Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by James Cobb, based on Doktor und Apotheker, by Gottlieb Stephanie]: With entirely new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. The Music composed by Carl? Ditters [von Dittersdorf] and with additional music by Stephen? Storace. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #182 13s. (126.1; 55.12; 1.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb. Text 1st published (unauthorized), Dublin, 1792]: The Scenes entirely new, designed and executed by Greenwood. With new Dresses and Decorations. The Musick composed principally by Storace, with a few Pieces selected from [Una Cosa Rara, by] Martini [i.e. Martin y Soler], Salieri, and Paisiello. "The Siege of Belgrade is a very pleasing vehicle for the music, which in a modern opera is all that is expected from the poet" (Universal Magazine, Jan. 1791, p. 66). "The battle between Palmer and Kelly ought to be shortened. It is almost as ludicrous as that between Don Whiskerandos and Beefeater, in Mr Puff's Tragedy [in The Critic]" (Gazetteer, 4 Jan. 1791). Account-Book, 24 May 1791: Paid Cobb for Copyright of Siege of Belgrade of #210. Receipts: #267 9s. 6d. (242.0.0; 23.9.6; 2.0.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 5, by James Boaden. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (see text). In 1796 acted at CG reduced by the author to 4 acts]: With new Scenes and Dresses. Morning Herald, 14 Apr. 1794: This Day is published FONTAINVILLE FOREST (1s. 6d.). [Afterpiece in place of THE HIGHLAND REEL, advertised on playbill of 24 Mar.] Receipts: #263 19s. 6d. (251/5/6; 12/14/0)

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: [Written by James Thomson.] With New Habits

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Afterpiece: A New Farce of Two Acts. Taken from Shakespear: Intermix'd with Songs. [By James Worsdale.]

Event Comment: By Desire. Afterpiece: a Dramatic Fable. [By James Miller.] Edition of 1739: The Musick by Mr Arne. Sung by Mrs Clive

Event Comment: Afterpiece by James Miller

Event Comment: Tragedy never acted. By James Thomson. Characters New Dress'd. But as it is rather more fashionable to run mad about Mr Thomsons's play, I will change my theme and talk to you of Tancred. I want much to know how you like it, at this distance I would lay any wager you do not like it so well as your sister does, who certainly cannot be your sister and not have been to see it long ago. Everybody agrees that no play was ever so much improved in acting, at least since the Booths and Bettertons. That first scene expecially, where Siffredi discovers to Tancred who he is, pleased me almost beyond anything I ever saw, indeed even before I saw it, that scene was my favourite. But what do you think of the story, and what of the style?-A Series of Letters between Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, I, 60 (dated strangely 2 March). [On 26 April, the Daily Post published a letter by Bellario on Tancred and Sigismunda, discussing the kind of support it received]: A very remarkable new Lord of the Treasury was proud of appearing its Foster Father, and attended at the public rehearsals; the first night of the performance this celebrated person and his friends in the Box with him (all very lately most flaming Patriots) were seen clapping their hands at the following remarkable speech: First of You All...To Quit Mistakes. [The letter also discussed political aspects of the play, then the poetry of the lines. The author heard that three hundred lines were cut out after the first performance, and was of opinion that double that amount would have been beneficial.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pitt, Booth & L'Estrange. Morning Chronicle, 7 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Pitt, James-street; of Booth, No. 35, Brownlow-street, Long-acre; of L'Estrange, Bolton-street, Long-acre. Tickets delivered for Elfrida will be taken. Receipts: #161 15s. 6d. (45.8.6; tickets: 116.7.0) (charge: #91 10s.)

Event Comment: No Money to be returned. Boxes 6s. 2nd Price 3s. Pit 3s. 6d. 2nd Price 2s. Gallery 2s. 2nd Price 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Fosbrook, at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 14 Nov.]. The Avenues to the Boxes, Pit and Gallery are all at the Front of the Theatre in the Hay-Market, and the Door in Market-Lane is for Chairs only. "The short time since it had been determined to occupy this theatre had not been sufficient to enable the workmen to perfect what was intended so soon as was expected; nor could they be got out in time for opening the doors in the afternoon: this delay, and the difficulty of finding the way to different parts of the house [see 24 and 27 Sept.], caused some disgust" (Universal Magazine, Sept. 1791, p. 220). 1st piece [1st time; M. PREL 1, James Cobb; music by Storace (Kemble Mem.). Larpent MS 918; not published]. Receipts: #472 8s. 6d. (451.7.6; 20.6.0; 0.15.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; BALL. P 2, by James Byrn. Synopsis of action, somewhat enlarged from that on playbill (H. Macleish, 1794)]: The Music partly new by Shield, and partly selected from Haydn, Mazzinghi, Gluck, Baumgarten, Gretry, Martin? y Soler, Dezede, Eley. With a new Overture for a Double Orchestra composed by Reeve. The Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations are entirely New. The Scenery painted by Hodgins, Walmsley, Phillips and Lupino Jun., assisted by Hollogan, Byrn, &c. The Dresses chiefly designed by Lupino Sen., and executed under the direction of Dick. "This ballet [is] the most magnificent exhibited on the English stage for many years" (Universal Magazine, Nov. 1794, p. 378). Receipts: #136 13s. 6d. (123.12.6; 13.1.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece an Operetta never perform'd before. The Words by Mr Ayre [James Ayres], and the Musick by Mr Lampe. Benefit Sullivan

Event Comment: Never acted before...From the French of Voltaire [By James Miller]

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Recruiting Officer, announced on playbill of 12 Oct.] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2(?), by James Messink. Not in Larpent MS; synopsis of action in London Chronicle, 15 Oct.]: The Scenes partly new and partly compiled from Rich's Pantomimes [i.e. The Rape of Proserpine, Perseus and Andromeda, Apollo and Daphne, all three written by Lewis Theobald (Morning Chronicle, 15 Oct.)]. The new Music by Dibdin. The new Scenes painted by Carver

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild. 3rd piece [1st time; P 1, compiled probably by James Wild]: For Half an Hour. Patriot, 3 June: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 16, Hanover-street, Long-acre. Receipts: #263 19s. 6d. (152.4.0; 6.5.6; tickets: 105.10.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Relief of the Widows and Orphans of the brave Men who fell in the late Glorious Actions [on 1 June 1794], under Earl Howe. The Whole Receipt of the Night to be applied to the above Fund. Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence. The Tickets for the Boxes at Half-a-Guinea each, are issued under the Direction of a Committee consisting of the following Noblemen and Gentlemen, who have obligingly undertaken to attend to the arrangements of the Evening: The Duke of Leeds, The Duke of Bedford, The Earl of Lauderdale, Lord Mulgrave, Lord William Russel, The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor [Paul Le Mesurier], Mr Alderman Coombe, Hon. Thos. Erskine, J. Nesbit Esq., I. B. Church Esq., W. Devaynes Esq., J. Taylor Vaughan Esq., J. J. Angerstein Esq., R. B. Sheridan Esq. Tickets and Places for the Boxes, not disposed of by the Committee, to be had of Fosbrook, at the Box-Office, Little Russel-Street. Tickets also to be had at the Bar of Lloyd's Coffee House. Afterpiece [1st time; ENT 2, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan and James Cobb; with songs written by the Duke of Leeds, the Earl of Mulgrave, Mary Robinson, Joseph Richardson, &c. In 1797 altered as CAPE ST. VINCENT. Prologue by Joseph Richardson (London Chronicle, 4 July). Epilogue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]: The Music composed and selected by Storace [with one song each by Reeve. Linley Sen., Michael Kelly]. The Dresses, Scenery and Machinery entirely New. "This piece is a sort of continuation of No Song No Supper...hastily put together for the occasion" (European Magazine, July 1794, p. 60). "The Theatre this Evening was crowded in every Part, the receipt amounting to something better than 1300 Guineas" (Powell). Powell, 1 July: Country Girl rehearsed at 10; Glorious First at 12 and at night. 2 July: Glorious First rehearsed at 10. Receipts: #1,526 11s. (450/6/0; 41/13/0; 0/12/6; tickets in boxes: 954/0/0; tickets in pit: 80/0/0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: 1st piece: In one Act [i.e. reduced from the original two]. 2nd piece: Compressed into four Acts by the Author [James Boaden]. Receipts: #217 0s. 6d. (210.19.6; 6.1.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Samuel Birch, based on James Powell's unacted play, The Narcotic, 1787; incidental music by Thomas Attwood (see 28 Nov.). Larpent MS 1182; not published; synopsis of plot in Morning Chronicle, 30 Oct.]. Receipts: #309 19s. 6d. (222.7.6; 86.1.0; 1.11.0)

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: [Huddart, whose 1st appearance on the stage was at the Crow Street Theatre Dublin, on 14 May 1798, is identified in European Magazine, Oct. 1798, p. 258.] "In the gentle and tender scenes [Huddart] was impressive...but in the impassioned parts he was often too boisterous, and from his too eager exertion, he exhausted himself, in a great measure, before the conclusion of the piece" (Morning Herald, 16 Oct.). [Mrs Pope, as Miss Campion, had 1st appeared as Desdemona at the same theatre, 11 Mar. 1790. Mrs Wybrow was from the Royal Circus. She had appeared at cg on 6 June 1798.] Afterp iece [1st time; BALL. PI, by John Cartwright Cross. Larpent MS 1228. Text (i.e. synopsis of the ballet, and the songs) in his Circusiana (Lackington, Allen & Co., 1890), Vol. 1; it lists the cast for the Royal Circus]: Taken chiefly from the favourtie Piece of the latter Title [1st acted at the Royal Circus, 9 Apr. 1798], with Alterations and Additions by the original Author. The Music by Sanderson, and Scenery by Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, Blackmore, &c. Receipts: #294 15s. 6d. (290.8.6; 4.7.0)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Hamilton, and the Little Chimney-Sweepers, her Sons. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: [The play is opened by Mrs Beverley and Charlotte, and when Mrs Siddons came on she was hissed because of a widespread report that she had refused to act for Brereton's benefit in Dublin. "A considerable period of time was lost; it might be forty minutes before the play began . . . We could perceive that the lady supported herself with a great degree of firmness under this very aweful trial--a trial which, in great measure, determined her future fame--perhaps her residence in this metropolis" (Town and Country Magazine, Oct. 1784, p. 510). "The Breretons have used her shockingly--Mrs B. was mean enough to sneak off the stage and leave her to stand the insults of a malicious party tho' she knew the whole disturbance was on her account and that her husband had at least been obliged to contradict the reports that concern'd him" (Betsy Sheridan, Journal, 1960, p. 32). Mrs Siddons explained to the audience that the stories circulated against her were "calumnies." She had, in fact, on 19 Aug., acted Jane Shore in Dublin for Brereton's benefit (Dublin Public Register, 19 Aug. 1784). "Though Mrs Siddons delivered this address with her usual judgment and articulation, and it was received with reiterated bursts of applause, yet she was so agitated when off the stage as to be very near fainting, and continued for some time much flurried" (Public Advertiser, 6 Oct.).] Receipts: #304 5s. (291/13; 12/11; 0/1)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Saunders and Mrs Cox. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Abington. 1st piece: By Permission of the Author. 2nd piece [1st time; C 1, attributed to Frances Abington. Larpent MS 1209; not published]: From La? Somnambule; or, Sleep Walker [by Antoine deFeriol, comte de Pont-de-Veyle]. Receipts: #303 12s. (176.1.6; 4.1.0; tickets: 123.9.6)