction." He blames his inexperience and want of judgment in theatrical effects, the extreme length of the play act by act, and haste in writing. From the Westminster Magazine Feb., which outlined the plot in five columns: The present state of the Rivals is widely different from that in which we found it on the first night's representation. Sir Lucius O'Trigger being re-touched, has now the appearance of a character; and his assigning Beverley's reflection on his country as the grounds for his desire to quarrel with him, is a reasonable pretence, and wipes off the former stigma undeservedly thrown on the sister Kingdom. An alteration of a principal incident gave a very favorable turn to the fable and the whole piece: that where young Acres now delivers his challenge to his friend Absolute, begging him to carry it to his Rival Beverly, not knowing the two characters composed but one man; its being at first given to Sir Lucius, the person who indited it, was highly inconsistent...we should be induced from many evident traits of literary genius to pronounce the Rivals a good comedy."

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. When Face ask'd Drugger if he had any Interest with the Players--Mr G. Answer'd I believe I had once but don't know if I have now or not--It It had a good Effect--his having Just Sold his Share of the Patent (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] On Wed. Night Jan. 18, 1776, Mr Garrick concluded his treaty for the sale of his share of the patent and property of Drury Lane Theatre to 4 gentlemen for #35,000 (Winston MS 11). Receipts: #256 9s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. [1st time; M.ENT 3, by George Alexander Stevens. Larpent MS 533; not published. Songs published by R. Snagg, 1780.] The Overture, most of the Airs [see 6 Nov.], and Decorations entirely new. Ne Quid Nimis; or, Too much of one Thing is good for Nothing. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. The Public are respectfully informed that the Upper Gallery will not be opened. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00. The Songs, written by G. A. Stevens, are to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Theodore. Tickets made out and delivered for the 1st of April will be admitted, and may be had of Mme Theodore, No. 5, Great Pultney-street, Golden-square. Public Advertiser, 15 May: The Ballet was founded on the French piece of Le Deserteur, of which there was retained a good deal of the

Event Comment: [As mainpiece the playbill announces DECEPTION, but "The Author .. . gave evident marks of good sense ... by withdrawing his Piece yesterday noon, in the room of which The Provok'd Husband was substituted" (Public Advertiser, 30 Oct.).] Orders and Free List #34 5s. Receipts: #54 10s. 6d. (41/9/0; 12/17/6; 0/4/0)

Event Comment: "The orchestra, during the whole time of representations [of the opera] has by no means been conducted with that exactness that should be expected from that band...It must be supposed that neither the master of music at the harpsichord, nor Mr Cramer, the leader, have influence or power enough to prevail on the band to play, or rather, to accompany, more correctly...The arias of the tenor and base [sic] have been played, or rather accompanied, too fast, and without harmony with the voices of Morelli and Fineschi, which being good, and they seeming to wish to sing with all possible expression, the orchestra should have accompanied accordingly. Mme Storace, howefer, has baffled the efforts of the musicians to make her sing out of tune, quick or slow. As they fiddled, she modulated" (Public Advertiser, 17 Jan.). Receipts: #147 12s. 6d. [non-subscription]

Event Comment: A new Serious Opera (1st time [in London; 1st performed at Venice, 1781]); the music by Sarti, under the direction of Mazzinghi. "At length in the spring arrived the celebrated Marchesi, whose fame had long reached this country, and who had been extolled to such a degree that impatience and expectation were raised to the highest pitch; and on the first night of his appearance the theatre was not only crowed to the utmost in every part, but on the rising of the curtain, the stage was so full of spectators that it was some time before order and silence could be obtained, and with some difficulty that Marchesi, who was to open the opera, could make his way before the audience. Marchesi was at this time a very well-looking young man, of good figure, and graceful deportment. His acting was spirited and expressive: his vocal powers were very great, his voice of extensive compass, but a little inclined to be thick (Mount-Edgcumbe, 66-67). Receipts: #437 15s. 6d., i.e. 560 tickets delivered to Prendergrass [see 8 Dec. 1787], who sold 558; 110 to Toosey, who sold 86; 400 to Butler, who sold 285; 236 to Snelson, who sold 204. Total non-subscription tickets sold: 1133

Event Comment: Mr Gallini Respectfully informs the Nobility, Subscribers, and Gentry that he sent a person to Paris on Monday last to engage the best capital Female Dancer that can be got; and if a good Man Dancer is to be procured, he is very ready to engage him, as he shall be happy to do every thing in his power to please the public and will spare no pains or expense for that purpose [see 7 Feb.] Didelot having had the misfortune to hurt his leg the first dance on Saturday last is unable to appear for some days

Event Comment: "Harley's youth and vigour so repeatedly got the better of his endeavours to conceal them under the veil of assumed debility that it was rather the grandson of Lear, who was rehearsing the part of that injured Prince and parent, than the good old King himself" (Diary, 5 Jan.). Receipts: #269 8s. 6d. (266.13.0; 2.15.6)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Kemble as Jaffier, but "On Saturday evening Whitfield played the part of Jaffier in the room of Kemble, at four hours notice, and happy it was for Whitfield that an opportunity offered to prove how much his talents have been kept in the shade; his conception of the part was critically without error, his delivery of Otway's language with good emphasis and his pathos extremely natural and interesting" (Diary, 16 Apr.).] Receipts: #296 6s. 6d. (254.14.6; 38.14.0; 2.18.0)

Event Comment: [As 1st piece Public Advertiser announces ALL IN GOOD HUMOUR.]

Event Comment: Among the Principal Instrumental Performers are G. Ashley, Leader of the Band; C. Ashley, Principal Violoncello; Wm. Parke, Sarjant, J. Mahon, Boyce, Bridgtower, Parkinson, Lavenu, Taylor, W. Ware, Flack, Dressler, Gwilliam, Nicks, [the] Munros, I. Sharp, W. Sharp, M. Sharp, J. Sharp, Archer, Cobham, Jackson, Wood, Coyle, Cornish, Purney, Leffler, Woodham, Piele, [the] Cantelos, Skillern, Beale, Lloyd, Franki, Simpson, Jenkinson, &c.; J. Ashley, Organ; R. Ashley, Double Drums (used at Westminster Abbey). The Chorusses will be numerous and complete. The whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon at the Office in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout oratorio season]. Books of the Performance (with the imprimatur of E. Macleish) to be had at the Theatre. [Sga Galli did not sing in The Messiah when it was originally performed in Dublin in 1742, or in London in 1743, in which year the cg oratories under Handel were established.] "I had the curiosity to go, and heard [Sga Galli] sing, 'He was despised and rejected of men' in the Messiah. Of course her voice was cracked and trembling, but it was easy to see her school was good; and it was pleasing to observe the kindness with which she was received, and listened to; and to mark the animation and delight with which she seemed to hear again the music in which she had formerly been a distinguished performer. The poor old woman had been in the habit of coming to me annually for a trifling present; and she told me on that occasion that nothing but the severest distress should have compelled her so to expose herself, which after all did not answer its end, as she was not paid according to her agreement" (Mount-Edgcumbe, pp. 19-20). [At the rehearsal, 1 Mar., I know that my Redeemer liveth sung by Mme Mara; Comfort ye my people by Braham; But@thou didst not leave by Miss Poole (Morning Herald, 2 Mar.).] "The chorusses are not such as would give satisfaction to a musical amateur: in this department we must endeavour to be content with noise and bawling, instead of sense and science:--they are not, however, worse than usual" (Monthly Visitor, Mar.1797, p. 262)

Event Comment: "Miss Mellon possesses good comic powers, but they are rather of the hoyden cast; and there was a want of judgment in those who assigned this character [one recently acted by Miss Farren] to her" (True Briton, 19 Apr.). Receipts: #195 9s. (143.0.6; 48.15.0; 3.13.6)

Event Comment: "The Italian singers, male and female, whom I saw on this stage, distinguished themselves by good action, which is uncommon among the Italians. But the Italian opera would instantly be abandoned, notwithstanding the talents of the singers and the beauty of the music, if dancing were not the powerful magnet which attracts the Londoners. All Italian operas are, therefore, abridged, divertisements introduced between the acts, and the ballets considerably lengthened, in order to gratify the public taste" (Goede, p. 263)

Event Comment: "Incledon is no longer under any engagement at Covent-garden Theatre; having shewn a good deal of restiveness at being obliged to sing in the after-piece of Joan of Arc, he applied to Mr Harris on Friday [16 Feb.] to deliver him up his articles, which was instantly complied with" (Times, 19 Feb.). [On 22 Feb. and 15 Mar. Incledon acted, by Command; but not again until 14 Apr.] Receipts: #256 18s. 6d. (239.10.6; 17.8.0)

Event Comment: [In afterpiece the playbill retains Powel as Mr Pickle, but "Last night, after the performance of Lover's Vows, an apology was made by Murray for Powel who, notwithstanding he performed in the play in apparent good health and spirits, was of a sudden taken so ill that his life is despaired of by his physicians. His part in The Spoiled Child was in consequence...undertaken by Dibdin Jun., which he performed with much humour and discrimination" (Morning Herald, 20 Oct.). Powel died the following morning.] Receipts: #367 4s. (360.7; 6.17)

Event Comment: "[In Pizarro] the effeminacy of Alonzo's dress, better adopted for a ball-room than for scenes of warfare; the magnificence of the Spanish dungeon, in a country where the Spanish invaders were fain to put up with tents for their own accomodation; the vile manner in which the scene is bungled together, where Cora leaves her infant child to the fury of the pitiless storm, whilst a hut stands most invitingly in sight; the absurd introduction of Cora's song to the accompaniment of thunder and lightning--but, above all, the disgraceful additions made by Mr Sheridan himself, with the farcical termination of this sublime tragedy, by an Irish howl over the dead body of Rolla;--all these glaring defects, sufficient to damn any writer of less notoriety than Sheridan, still continue to outrage good-sense, and the feelings of every spectator of taste and discernment...We are firmly of opinion that the crowded houses this play still continues to draw are principally to be attributed to the masterly acting of the elder Kemble" (Dramatic Censor, I, 23-24). Receipts: #429 9s. (388.1; 40.1; 1.7)

Event Comment: The Rivals [advertised on playbill of 4 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the indisposition of a principal performer. "There seems to be a perverse and impolitic system introduced of late years in the management of this theatre, in virtue of which certain plays are suffered to remain in a state of slovenly representation, to serve as a kind of stage lumber, on which the manager can immediately lay his hand (confident of a good half-price, from the popularity of his after-piece); he wants something, no matter what, to fill up the intermediate space of time. This is a system, however, which in the event cannot fail to prove equally injurious to the interest of the proprietors, and the gratification of that part of the audience who pay the full amount of admission" (Dramatic Censor, I, 45). Receipts: #188 5s. (102.16; 83.17; 1.12)