Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. 1st piece: Written by Mrs Inchbald. 2nd piece: For that night only. 3rd piece: Written by Foote; 1st time at that Theatre. Morning Herald, 28 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Quick, No. 98, High Holborn. Receipts: #325 4s. 6d. (152.3.0; 5.10.6; tickets: 167.11.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister, being her Last Appearance on the Stage. [Address by George Colman, ynger (Thespian Magazine, Oct. 1792, p. 102.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. [acted 21 Jan. 1789. Mrs Esten has 1st acted Belvidera at Bath in the season of 1786-87]. Afterpiece [1st time; M. INT 2, by John Cartwright Cross. Larpent MS 883; not published. Prologue by John Taylor (his Taylor, Poems, I, 43). Rees' 1st appearance at this theatre was on 14 May 1788]: The Overture and the whole of the Music by Dibdin. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [Most of these songs had originally appeared in Dibdin's "table entertainment," The Oddities, 1st performed at the Lyceum, 7 Dec. 1789.] Receipts: #244 18s. 6d. (234.8.0; 10.10.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. A new and accurate Edition of the Tragedy to be had at the Theatre. "[Mrs Siddons's] eyes possess a peculiar brilliancy and animation...Her voice is sonorous and variable" (Candid Strictures, 33). Receipts: #311 13s. (296.3; 13.0; 2.10)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by John O'Keeffe. Prologue by John Taylor (see text). Address by John Wolcot (Pocket Magazine, supra)]: With new Dresses and Decorations. [Mrs Lee was from the Salisbury theatre.] Morning Chronicle, 11 May 1795: This Day is published Life's Vagaries (2s.). Receipts: #268 3s. 6d. (259.19.6; 8.4.0)

Event Comment: Last Night of the Company's performing this Season. Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Mrs Shotter, Wyatt, Waller, Gawdrey, Ratchford, the Band, Coombes, Page, Wilkins, Robson (door-keeper), Warwhick, Dosel, Paskin, Wells, Ansell, King will be admitted. Receipts: #467 13s. 6d. (67.10.0; 3.14.0; tickets: 396.9.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by William Henry Ireland; incidental music by William Linley. Prologue by Sir James Bland Burges; Epilogue by Robert Merry (see text)]: With new Scenes, Dresses & Decorations. The Scenes designed and excuted by Greenwood and Capon. The Dresses by Johnston, Gay & Miss Rein. Printed slip attached to Kemble playbill: A malevolent and impotent attack on the Shakspeare MSS. [i.e. those forged by W. H. Ireland, of which this play was one] having appeared, on the Eve of representation of Vortigern, evidently intended to injure the interest of the Proprietor of the MSS., Mr Samuel? Ireland [W. H. Ireland's father] feels it impossible, within the short space of time that intervenes between the publishing and the representation, to produce an answer to the most illiberal and unfounded assertions in Mr Malone's enquiry [i.e. Edmond Malone, An Inquiry into the Authenticity of certain Papers attributed to Shakspeare, Queen Elizabeth, and Henry, Earl of Southampton, 1796]. He is therefore induced to request that Vortigern may be heard With that Candour that has ever distinguished a British Audience. The Play is now at the Press, and will in a very few days be laid before the Public. [But it was not issued until 1799 (see below). See also Bernard Grebanier, The Great Shakespeare Forgery, London, 1966.] 4 Apr., states that the first three acts were listened to with patience, but beginning with the fourth act the play was damned, when "one tremendous yell of indignation from the pit burst simultaneously." "At four o'clock the doors of the theatre were besieged; and, a few minutes after they were opened, the pit was crowded solely with gentlemen. Before six not a place was to be found in the boxes, and the passages were filled...The audience betrayed symptoms of impatience early in the representation; but, finding its taste insulted by bloated terms, which heightened the general insipidity, its reason puzzled by discordant images, false ornaments, and abortive efforts to elevate and astonish, pronounced its sentence of condemnation at the conclusion of the play" (Gentleman's Magazine, Apr. 1795, pp. 346-47). "Irelands play of Vortigern I went to. Prologue spoken at 35 minutes past 6 [see 29 Mar.]: Play over at 10. A strong party was evidently made to support it, which clapped without opposition frequently through near 3 acts, when some ridiculous passages caused a laugh, mixed with groans-Kemble requested the audience t o hear the play out abt. the end of 4th act and prevailed.-The Epilogue was spoken by Mrs Jordan who skipped over some lines which claimed the play as Shakespeares. Barrymore attempted to give the Play out for Monday next but was hooted off the stage. Kemble then came on, & after some time, was permitted to say that "School for Scandal would be given," which the House approved by clapping. Sturt of Dorsetshire was in a Stage Box drunk, & exposed himself indecently to support the Play, and when one of the stage attendants attempted to take up the green cloth [i.e. a carpet which, by custom, was laid on the stage during the concluding scene of a tragedy], Sturt seized him roughly by the head. He was slightly pelted with oranges" (Joseph Farington, Diary, 1922, I, 145). Account-Book, 4 Apr.: Paid Ireland his share for the 1st Night of Vortigern #102 13s. 3d. Morning Chronicle, 29 Mar. 1799: This Day is published Vortigern and Henry the Second (4s.). Receipts: #555 6s. 6d. (528.6.0; 26.9.6; 0.11.0)

Event Comment: [as Miss Mahon Mrs Second has sung in the cg oratorios in 1789 and 1790.] Receipts: #189 5s. (187.5.6; 1.19.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Acasto to Murray, but "An apology was made for Murray, who was prevented by illness from playing Acasto, which, at a short notice, was taken by Hull" (True Briton, 14 Oct.).] "This whole of [Mrs Spencer's] performance was marked by such unaffected simplicity that it was almost impossible to consider it as the mere fiction of the scene. This lady is really a great aquisition to the house" (True Briton, ibid). Receipts: #254 6s. 6d. (244.18.6; 9.8.0)

Event Comment: By Authority of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Lacy, formerly of the Theatre Royal, Drury-Lane. Tickets to be had of Fosbrook, at the Box Office of the Drury Lane Theatre, and Rice, at the Box Office of the Theatre-Royal, Haymarket, where Places for the Boxes may be taken. [Address by John Taylor (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1798, p. 370). On this night the following appeared both at dl and at the hay: Hollingsworth, Caulfield, Bannister Jun., Suett, Miss Pope, Mrs Bland.

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for an Infant Orphan Family. Tickets to be had at No. 17, Tufton-street, Westminster; of Appleby, Hosier, Parliament-street; Mrs Cleaver, Cannon-row, Parliament-street; Newcomb, Confectioner, Bridge-street, Westminster; Taylor, Linen-draper, Whitehall; Thomas, Butcher, Charing-cross; Medhurst, Pastry Cook, Russel-court, Drury-lane; Rice, at the Theatre, where Places for the Boxes may be taken

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for the General Lying-In Hospital, Bayswater, Under the Patronage of Her Majesty. Tickets to be had at the Hospital; of Longman and Wilkinson, Cheapside; Broderip andCo., Haymarket; and of Brandon at the Theatre, where Places for the Boxes may be taken. Many of the Re-Renters have generously relinquished their Privilege upon this Night. [Faulkner had acted at dl on 21 Dec. 1796, and Mrs Johnstone at cg on 4 Jan. 1798.] Receipts: none listed

Event Comment: Boswell (Restoration Court Stage, pp. 180-81) believes that a performance occurred on this day, as well as on 16 Feb. 1674@5, Shrove Tuesday, the date often specified in advance statements. For previous notices, see 2 Feb. 1674@5, 15 and 22 Dec. 1674. Edition of 1675:....followed at innumerable Rehearsals, and all the Representations by throngs of Persons of the greatest Quality...at the 20th or 30th, for near so often it had been Rehearsed and Acted....And the Composer of all the Musick both Vocal and Instrumental Mr Staggins. Langbaine. (English Dramatick Poets, p. 92): a Masque at court, frequently presented there by Persons of great Quality, with the Prologue, and the Songs between the Acts: printed in quarto Lond. 1675....This Masque was writ at the Command of her present Majesty: and was rehearsed near Thirty times, all the Representations being follow'd by throngs of Persons of the greatest Quality, and very often grac'd with their Majesties and Royal Highnesses Presence. John Evelyn (The Life of Mrs Godolphin): [Mrs Blagge] had on her that day near twenty thousand pounds value of Jewells, which were more sett off with her native beauty and luster then any they contributed of their own to hers; in a word, she seemed to me a Saint in Glory, abstracting her from the Stage. For I must tell you, that amidst all this pomp and serious impertinence, whilst the rest were acting, and that her part was sometymes to goe off, as the scenes required, into the tireing roome, where severall Ladyes her companions were railing with the Gallants trifleingly enough till they were called to reenter, she, under pretence of conning her next part, was retired into a Corner, reading a booke of devotion, without att all concerning herself or mingling with the young Company; as if she had no farther part to act, who was the principall person of the Comedy...[With] what a surprizeing and admirable aire she trode the Stage, and performed her Part, because she could doe nothing of this sort, or any thing else she undertooke, indifferently....Thus ended the Play, butt soe did not her affliction, for a disaster happened which extreamly concern'd her, and that was the loss of a Diamond of considerable vallue, which had been lent her by the Countess of Suffolke; the Stage was immediately swept, and dilligent search made to find it, butt without success, soe as probably it had been taken from her, as she was oft inviron'd with that infinite crowd which tis impossible to avoid upon such occasion. Butt the lost was soon repair'd, for his Royall Highness understanding the trouble she was in, generousely sent her the wherewithall to make my Lady Suffolke a present of soe good a Jewell. For the rest of that days triumph I have a particular account still by me of the rich Apparell she had on her, amounting, besides the Pearles and Pretious Stones, to above three hundred pounds (ed. Samuel Lord Bishop of Oxford [London, 1847], pp. 97-100). See also 15 Dec. 1674

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. This Benefit was given to Mr B. after the Season Clos'd on Account of Some trouble he was in (Hopkins Diary). Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. [June 2 by Treasurer's Book.] Profits to Bannister after all charges #106 6s. 5d. This month was publish'd Theatrical Portraits, epigrammatically delineated, &c. 4to. Price 1s. 6d. (Gentleman's Magazine Catalogue). Receipts: #210 6d. (Treasurer's Book). AFTER SEASON RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES (Treasurer's Book). Rec'd: 15 June: Mr Parsonage's (late Williams) Rent 1 yr to Lady day last with 4s. 10d. deducted, #43 10s.; Mr Harrison's Rent 1 yr to ditto with #7 17s. 6d. Land Tax deducted, #38 2s. 6d.; for candles, oil & lampmen on Theatrical Fund Night #3 18s. 6d. 18 June: From Public Advertiser this season #50; from Daily Gazetteer #50; from Mr Pope 1 yrs. rent to Lady Day last with #1 13s. land tax deducted, #28 7s. 23 June: From New Additional Sinking Fund #241 13s.; Patentees' Draft on Mr Clutterbuck #50; Music forfeits this season, Mr D. Richards included, #25 14s. 7d. 25 June: Their Majesties Account 8 nights #80, the Queen's Ladies 2 nights #6. 29 June: Mr Rowland's Rent 1 year to Lady Day last with #2 2s. land tax deducted #40 18s. 30 June: Mr Evans (wardrobe?) sundry forfeips this season #47 8s. Paid: 4 June: Tallow chandler's 9th & last Bill (#37 12s. 9d., but with a discount at 8 on #350 16s. amount of this season's Bills) #9 11s. 6d. Mr Page in full of #25 this season, #1 10s.; Rector & Watch Covent Garden parish 1 year to Lady Day last #1 8s. 4d. 10 June: Two Housekeeper's Bills #11 3s.; half yrs, paving &c. St Martin to Lady Day last #17 13s. 15 June: Messrs Barrow & Co., Oil, #191 14s. 6d.; Messrs Marshall & Co. (plumbers) #55 3s.; Mr Cropley (linen draper) #15 13s. 6d.; Mr Cole (turner) #12 15s.; Mr Dalmaine (embroiderer) #3 13s. 6d.; Mr Landall (Undertaker) #3 4s. Mr Hatsell (mercer) #37 7s.; Mr Carpue (silk dyer)#7 7s. 6d.; Mr Barrett (wax chandler) #27 1s. 6d.; Mrs Vaughan (haberdasher) #7 16s. 6d.; Messrs Sandys & Co. (colourmen) #72 6d.; Mr Carter (scowrer) #20 6s.; Messrs Hewetson & Co. (lacemen) #27 3s.; Mr Stephens (mason) #4 6s.; Mr Cubit (tinman) #12 4s. 6d.; Mr Hopkins & Co. (ironmongers) #10 18s.; Mr Powney (stationer) #4 7s. 16 June: Miss Berkley on note #5 5s.; half yrs rent to Duke of Bedford to Lady Day last #165 2d.; Loss on sale of 330 and 1!2 light Guineas, #17; Mr Pope's Bill for Wigs, &c. #14 2s.; Mr Pope for 69 nights extra dressing this season #6 18s.; Mr J. Johnston's Music Bill, #16 12s. 6d. 23 June: Lowe & Co. (glaziers) #4 7s. 6d.; Scott & Co. (lacemen) #17 11s.; Waller & Co. (hosiers) #7 10s.; Mrs Chitty (coals) #28 10s.; Bibb (sword cutler) #1 5s.; Gardner (shoemaker) #6; Thomson (smith) #23 7s.; Chettell (timber) #40 17s.; Ireland (upholsterer) #35 1s.; Blakes (hatter) #3 1s.; Palmer (spermacetti candles) #124; Dorman (coals) #27 15s.; Dorman for attending practices of dances this season, #10 10s.; A. Johnston's Bill for sundrys #47 11s.; Mrs Garwood (laundress) #12 15s. 29 June: Black Lyon Bills for Wardrobe, Carpenters & Surveyors Dinners #25 14s.; Mr J. French on Acct #9 10s. 30 June: One yrs paving &c. to Covent Garden Parish to Lady Day last #3; Hopkins' Prompter's Bills #30 17s.; Victor's gratuity #30., and extra salary 2 weeks #5; Evans in lieu of Benefit #42, and extra salary 2 weeks #3. Books closed 30 June 1774: @Total Receipts #33,075 1s. 11d.@Total Expense #30,153 15s. 10d.@Profits #2,921 6s. 1d. divided as follows:@To Patentees #1840@To Mr Clutterbuck #1,081 6s. 1d.@*c1774 06 02 dl Benefit for Bannister. This Benefit was given to Mr B. after the Season Clos'd on Account of Some trouble he was in (Hopkins Diary). Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. [June 2 by Treasurer's Book.] Profits to Bannister after all charges #106 6s. 5d. This month was publish'd Theatrical Portraits, epigrammatically delineated, &c. 4to. Price 1s. 6d. (Gentleman's Magazine Catalogue). Receipts: #210 6d. (Treasurer's Book). AFTER SEASON RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES (Treasurer's Book). Rec'd: 15 June: Mr Parsonage's (late Williams) Rent 1 yr to Lady day last with 4s. 10d. deducted, #43 10s.; Mr Harrison's Rent 1 yr to ditto with #7 17s. 6d. Land Tax deducted, #38 2s. 6d.; for candles, oil & lampmen on Theatrical Fund Night #3 18s. 6d. 18 June: From Public Advertiser this season #50; from Daily Gazetteer #50; from Mr Pope 1 yrs. rent to Lady Day last with #1 13s. land tax deducted, #28 7s. 23 June: From New Additional Sinking Fund #241 13s.; Patentees' Draft on Mr Clutterbuck #50; Music forfeits this season, Mr D. Richards included, #25 14s. 7d. 25 June: Their Majesties Account 8 nights #80, the Queen's Ladies 2 nights #6. 29 June: Mr Rowland's Rent 1 year to Lady Day last with #2 2s. land tax deducted #40 18s. 30 June: Mr Evans (wardrobe?) sundry forfeips this season #47 8s. Paid: 4 June: Tallow chandler's 9th & last Bill (#37 12s. 9d., but with a discount at 8 on #350 16s. amount of this season's Bills) #9 11s. 6d. Mr Page in full of #25 this season, #1 10s.; Rector & Watch Covent Garden parish 1 year to Lady Day last #1 8s. 4d. 10 June: Two Housekeeper's Bills #11 3s.; half yrs, paving &c. St Martin to Lady Day last #17 13s. 15 June: Messrs Barrow & Co., Oil, #191 14s. 6d.; Messrs Marshall & Co. (plumbers) #55 3s.; Mr Cropley (linen draper) #15 13s. 6d.; Mr Cole (turner) #12 15s.; Mr Dalmaine (embroiderer) #3 13s. 6d.; Mr Landall (Undertaker) #3 4s. Mr Hatsell (mercer) #37 7s.; Mr Carpue (silk dyer)#7 7s. 6d.; Mr Barrett (wax chandler) #27 1s. 6d.; Mrs Vaughan (haberdasher) #7 16s. 6d.; Messrs Sandys & Co. (colourmen) #72 6d.; Mr Carter (scowrer) #20 6s.; Messrs Hewetson & Co. (lacemen) #27 3s.; Mr Stephens (mason) #4 6s.; Mr Cubit (tinman) #12 4s. 6d.; Mr Hopkins & Co. (ironmongers) #10 18s.; Mr Powney (stationer) #4 7s. 16 June: Miss Berkley on note #5 5s.; half yrs rent to Duke of Bedford to Lady Day last #165 2d.; Loss on sale of 330 and 1!2 light Guineas, #17; Mr Pope's Bill for Wigs, &c. #14 2s.; Mr Pope for 69 nights extra dressing this season #6 18s.; Mr J. Johnston's Music Bill, #16 12s. 6d. 23 June: Lowe & Co. (glaziers) #4 7s. 6d.; Scott & Co. (lacemen) #17 11s.; Waller & Co. (hosiers) #7 10s.; Mrs Chitty (coals) #28 10s.; Bibb (sword cutler) #1 5s.; Gardner (shoemaker) #6; Thomson (smith) #23 7s.; Chettell (timber) #40 17s.; Ireland (upholsterer) #35 1s.; Blakes (hatter) #3 1s.; Palmer (spermacetti candles) #124; Dorman (coals) #27 15s.; Dorman for attending practices of dances this season, #10 10s.; A. Johnston's Bill for sundrys #47 11s.; Mrs Garwood (laundress) #12 15s. 29 June: Black Lyon Bills for Wardrobe, Carpenters & Surveyors Dinners #25 14s.; Mr J. French on Acct #9 10s. 30 June: One yrs paving &c. to Covent Garden Parish to Lady Day last #3; Hopkins' Prompter's Bills #30 17s.; Victor's gratuity #30., and extra salary 2 weeks #5; Evans in lieu of Benefit #42, and extra salary 2 weeks #3. Books closed 30 June 1774: @Total Receipts #33,075 1s. 11d.@Total Expense #30,153 15s. 10d.@Profits #2,921 6s. 1d. divided as follows:@To Patentees #1840@To Mr Clutterbuck #1,081 6s. 1d.

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Charke. Mainpiece: Written by Mrs Charke. Intermixed with Songs. At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Dormer, Author of the Female Rake, &c. Afterpiece: a Ballad-Comedy of Two Acts never performed before. [By Joseph Dorman (?). Tickets at Mrs Talbot's Coffee House in the Passage in DL Playhouse and at the Author's House in Old Bailey.]

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Mainpiece: Written by the celebrated Mrs Eliza Haywood. Not acted these 6 years. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2 (?)]: Written by a Comedian [unidentified. not in Larpent MS; not published]. The above Pieces have been a long Time in Rehearsal, and as no Expense has been spared in procuring respectable Performers from capital Theatres, there is no doubt (as the Comedies have sterling Merit) of their giving Satisfaction to the Audience. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15

Event Comment: Benefit Turner and Miss Careless

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Turner at the Great Room, Dean St., Soho. Oratorio composed by Dr Boyce. To begin at 7:00 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs del'Epine. Afterpiece: [Words by Barton Booth. Music by Pepusch.] A New Masque, Set to Musick after the Italian Manner, and perform'd all in English. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Atkins. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality.At 7 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Dunstone. The Songs at the Request of several of the . . . Free and Accepted Masons