Event Comment: Prelude [1st time: PREL 1, by George Colman elder; incidental music by Thomas Linley Sen. and Nicola Piccinni. Prologue by David Garrick (Poetical Works, II, 327)]. The Words of the Songs in [the] Prelude will be given at the Theatre. The Doors to be opened at 5:3O. To begin at 6:30 [see 11 Nov.]. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Fosbrook at the Stage Door. No Money to be taken at the Stage Door, nor any Money returned after the Curtain is drawn up. The TR opened this Season under the Management of Messrs Lacy, Sheridan, Ford and Linley. This Summer the Flys has been raised considerably--the Stage widened and heitened--the orchestra enlarged, and Iron ornaments at the Top. New Brooms written by G. Colman Esq. went off with tolerable Applause--is much too long (Hopkins Diary). Public Advertiser, 3 Oct. 1776: This Day at Noon will be published New Brooms! (1s.). [Yates had last acted Malvolio at dl on 6 Jan. 1764 and at cg on 5 May 1772.] Receipts: #269 19s. 6d

Event Comment: [As afterpiece Public Advertiser announces The Rival Candidates, but see Hopkins Diary, 12 Oct.] The Managers met again to-day, but nothing settled. Hamlet was given out. I saw Mr Sheridan, he told me that Mr Lacy and he had agreed that no Play should be given out, nor any Bills put up, till they had settled this Affair, which was to be done to-Morrow at Mr Wallis's (the Attorney's) where they were all to dine. I waited on Mr Lacy, who agreed to the same, and no Bills or Paragraph were sent to the Papers. All the Business of the Theatre is at a Stand, and no Rehearsal called. Wed. 16th--Mr Sheridan, Dr Ford and Mr Linley dined today by Appointment with Mr Wallis where Mr Lacy was to have met them; about four o'clock he sent a verbal Message that he could not come to Dinner, but would wait upon them in the Evening, and about nine o'clock he came, and everything was settled to the Satisfaction (of them all) and a Paragraph sent to the Papers, and the Hypocrite and Christmas Tale was advertised for Friday, but no Play was to be done on Thursday--Covent Garden did not play on Friday (Hopkins Diary). Public Advertiser, 16 Oct., summarizes the proprietors' dispute: the Drury Lane patent had been purchased [in 1747] by David Garrick and James Lacy. On his death Lacy had devised his half-share to his son, Willoughby Lacy; on his retirement from the stage Garrick had sold his half-share to Sheridan, Ford and Linley. The original agreement between Garrick and Lacy, as recited in a document retained by the attorney Albany Wallis was that, in case of the sale of either share of the patent, or any part of either share, the seller was obligated to offer the first refusal to purchase to the other partner, and that this was to be done only when the theatre was closed for the summer. In selling one half of his share to Robert Langford and to Edward Thompson, Willoughby Lacy was--so argued his three partners--acting illegally: he had not offered to them the first refusal, and he was negotiating the sale at a time when the theatre was open. Public Advertiser, 17 Oct.. prints a statement from Lacy saying that he did not feel himself bound by the original agreement between his father and Garrick, but that, in the interest of the business of the theatre, he had asked Langford and Thompson to withdraw their claim to partnership, to which request they had acceded. Receipts: #130 9s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. The Music by Purcel and Dr Arne, with the additional Airs and Chorusses by the late [Thomas] Linley Jun. [Gazetteer, 9 Nov., notes that the music for the Chorus of Spirits was composed by Purcell, for Ariel's song by Dr Arne, for the storm scene by Linley Jun.] Receipts: #162 11s. (126/10/0; 35/19/6; 0/1/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 3, by Sir George Collier, based on Zemire et Azor, by Jean Francois Marmontel]: The Music [by Thomas Linley Sen., adapted from Gretry], Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations entirely New. The Scenes, &c., designed by DeLoutherbourg. The Words of the Songs, &c. to be had at the Theatre. The Entertainment is splendidly got up--The Music by Thomas Linley Jun. [sic] was very well received (Hopkins Diary). Public Advertiser, 7 Dec. 1776: This Day is published the Songs in Selima and Azor (6d). [Text 1st published by J. Bell, 1784.] Receipts: #218 7s

Event Comment: Garrick put the finish hand to the sale of half the patent &c. to Dr Ford, Linley, Ewart, and Sheridan for #35,000 to be delivered over in June next. Garrick it was said rais'd #12,000 last year by subscription to pay New Ornamentation, which cost #3000, so that the remaining #4500 and #35,000 was no bad interest for the #5,000 he gave in 1747. New property valuation giving him a...(Winston MS 11, from Burney News Cuttings). Paid Mr Palmer, spermacetti candle Bill #186 13s.; Mr Machin, Chorus, 19 times #4 15s. Rec'd Mr Percy's rent 1 year to Mich Last, #10; Stopages #14 5s. Receipts: #167 2s. (Treasurer's Book). From the Morning Chronicle, 19 Jan.: "David Garrick, Esq., has signed and sealed for the sale of his share in the patent and Property of Drury Lane Theatre. The purchasers are Dr Ford, Mr Ewart, Mr Linley, and Mr Richard Sheridan. The purchase money is #35,000. The public may now therefore depend upon it that this will be the last season of Mr Garrick's performing. The new proprietors as an act of their own, have stipulated that Mr Garrick shall continue to keep that box which has of late years been set apart for the accomodation of his family. Mr Garrick intimated last night to the audience his having sold his share in Drury Lane Theatre, by answering in the part of Abel Drugger , on being asked if he had any interest at the theatre, 'I had some, I don't know what I may have.'

Event Comment: Among the instrumental performers are Shaw, W. Parke, Mason, Parkinson, Hyde, A. Shaw, Archer, Corfe, C. Parkinson, Dressler, Flack Sen., Flack Jun., Zwingman. Under the direction of Linley. At Play-house Prices. No Money to be returned. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. 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 [same throughout oratorio season]

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. [Public Advertiser, 18 Feb., refers to the Overture to Rodelinda, which opened the performance, and to Street Bird, sung by Miss Linley, accompanied on the organ by Stanley; Oft on a plat of rising ground by Miss Prudom; Hide me from day's garish eye by Miss Linley; Horn and Morn by Reinhold.] 2nd piece: Set to Music by Handel. Tickets to be had and Places for the Boxes to be taken of Fosbrook at the Stage Door of the Theatre, at half a guinea each. Pit 5s. 1st Gallery 3s. 6d. 2ndGallery 2s. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same throughout oratorio season]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy of 3 Acts [by George Colman] never performed. [In the Shakespearean Pageant, with figures from seventeen of his plays, the chief effectiveness lay with the Musicians who ushered in each group with appropriate music: Martial Music-The Roman Characters of Coriolanus and Julius Caesar; Soft Music-Antony and Cleopatra; Grand Music, Old English Characters-King John, Richard III, Henry VIII: Magical Music, "above, about, underneath" for Prospero; Macbeth's Music; Fairy Music-Oberon and Titania; Solemn Music for Tragic Muse accompanied by Othello, Hamlet, the Ghost, Mad Ophelia and Lear with Cordelia; Dead March in Saul-Juliet's Bier with attendants; Allegro for the Comic Muse-Falstaff, Touchstone, Launcelot, Malvolio; Andante-Florizel and Perdita, Portia Antonio and Bassanio; Flourish-for Car drawn by the muses carrying Shakespeare's Bust; Final Song by Mrs Mattocks, "Sweetest Bard that Ever Sung, Nature's glory, Fancy's Child--." The Prelude is, in print, entirely favorable to Garrick's effort at Stratford. But it could be rendered in a mercilessly ironical manner if the three participating actors so chose. Mainpiece reviewed in the Freeholder's Magazine, Oct.] Receipts: #224 10s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Accompaniments to the Airs composed by Linley? Sen.. Receipts: #165 9s. (113.13; 51.7; 0.9)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Miles Peter Andrews. Prologue by Edward Topham. Epilogue by the author (see text)]: With New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The Words of the Roundelay [composed by Thomas Linley Sen.] introduced in the Comedy will be given gratis at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 9 Apr. 1781: This Day is published Dissipation (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #243 4s. 6d. (234.6.0; 8.4.0; 0.14.6)

Event Comment: The Characters will be dressed in the Habits of the Times. The Musick of Macbeth had a proper Attention paid to it in the getting up by Mr Linley (who composed the Additional Accompaniments) and went off with great Applause. Mrs Melmoth, who came out at Covent Garden [on 26 Feb. 1774], made her first Appearance upon this Stage in Lady Macbeth, was very wild in the Part, met with some Applause. The Play was dressed in the Habits of the Times. [Note added by J. P. Kemble: I have seen some of these Habits, and very paltry and very improper they were] (Hopkins Diary). [Mrs Melmoth was from the Edinburgh theatre.] Receipts: #191 1s. 6d