Event Comment: Reddish spoiled last scene by being imperfect (Potter, Theatrical Review). Paid three days salary at #81 8s. 11d. per diem--#244 6s.; Paid Mrs W. Barry's half salary 17s. 6d.; Paid Messrs. Reddish, J. Palmer, and Waldron short paid last week #1 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #229 6s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Lethe is reviv'd with Alterations & a New Character-very well receiv'd & great Applause-Mr Garrick play'd with great Spirit & was much Applauded (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan notes lack of Fribble parts in Larpent MS. Yet Theatrical Review, 11 Jan., describes briefly the alterations, suggesting, The character of the Fine Gentleman in the former Lethe had some strong allusions to the behaviour of Gentlemen behind the scenes at the playhouses, which custom being abolished of late years, the character had lost its importance, on which account it is altered to a Fribble, and consequently entirely new written." A methodist taylor, an Irishman, Mr & Mrs Carbine (originally Mr & Mrs Tatoo) are also new. See account also in Town and Country Magazine (Theatre NO. XXXIII).] Paid Salary list, #502 3s. 6d.; Mrs Abington's cloaths acct #2; Mr S. French 6 days #1 10s.; Rec'd, Stopages. #11 13s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #245 11s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Tallow Chandler's 4th Bill #41 6s. 5d.; Spermacetti Candles, #132 18s. Mr Tomlinson for Men's cloaths #11 11s.; Mr J. French on acct #20; Miss Hopkins, 15 nights (19th Dec. incl.) #3 15s. (Treasurer's Book). [The sixth edition of Wm. Law's Absolute Unlawfulness of Stage Representations was published this year (1st. edn. 1726) This day was published the Preliminary Number of the Westminster Magazine, which, monthly, included a section called The English Theatre, which observed generally on the state of the Stage, and commented specifically on new plays. Its view of the stage in general was not as sanguine as had been that of the writer for the Town and Country Magazine (1 April 1772). "We are of opinion, that the English Theatre is now in its decline. Whether it is that the stores of Dramatic Subjects or of Dramatic Genius are exhausted, is not immediately obvious; but there is a fault somewhere....We have seen the Morning star of Wit--the Noon too is past; we have now arriv'd at its evening...There is in Arts, as in Empires, a progress which leads to Refinement; and this refinement leads to Ruin." According to the writer the meridian glory of the English stage was during the reign of Queen Anne. Reviewer damns the Irish Widow, refuses to discuss the Gamesters (revived), damns the Rose and praises the Garrick alteration of Hamlet. This year also appeard Granny's Prediction, a 53-page pamphlet attack on Mrs Barry, condemning her on moral grounds (polygamy) and on aesthetic grounds, commenting on each of her characters. By a spiteful female relative Elizabeth Franchetti.] Receipts: #142 10s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: [a tragedy by Alexander Dow]: Never acted before. New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. This Play was receiv'd with very great Applause Mrs Barry Play'd finely & the Scenes were applauded (Hopkins Diary). Rec'd Stopages #4 12s. 6d. Paid 4 days salary list #348 14s. 8d. Mr King's extra salary #2 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #238 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Hook Jun. Larpent MS 1065; not published; synopsis of plot in Pocket Magazine, May 1795, p. 334]: The Musick composed by Hook? Sen. The Scenes, Dresses, Decorations and Machinery are entirely new. The Scenery of the Opera designed and painted by Greenwood and Capon. The Masque and Decorations by Marinari. The Machinery by Cabanel and Jacobs.The Dresses by Johnston and Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. [Afterpiece in place of The Adopted Child, advertised on playbill of 5 May.] Receipts: #269 8s. (213.0.6; 53.16.0; 2.11.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Abington. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. [See 12 April 1771.] Afterpiece: Taken from Sir John Vanbrugh. Boxes and Pit are laid together. Paid Mr Loutherbourg on acct (per Mr Johnston) #41 13s. 4d.; The Author of the Fair Quaker (vide 23 Nov. last) #78 8s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #276 15s. 6d. Charges: #65. Profit to Mrs Abingston: #211 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Love. Mr Love Hiss'd in the Scotchman. Dumont by Mr Powell (Hopkins). Characters Dress'd in Habits of Times. Mr Love was hissed very much in the Scotchman, and the Farce hissed at the end (Hopkins Diary-MacMillan). No building on stage. On Saturday Othello with a New Burletta call'd Music A-La-Mode, or Bayes in Chromatics For the Benefit of Vernon. [The principal characters were to have been played by King, Vernon, Packer, Fox, Mrs Mrs Dorman, and Miss Young (Public Advertiser, 13 April). But it was deferred at the last minute and seems never to have been performed. Larpent MS 237 lists the parts: Dr Crochet, Player-Packer; Squire, Justice; Damon; Daphne, Chorus of Shepherds and Nymphs. $J. P. Kemble thought it a burlesque at the expense of Dr Arne (professor of nonharmonic music). The Player wants in it to banish all but four plays (Tamerlane, London Cuckolds, George Barnwell, and Twelfth Night) and fill stage performance with music.] Receipts: #208 14s. 6d. (MacMillan); charges: #64 4s. [Profit to Love: #144 10s. 6d.

Event Comment: Benefit for J. Aickin and Mrs Jeffries. Tickets deliver'd by Miss Tetley will be taken

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 9 years. [See 7 Feb. 1757.] Mr J. Aickin hissed.--Mr Holland and Mrs Baddeley played well (Hopkins Diary). Mr Garrick had the honour of being with the King of Denmark Tuesday morning last, and conversed with him for near half an hour on the state of the stage in England and France. The King gave him an elegant gold snuff-box studded with diamonds as a small mark of the great regard he had for his extraordinary talents (London Evening Post, 14 Oct.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not played for 20 years. Afterpiece: By Desire. The Play very dull Little Applause (Hopkins Diary). Benefit for Reddish. Theatrical Review, 28 March: The plot of this piece is taken from a well known passage in history, which, however, is too barren of incidents for the support of a piece of 5 acts, on which account it is rather languid and tedious, notwithstanding the language in general is tolerable poetical. What could induce Mr Reddish to revive so dull a performance, after it had been neglected for 20 years, we cannot conceive, unless it was with a view of having an opportunity to rant a few speeches in favor of liberty; but (as the piece was miserably represented except in the characters of Timoleon and Eunesia) we think Mr Reddish extended his liberty a little too far with the public; for which neither his Occasional Prologue, the Solemn Sacrifice, nor the Epilogue spoken by Miss Younge, made sufficient atonement. Paid 4 days salary #333 19s.; Mrs Abington's Cloaths Acct #1; Mr S. French 6 days #1 10s. (Treasurer'sBook). Receipts: #205 16s.; Charges: #67 6s. 6d.; Profit to Reddish: #138 10s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Prosser, Simpkinson, Jackson, J. Wilson, Smith, Mrs Lampe, Mrs Hamilton, Miss Willis, the Widow Wise, the Widow of the late Dr Arne will be admitted this Evening. Receipts: #169 (50.14.6; 5.2.6; tickets: 113.3.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Not acted for 3 years. [See 21 March 1763.] Part of Pit laid into Boxes. No building on Stage. Farce never before acted. [Attributed to Mrs Clive, not printed.] Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Clive, at the Two Red Lamps, in Great Queen St., Lincoln's Inn Fields, and of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. Part of pit laid into boxes. House charges #61 4s. [Profit to Mrs Pritchard #68 8s.] Lent to Mr Johnston, Prompter, by order #2 2s.; Paid to James Aickin on his note #40; Paid Poor's rate (1!2 year for St Martin's) #20 4s.; Salary list #294 2s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #129 12s. (Treasurer's Book). Went to see Macbeth for Mrs Pritchard's Benefit. Got a good seat in the Pit, which was not full for half an hour after I went, tho part of it was laid into the boxes. Read the Public Advertiser of Today' and part of London Chronicle before the play began...Dance of the Furies in the 4th Act, and end of the Play (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: A New Comic Opera of Two Acts written by Mr Bate--Much hissing and Crying out no more no more!--Mr Reddish was desired to give out the Play as soon as Matilda was over--but he with his usual politeness ran up and undress'd himself as fast as he could so that the play was not given out till the End of the Farce as soon as the Blackamoor was given out for the next Night they kept a great Noise and call'd for another Farce to be given out--at length they began to be more appeas'd and went away vowing Vengeance on it the next Night (Hopkins Diary). The Overture and Music of the afterpiece entirely New. Books of the Songs &c. to be had at the Theatre. New Scenes, Dresses, &c. [This is Larpent MS 400. Sir Oliver Oddfish distrusts his servants and is about to replace them with blacks, giving his nephew the chance to introduce Frederick , his daughter Julia 's lover, in disguise as a blackamoor, and to effect an elopement. Act I criticizes Londoners and concludes with the comment, "O that I should ever live to see the day when white Englishmen must give place to foreign blacks." MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid the late Mr Johnston's bill to his executors #44 18s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [Afterpiece reviewed in three columns in the Westminster Magazine for Feb. Reviewer thought it had been produced well in all departments, music, scenery, costume, and acting, but concluded it a theatrical trifle giving not much credit to its author.] Receipts: #166 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. Afrerpiece: Never performed there, a Musical Entertainment, which went off with great Applause the New Scene of the Regatta was properly introduc'd in the Farce (Hopkins Diary). Rec'd Stopages #10 4s. 6d.; Mr Burges one quarter's rent (land tax deducted) #4 4s.; Paid Mr Grist by order of Mr Garrick #10; Mr Johnston's Music bill #14 3s. 6d.; Mr Burges (bricklayer) #52 2s. 6d. Receipts: #82 3s. 6d. Charges: #66 18s. Profits to Bannister: #15 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Johnston's bill #7 10s. 6d.; Supernumeraries #6 12s.; Chorus by R. Shaw #10; Mantuamaker #13 5s. 4d.; Foulis for Music Copying #2 8s.; Land Tax 1 Yr. #79 12s. 6d.; Billstickers #3 6s.; Booth, tailor, #14 13s. 1d. "Mrs Jordan has a voice, the tones of which are infinitely more musical and sweet than those of any professional singer we have. There is also an interest about her singing, arising not from what may be called musical feeling, but the impression of the subject. Thus, though sometimes a little untrue, we love her songs, and forbear to weigh them in the diatonic or chromatic scales" (Oracle, 3 Oct.). Receipts: #450 3s. (393.2; 56.3; 0.18)

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No Admittance behind Scenes. No Money to be returned after Curtain is drawn up. Places to be had of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door. To Begin precisely at half an hour after Six. [Customary information at foot of each bill, will not be further noted.] [Announcement of improvements in the physical plant appeared in the newspapers in August 1762. Aug. 2. "A great number of workmen are now employed in getting ready Drury Lane Theatre for the ensuing season. The stage has been greatly lengthened, and the Pit and Boxes considerably enlarged, having taken in one of the lobbies for that purpose; the two galleries are also entirely rebuilt, and rendered much larger and more commodious, and the slips on each side are formed into green boxes. It is computed from the several alterations made that the house will contain #90 more than heretofore." Aug. 11: "We hear that the greatest improvements are making in Drury Lane Theatre against the ensuing season ever known, particularly a fine artificial cascade which will be exhibited in an entertainment the grandest and most beautiful ever seen in this or in any Kingdom."-Theatrical Miscellanies, Boston Public Library, Cuttings, G 60.23.

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnston (housekeeper). House charges #84. [Deficit #66 4s. 6d.] Rec'd Stopages #2 13s; From Clutterbuck #200; Paid Salary list #435 19s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #17 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnston (Box-book and Housekeeper)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnston (Housekeeper and Box-bookkeeper)

Event Comment: Benefit for the young D'Egvilles, Johnston & Dale. Receipts: #233 1s. 6d. (24.12.0; 15.15.6; 0.16.0; tickets: 191.18.0) (charge: #108 7s. 11d.)