Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Ward, but "An apology was made for Mrs Wilson's reading the part of Angelica, vice Mrs Ward, who was suddenly taken ill" (Diary, 22 Mar.). Afterpiece in place of The Pannel, advertised on playbill of 18 Mar.] Receipts: #234 3s. 6d. (188.12.0; 44.1.6. 1.10.0)

Event Comment: [By Ambrose Phillips.] At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. William Egerton: And in the Spring came on Mr Phillips's Tragedy, The Distrest Mother. Mrs Rogers, an Actress, who in her Turn, had made a considerable Figure on the Stage, was designed the Part of (Andromache, Hector's Widow, &. i.e.) the Distrest Mother. But the Author, as well as his Friends, were soon convinced that Mrs Oldfield was infinitely the more accomplished Person for so Capital a Part. Upon its being given to Her, Mrs Rogers raised a Posse of Profligates, fond of Tumult and Riot, who made such a Commotion in the House, that the Court hearing of it send four of the Royal Messengers, and a strong Guard, to suppress all Disorders. This being effected, the Play was brought upon the Stage and crowned with deserved Success (Egerton, pp. 31-32)

Event Comment: By particular Desire. Receipts: #101 14s. 6d. (Account Book); #100 (Rylands MS.). [Mrs Porter again received #20 for her performance.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. Part of the Pit will be laid into Boxes. To prevent Confusion Ladies are desired to send their Servants by Half past Four o'clock. Public Advertiser, 10 Dec: Tickets to be had of Mrs Siddons, No. 149 in the Strand. [The most famous "point" in this play was the parting of Belvidera and Jaffier in Act III, and her words, "Remember twelve!" Boaden, Siddons, 1, 354, refers to Mrs Siddons's "querulous melancholy of tone, partaking of doubt, though still hoping for the best," in uttering these words.] Receipts: #335 5s. (157/15/0; 4/0/6; 0/12/6; tickets: 172/17/0) (charge: free). [Thus, officially, the Account-Book, but Mrs Siddons's total profit, from presents and from additional sums being added by her admirers to the usual price of her tickets, was, according to Public Advertiser, 25 Dec, over #800. This figure is almost certainly an accurate reckoning.]

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Butler. [Tickets at Mrs Elizabeth Butler's Leicester Fields. See Daily Advertiser, 18 April for verses spoken by Mrs Butler on this night.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Porter. By Command of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. None to be admitted into the Boxes or upon the Stage but by Printed Box-Tickets. N.B. Pit and Boxes will be separated for the Conveniency of Servants Keeping Places

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber. Tickets delivered for The Orphan will be taken. No building on stage. [Goldsmith, in his Bee (Vol. 1759, p. 56), commenting on Mad Clairon s' excellent preservation of character on stage, glances at Mrs Cibber, perhaps in this night's performance: 'I can never pardon a lady on the stage who, when she draws the admriation of the whole audience, turns about to make them a low courtesy for their applause. Such a figure no longer continues Belvidera , but at once drops into Mrs Cibber." See comment upon her deportment as Ophelia , 29 April 1763.

Event Comment: Windham Diary (30 Jan. 1784), 41: On the Wednesday 1 went to see Mrs Crawford in 'Belvidera', and found her much as I expected, though her disparity was very great. I can perhaps better conceive the delusion that, aided by a little prejudice [in favor of Mrs Siddons] and the recollection of Mrs C. in better times, could hesitate about the preference. The chief faults that I should find would be, that her articulation was cramped and timid, her tones sometimes colloquial and vulgar, her action confined, and her countenance inexpressive. A new man of the name of Pope performed; I pronounced him in my own judgment as inferior, upon the whole, to Brereton. [Henderson's 1st appearance as Pierre was at Bath, 14 Oct. 1773.]

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Henderson. Pit and Boxes will be laid together. Ladies and Gentlemen are most earnestly requested to come early, to prevent Inconvenience in getting to their Places, and to send their Servants to keep them by Four o'clock. [Prologue by Arthur Murphy {Works, 1786, VII, 369).] Morning Herald, 14 Feb.: Tickets to be had at the house of the late Mr Henderson [see 8 Nov. 1785], Buckingham-street, York Buildings. "The poetical address delivered by Mrs Siddons before the play was written by Murphy, and was so very dull that we will charitably suppose his feelings obstructed the operation of his fancy" (General Advertiser, 27 Feb.). Receipts: #141 9s. 6d. (140/15/0; 0/14/6; tickets: none listed) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Garnet

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Haughton and Miss Norman. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality