Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy [by Richard Cumberland] never performed. [Genest, V, 282, reports that Garrick was in the House this night and was agreeably surprised at the complimentary reference to him in the Epilogue: Who but has seen the celebrated strife Where Reynolds calls the Canvass into life: And, 'twixt the Tragic, and the Comic Muse, Courted of both, and dubious where to chuse, Th'immortal Actor stands?' A long retelling of the plot appeared in the Freeholder's Magazine for Dec., concluding: This comedy was received with great applause by the Audience. It is said to be written by Mr Cumberland, who has already oblig'd the Public with a musical piece, called the Summer's Tale. The Performers, particularly Mr Smith, Mr Woodward, Mr Yates, Mrs Green, Mrs Bulkley, and Mrs Yates, did great justice to their characters. The Prologue was spoken by Mr Smith, and the Epilogue, which alluded to the celebrated picture of Sir Joshua Reynolds, where Comedy and Tragedy are contending for Mr Garrick, by Mrs Yates." Receipts: #215 18s

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Goodwin. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Tickets delivered for Yesterday the 28th will be admitted. [The Satiric print, The Prince's Bow, had 1st appeared on 17 Mar. 1788; it was not by Bunbury, but by Frederick George Byron (Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires...in the British Museum, 1938, VI, 557).

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Merry Wives of Windsor, advertised on playbill of 10 Feb.] Afterpiece [1st time; BALL. P 1 (?), by John Cartwright Cross. Airs (T. Woodfall, 1798)]: The Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations entirely new. The Music by Reeve. The Scenery painted by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, and Blackmore. The Machinery by Cresswell, Sloper, Goostree, &c. The Dresses by Dick, Mrs Egan, &c. Receipts: #294 0s. 6d. (270.16.6; 23.4.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years [acted 7 Oct. 1791]. Middleton, after performing the first scene of Nerestan, retired abruptly into the wardrobe, pulled off his coat, and telling the dresser he should be back in ten minutes, left the theatre; he did not return, however, according to his appointment, and Davenport read the remainder of the character: a fit of insanity is supposed to have seized him" (Monthly Mirror, Jan. 1797, p. 55). [Middleton did not appear on the stage again until 27 Feb. 1797.] Afterpiece [1st time: P 2 (?), by James Wild and John Follett. MS of Songs only: Larpent MS 1148; synopsis of action in Pocket Magazine, Dec. 1796, p. 412]: With entire new Scenery, Machinery, Music, Dresses. The Overture and Music by Reeve. The Scenery painted by Phillips, Blackmore, Hollogan, Thorne, Byrn. The Machinery, Trick and Changes of Scenery invented and executed by Cresswell and Sloper. The Dresses by Dick, Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "Among the changes are a trunk into a gingerbread nut-man's wheel-barrow--a poor man's hut into an old oak, with a group of Gypsies boiling their kettle under it--one of the clowns into a thick candle, and the candle afterwards into a green-house tub, with a large shrub in it" (Oracle, 20 Dec.). Receipts: #193 5s. 6d. (183.4.6; 10.1.0)

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 Mr and Mrs Follett. [Egerton was from the hay (see 23 Jan.).] 2nd piece: In one Act. 3rd piece: Two new Scenes, as 17 Apr.; Procession, as 26 May. Morning Herald. 5 June: Tickets to be had of Follett, No. 46, Drury-lane. Receipts: #360 18s. (116.13.6; 3.11.0; tickets: 240.13.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb. Text: T. N. Longman and O. Rees, 1800. Miss Waters is identified in the Songs]: The Scenes, Music, Machinery, Dresses, and Decorations are all entirely new. The Music composed by Mazzinghi and Reeve. The Scenery painted by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Backmore, &c. [based on drawings of Indian scenery by Thomas Daniell]. The Machinery and Decorations by Cresswell, Sloper, Goostree, &c. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs, also describing the Scenes and Spectacle of the Return from the Tiger Hunt, to be had at the Theatre, price six pence. "The whole [forms] an exhibition of the utmost grandeur...The expense attending the decoration must have been immense...The dailogue is certainly not of the first description of writing, but it forms, on the whole, a very safe vehicle for some of the best music the English stage has for some time been able to boast"(Morning Herald, 13 Nov.). Account-Book, 27 Dec.: Paid Cuthbert for Wheels, &c. for the Elephants #13 18s. Receipts: #364 7s. 6d. (363.19.6; 0.8.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Trowion, Rock, Blurton, Ledger, Evatt, Jackson, Ratchford, Cross, Letteney, Williamson. Mrs Davenett, Mrs Lefevre, Mrs Lloyd, Mrs Arnold, Mrs Gray, Mrs Masters, Mrs Goodwin will be admitted. Receipts: #435 9s. (45.8; 3.2; tickets: 383.19)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Paskin, Hall (carpenter), Furkins (ditto), Robson (music porter), Strahan, Haseler, Goodwin, Hill, Ledger, Hall (box-keeper) will be admitted. Receipts: #434 15s. 6d. (24.4.0; 2.18.0; tickets: 407.13.6)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Mrs Masters, Gillet, Goodwin, Larkman, Robson (music porter), Smart, Strahan, Anselmo will be admitted. Receipts: #174 (26.5.6; 3.15.6; tickets: 143.19.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bride, Dunbarr, Smith, Goodwin. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Wells, but she "was so ill last night that she could not perform the part of Jane Shore. It was undertaken by Mrs T. Kennedy" (Public Advertiser, 21 Dec.).] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'Keeffe]: The Pantomime, and the whole of the Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, &c. designed and invented by Loutherbourg, and executed under his superintendance and direction by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, Catton Jun., Turner, assisted by two other celebrated artists [all subsequent playbills have "a celebrated artist"; he was the Rev. Matthew William Peters (Public Advertiser, 16 Dec.)]. The Music entirely new, composed by Shield. Books containing a short account of the Pantomime, as well as the Recitatives, Airs, Duets, Trios and Chorusses, and a Description of the Procession, to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. [This was the last theatrical piece for which De Loutherbourg designed the scenery. For a detailed account of it see "De Loutherbourg and Captain Cook", by Ralph G. Allen, Theatre Research, IV, 195-211.] Account-Book, 17 Oct.: Paid De Loutherbourg on acct. #120; 20 Dec.: Paid Goodwin for copying Music #10 14s.; 14 Feb. 1786: Paid O'Keeffe in full for Omai #40. Receipts: #309 19s. (302/7; 7/12)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Earl of Essex, advertised on playbill of 23 Dec.] Afterpiece [1st time; P 1]: Composed, prepared and directed by Mark? Lonsdale. With new Music, Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations. The Dances by Byrn. The Music partly composed new by Shield [the printed score (Preston and Son [1794]) contains rest of new music, by Aylward , Atterbury, Spofforth, Howard, with overture by Gretry (from Evenements Imprevus)]; the rest selected by Goodwin from the works of Haydn, Aylward, Baumgarten, Boccherini, Pleyel, Gluck, Reeve, Dr Arne, Ware, Leffler Jun. & Spofforth. The Scenery (with very few exceptions) expressly designed and executed by Richards, Walmsley, Phillips, Lupino Jun. and Hodgins; assisted by Byrne, Holland, Thorne, Hollogan and others. The Dresses under the direction of Dick. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #286 1s. (270.8; 15.13)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barrisford, Pritchard, Atkinson and Goodwin. Receipts: #100 (Cross); charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mas. Maltere, Miss Foulcade, Mrs L'font & Goodwin. Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Watson, Roberts, Kaygil and Palmer. Tickets deliver'd by Humphreys, Goodwin, and for Jane Shore will be admitted. Jane Shore deferr'd on account of Mrs W. Barry's indisposition

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill omits Anna, but "Mrs Rock was a wretched Anna" (Thespian Magazine, Feb. 1793, p. 195). Miss Morris is identified in European Magazine, Jan. 1793, p. 69; and see 14, 16 Nov.] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2(?), author unknown. Text (i.e. synopsis of action), For the Booksellers, 1793. Larpent MS 964 contains Songs only]: Partly New, and partly a Selection of Scenery, Machinery, Tricks, and Business, from the most approved Pantomimic Productions of Lunn, Rich, Woodward, Messink, Rosamond [i.e. Rosoman], Lalauze, &c. The Music chiefly compiled [by Thomas Goodwin] from Pepusch, Galliard, Dr Arne, Vincent, Dibdin, Dr Arnold, Fisher, the rest by Shield. The selected Scenery and Machinery re-painted, and the several new ones designed and executed by Hodgins, Pugh, Walmsley, Lupino, &c. The Dances by Byrn, who will for the first time introduce a Burlesque Pas de Russe. With new Dresses, Machinery and Decorations. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [In afterpiece the playbill lists Follett, but he "having received an injury at the morning's rehearsal, afforded that excellent actor, Munden, the opportunity of giving the Public an additional proof of the versatility of his talents: -he undertook the part of the Clown [i.e. Clodpole ], and performed it so well that he will probably be obliged to retain it" (Morning Herald, 21 Dec.). He was probably omitted from the Vocal Characters (see 21 Dec.).] Receipts: #258 10s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Barresford, Goodwin, Parr, Keyton (Cross). Keating (playbill). Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 3, by Samuel Birch, adapted from Camille; ou, Le Souterrain, by Benoit Joseph Marsollier des Vivetieres, and from Les Victimes Cloitrees, by Jacques Marie Boutet de Monvel; the songs written by Thomas John Dibdin. Larpent MS 1236; not published. The playbill states that this was "Taken from the German," but London Chronicle, 12 Dec., says that its source is the same as that of The Captive of Spilburg (see dl, 14 Nov.). An examination of the MSS of these two pieces (Larpent 1230 and 1236) proves that such is unmistakably the case]: With entire new Scenes, Machinery, Dresses & Decorations. The Music composed and selected by Steibelt and Attwood. The Action of the Chorusaes, Finales, &c. under the Direction of Farley, and the Action of the Overture by Bologna Jun. A new Descriptive Overture, composed by Steibelt, on a Plan never before introduced on the English Stage, accompanied by Action. "The overture is...nothing more than music adapted to pantomime; and, in the present instance, the dumb shew is an unnecessary anticipation of the procession with which the piece opens" (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1798, p. 369). The Scenery painted by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Blackmore, &c. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #338 17s. 6d. (325.14.6; 13.3.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 5, by Richard Cumberland. Author of Prologue unknown]: A Romance of the Fourteenth Century, Formed upon the Plan of an unpublished Drama [Johanna von Montfaucon], written and transmitted by Augustus von Kotzebue, The Overture, Songs, Chorusses, Marches and Finale, with appropriate Symphonies between the Acts, by Busby. The Scenery, Dresses, Machinery & Decorations entirely New. The Scenery by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, &c. The arrangement of the Marches, Chorusses & Military Movements incidental to the Piece, under the direction of Farley. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. The Words of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. "The appropriate beauty of the scenery, in which the rules of perspective are critically observed, the splendour of the decorations and the richness of the dresses, have been rarely equalled" (Universal Magazine, Jan. 1800, p. 75). Receipts: #318 6d. (316.2; 2.4)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: 32nd Night [i.e. in continuation, erroneously, of the reckoning for the preceding season, when it was acted 28 times]. With new Music, Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. The Music (with a few Exceptions) composed entirely new by Shield. And new Scenery designed and chiefly executed by Richards. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "Covent-garden is the National Theatre. I was there on 10th Dec. and saw an opera called The Woodman. It was the very day on which the life story of Madam Billington, both from the good as well as from the bad sides was announced [i.e. Memoirs of Mrs Billington, and An Answer to the Memoirs of Mrs Billington, both anonymous, both predated 1792]...She sang rather timidly this evening, but very well all the same. The first tenor [Incledon] has a good voice and quite a good style, but he uses the falsetto to excess. He sang a trill on high C and ran up to G. The 2nd tenor [Johnstone] tries to imitate him, but could not make the change from the falsetto to the natural voice, and apart from that is most unmusical...But the cast is entirely used to him. The leader is Herr Baumgartner [sic], a German who, however, has almost forgotten his mother-tongue. The Theatre is very dark and dirty, and is almost as large as the Vienna Court Theatre. The common people in the galleries of all the theatres are very impertinent; they set the fashion with all their unrestrained impetuosity, and whether something is repeated or not is determined by their yells. The parterre and all the boxes sometimes have to applaud a great deal to have something good repeated. That was just what happened this evening, with the Duet in the 3rd Act, which was very beautiful; and the pro's and contra's went on for nearly a quarter of an hour, till finally the parterre and the boxes won, and they repeated the Duet. Both the performers stood on the stage quite terrified, first retiring, then again coming forward. The orchestra is sleepy" (Haydn, 273-74). Receipts: #194 11s. (191.8; 3.3)

Event Comment: [Miss Arne, who is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill, had previously appeared as a chorus singer; see 27 Oct. 1794. In mainpiece the playbill assigns Mrs Peachum to Mrs Hopkins, Suky Tawdry to Mrs Maddocks, Mrs Coaxer to Miss Stageldoir, but "Mrs Hopkins being ill, Mrs Maddocks play'd Mrs Peachum; Mrs Hedges Suky Tawdry for Mrs Maddocks; Miss Stageldoir Ill, Mrs Jones play'd Mrs Coaxer. [In afterpiece] Jones Ill, Lyons Snuffle; Evans 4th Mob for Lyons [both these characters omitted from playbill]" (Powell).] Powell: Mayor of Garratt rehearsed at 12; New Ballet at 12. Receipts: #174 10s. (121.14; 51.2; 1.14)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 4, by George Colman elder. Prologue by the author (Morning Chronicle, 13 Oct.). Scenery by Rooker (ibid. 1 Sept.). Larpent MS 490; not published; synopsis of plot in London Magazine, Sept. 1779, pp. 405-7]. "The first three acts want business, and the denouement is rather suddenly brought about...The greatness of the task of performing a character of which Mrs Abington had been announced as the intended representative seemed to inspire [Miss Farren] with additional zeal, and helped her to gain additional credit" (Morning Chronicle, 1 Sept.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by John Cartwright Cross]: With new Music, Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, &c. The Overture and new Music by Reeve. The Scenery painted by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, and Blackmore. The Machinery by Cresswell, Sloper, Goostree, &c. The Dresses by Dick, Mrs Egan, &c. Receipts: #314 15s. (303.1; 11.14)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Hannah Cowley.] Miss Younge had a song [Wake, thou son of dullness] composed by Michael Arne. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown]: New Scenes and Dresses. Account-Book, 16 June: Paid Mrs Cowley for suspending the publication of the Belle's Stratagem #100. Public Advertiser, 1 Apr. 1782: In a few Days will be published The Belle's Stratagem. A spurious Copy having been published in Ireland [in 1781] make[s] it necessary to observe that the above is the genuine Comedy, as performed at Covent Garden Theatre. Ibid., 9 Apr. 1782: This Day is published The Belle's Stratagem (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #213 19s. (212.15.6; 1.3.6)