Event Comment: Benefit for Moody, Hurst, Mrs Dorman. Mainpiece: Acted but once these 23 years. [But see 29 Dec. 1760 and 29 Oct. 1747.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Afterpiece: By Desire. Benefit for Holland. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. House Charges #67 1s. 6d. [Profit to Holland #201 8s. 6d.] Tragedy (never performed) written in the manner of Shakespeare [by Joseph Reed]. Rec'd stopages 16s. 6d. Paid salary list #294 2s. 8d.; Chorus singers 1 night #2 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #268 10s. (Treasurer's Book). To see Dido, a Tragedy in Shakespere's style, performed for the first time, with Daphne and Amintor. This piece is the production of a Ropemaker of Chadwick, and being refused by the managers, was given to Holland to be played for his benefit. It went off with considerable applause and is by desire to be performed again. Powel and Yates were good in Aeneas and Dido. Holland played Narbel, Havard Bilias, and Bensley Anchises. We had a prologue spoken by King and an Epilogue spoken by Mrs Abington. Before the play began, by the light of my wax taper read No. 1564 of the London Chronicle, in which was Night' a pretty good ode (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No money taken at Stage Door. No Money returned after Curtain is drawn up. [Customary note on subsequent bills.] Yates and Mrs Yates not engag'd. They went to Covent Garden Theatre. Mr Barry and Mrs Dancer engag'd (Winston MS 10). For performances at HAY and MARLY, 12-21 September, see close of Season 1766-1767, pp. 1264-65

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not performed these ten years. [See 12 Jan. 1758.] Paid Sarah Griffith a Bill for Green Wreaths 16s. Paid Mrs Paddick a Bill for cleaning Feathers #1 (Account Book). Receipts: #198 15s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. Afterpiece: Never acted there before. Mainpiece: Not acted this season. Mrs Ward having been defrauded of a number of Tickets for the above play, those sold at the door will not be admitted. [Afterpiece is John Lee's alteration of Wycherley's play into two acts. See dl 26 April 1765.] @Receipts #74 2s. 6d.@House charges #63@Candles #1 5s.@Extra: Kettle drum 5s.@Side Drum 2s.@Wardrobe #1 9s.@Total #66 1s.@Balance due Mrs Ward #8 1s. 6d.@Tickets 115 129 179 #66@Money #74 2s. 6d.@Total value of House #140 2s. 6d. (Account Book). [Mrs Ward seems to have profited only to the extent of #74 1s. 6d.

Event Comment: By Particular Desire. Before the King of Denmark. To being at 7:00 p.m. London Evening Post: Died Mrs Pritchard 20 August after an illness of 10 days. The pains she endured which were great indeed she bore with a fortitude and resignation which the true Christian could only support. She actually obtained a victory over Death, expressing in her last moment the utmost composure, felicity and firmest hope of a lofty change in life and death. She was in all a pattern of worthy immitation

Event Comment: Benefit for Yates. Tragedy written by R. Glover. Part of Pit will be laid into Boxes. Send servants by 4 o'clock. Charges #64 19s. Balance to Yates #52 19s. plus #151 3s. from tickets (Box 589; Pit 26) (Account Book). Neville MS Diary: Having places in the Pit at Covent Garden went to see Mrs Yates do Medea in which she is inimitably great. My strong desire to see her in this character was one reason of continuing to town so long. Read her part before the play began. Her husband is truly comic in Tim in the Knights. Receipts; #117 18s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Morris. The Continuance of Miss Morris's illness rendering it impossible for her to appear at present on the Stage, she takes this Opportunity of returning her most grateful Thanks to those Ladies and Gentlemen who have honoured her with Commands at her Benefit, for which Mrs Bellamy has kindly undertaken to perform the part of Juliet. Charges #69 19s. Balance to Miss Morris #56 19s. 6d. plus #94 15s. from tickets (Box 379). Received from Mrs Vincent her deficiency the 13th inst.--#4 2s. 6d. Receipts: #126 18s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild, Miss Madden and Miss Garman. Afterpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets deliver'd by Francis, Symonds, the Widow Trott, Mrs Hitchcock, Mrs Paddick, and Abbot will be taken. Receiv'd deficiencies from Mahon #1 6s. 9d.; Aldridge #6 5s. 6d.; Davis #12 13s. 9d. @Tickets Box Pit Gallery Value 1!2 Value @Wild 6 40 67 #14 4s. #7 2s. @Miss Madden 9 19 25 #7 12s. #3 16s. @Miss Garman 2 24 72 #11 6s. #5 13s. @Francis 1 43 44 #11 2s. #5 11s. @Symmonds 3 20 52 #8 19s. #4 9s. 6d. @Mrs Trott 28 7 7 #8 15s. #4 7s. 6d. @Mrs Hitchcock 32 39 20 #15 17s. #7 18s. 6d. @Mrs Paddick 6 20 21 #6 12s. #3 6s. @Abbot 2 47 50 #12 11s. #6 5s. 6d. @Total 89 259 358 #96 18s. #48 9s.@ [There were no charges. The House receiv'd 1!2 the value of the tickets (Account Book).] Receipts: #38 11s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Fearon. By Authority

Event Comment: Paid four days salary at #82 3s. 1d. per diem-#328 12s. 4d.; Mrs W. Barry's half Salary #1 3s. 4d.; Mr Inchbald on note #20; Messrs Griffith and Atkins to make up salary #1 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #214 18s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [Last time of performing till the Holidays. Miss Brown identifield by Winston MS 10 and playbill for 29 Oct. 1772 as the young lady, although Miss Potts and Mrs Woodman would seem likely candidates too.] Paid Dunstall the Balance of Theatrical Fund profit #68 1s. 6d. (Account Book). Receipts: #209 17s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Miss Rusport by Miss Young So-So (Hopkins Diary). Paid salary list #502 3s. 6d.; Mrs Abington's cloaths acct #2; Mr S. French 6 days #1 10s.; Rec'd stopages #11 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #208 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Abington. Pit and Boxes Laid together. Paid Mr Burges (bricklayer) #116 1s.; Rec'd Mr Burges's Rent to Xmas last (#4 4s. tax deducted) #16 16s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #276 17s. 6d.; Charges: #64 13s.; Profit to Abington: #212 4s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Permission. Positively the last Night of Performing this Season. Benefit for Dancer, Mrs Fearon, and VanRymsdyck. Tickets delivered by Lloyd and Vowell will be taken

Event Comment: Louisa Dudley first time Miss Hopkins very well receiv'd (Hopkins Diary). Mrs Smith being hoarse, the Wedding Ring deferr'd. Paid Miss Berkley on note 25 Aug. #2 2s.; Mrs Sykes for women's Cloaths #21. Receipts: #163 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Music by Fisher. The whole to conclude with a Capital Scene by Servandoni. Books of the Songs, Chorusses &c. [of the afterpiece] to be had at the Theatre. [Customary note on all succeeding bills advertising the Sylphs this season. Mrs Williams was probably Mrs Willems.

Event Comment: [Lady who played Mrs Oakly identified as Mrs Hunter by Hopkins MS Notes.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Comedy (by Hugh Kelly] of 2 Acts never perform'd. [Written, as the author states in his Advertisement to the Edition of 1774, at the instigation of and on the inspiration of Mrs Abington. The Larpent MS 379 lists a partial cast and the lengths for each part: 10 Hector Strangeways-Mrs Green; 7 1!2 Zelinda 1!2 Jenny-....(A Length was 42 lines of dialogue.)] [From the +Westminster Magazine, Dec: Though there is scarce anything new in the Plot, Characters, Dialogue of this piece; yet upon the whole we found it extremely entertaining. The Indian servant is well introduced to satirize the follies and vices of the metropolis; and Sir Hector and his son give us a good dish of sea terms, well served up by Messrs $Shuter">Shuter; 7 Brownlow-$Bensley; 5 Ormsby-$Clarke; 6 Bussora-...; 5 +Orson-...; 6 +Pillage-$Dunstall; 1!2 Servant-...; 5 +Lady Strangeways-$Mrs Green; 7 1!2 Zelinda 1!2 Jenny-....(A Length was 42 lines of dialogue.)] [From the +Westminster Magazine, Dec: Though there is scarce anything new in the Plot, Characters, Dialogue of this piece; yet upon the whole we found it extremely entertaining. The Indian servant is well introduced to satirize the follies and vices of the metropolis; and Sir Hector and his son give us a good dish of sea terms, well served up by Messrs $Shuter and Quick."

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A Pantomime Entertainment not acted these eight years. [See 20 Oct. 1768.] New Scenes, Dresses and other Decorations. Doors open at 5 o'clock. To begin exactly at 6 o'clock. Theatrical intelligence, Covent Garden: Mrs Hunter, lately returned from Ireland was very well receiv'd in Mrs Oakly, and to do her justice she played the part throughout better than it has been performed for some time at either house. The labourings of Mr Wroughton's jealousy in Oakly reminded us of the progressive workings of a fatt of small beer, when inflated with powerful yeast....Orpheus and Eurydice was reviv'd after the play-the dullest of all dull Pantomimes (Harlequin's Jacket excepted). The two additional scenes we were summoned by the bills to behold, are two of the late memorable regatta:-The first is a perspective of Ranelagh Gardensv to the water, illuminated with party-coloured lamps, which terminates with the temporary obelisk erected on that occasion:-Behind this we just catch the streamers of the barges and etc., supposed to be rowing up to the stairs, and landing their company, to martial music and under the discharge of cannon, imitated by the unnatural slamming of one of the Green Room doors. This scene, however, had a tolerable appearance, but being on too confined a scale, its intended effect must have been lost. The other represented the inside of as much of the Temple of Neptunev as was possible to give the spectators in a theatre:-we cannot extol it by any means as a perfect representation:-and to prevent it coming too near the original, Harlequin, Perot, Pantaloon, and etc. were made to lounge in the orchestra instead of its being occupied by a good band of music:-in short the whole pantomime went off rather flat. It is recommended to the managers here never to suffer the scene shifters to appear again in such garb as they did; old greasy plush waistcoats, with red-stocking sleeves!-such a habit may be in keeping with a blacksmaith's forge, but not for a theatre royal in the metropolis of a polished country (Folger News Clipping)

Event Comment: With New Music, Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations for the Afterpiece. This Farce is brought on the Stage by Mrs Abington--it is very dull--It is vastly well got up and was receiv'd with Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly, mentioning Bickerstaff as the author. Larpent MS 397 contains elaborate stage direction at opening: "An interior apartment in the Seraglio. An arch in the middle of the back scene, which is shut with a curtian. On the right hand toward the front is a sopha in the Turkish manner, low deep, and long, covered with carpets and cushions. A little gold table about eight inches high and a foot and a half square. Upon it a rich or gold saver set with jewels, with two cups on porcelain, and a spoon made of the beak of an Indian bird, which is redder than coral, extremely rare and of extensive price." This may have been intended for a reading audience. In the piece Mrs Abington, an English slave , rebels in the confines of the Seraglio, and start a reform movement wherein men are to please the women. Concludes with demostration of the nobility of English women who will not be enslaved, who will not flatter, who will preserve their liberty and dignity, and who are capable of returning love for honor and respect. Reviewed in Westminster Magazine for Dec.: "The Audience appeared to be divided in their opinion of the merit of the Sultan, some loudly applauding, and others as loudly condemning it, when the curtain dropped. The Majority however, stood firmly for it, and a verdict was returned in its favor. The managers not only well dressed this dramatic trifle, but bestowed three new scenes on it: The Outer Gate of the Seraglio--An Interior view of it--and a Garden terminating in a prospect of the sea. The first was but la! la! The last two were beautiful and picturesque. Five airs were introduced into this piece which had a very good effect....The music of the two first was the composition of Mr Dibdin, and was exceedingly pretty."] Receipts: #143 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The Grecian Daughter cannot be perform'd on account of Mr and Mrs Barry's Indisposition

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never performed before. New Scenes and Dresses. This Comedy is a first production of Mrs Cowley--It was receiv'd with very great Applause-Indeed the performers play'd very well and deserv'd it--the Prologue was written by the Author of the Play dull and Mr Gar. wrote a most Excellent Epilogue quite Local--which was received with uncommon Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly. Mainpiece reviewed in the Westminster Magazine for Feb.: "As we have lately been much afflicted with the melancholy fate of theatrical authors, we have a pleasure more than common in the great sucess of this piece."] Receipts: #256 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Yates. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Part of pit laid into boxes. Send servants at 4 o'clock. Tickets delivered for Cyrus (for this night) will be taken. [The Epilogue is Larpent MS 408. N.B. The Treasurer's Account Book for this year differs from those of the preceding five in not recording the income from tickets delivered out for benefit nights. See Comment, 23 Sept. 1775. The box receipts for benefit performances during this season, therefore, are not an accurate reflection of the popularity of a play.] Paid Mr Stainer for Music #2 4s. 9d. Receipts: #147 19s. 6d. Charges: #68 10s. Profits to Mrs Yates: #79 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Smith. The Farce was much hiss'd (Hopkins Diary). The overture and Songs in it entirely new, composed by Theodore Smith. The farce by Thomas Hull. Paid 1!2 years Poor's rate to Xmas last #32 9s. 6d. Receipts: #98 6s. Charges: #70 6s. Profits to Mrs Smith: #28 (Treasurer's Book)