Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. [2nd piece: 1st acted at the hay, 10 Aug. 1784, as A Peep into Elysium.] Oracle, 6 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Wilson, Park-lane, Church-lane, Chelsea

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Altered from [The Scornful Lady, by] Beaumont and Fletcher [1st time; c 5, by William Cooke; incidental music by Michael Arne. Prologue by the alterer. Epilogue by George Colman, the elder (see text)]. Public Advertiser, 27 Jan. 1783: Wednesday Morning [29 Jan.] will be published The Capricious Lady (price not listed). "The costume of James's reign was strictly attended to in the dresses of the characters; and I remember the enjoyment of Mrs Abington, in a high ruff and a rich silver silk edged with black velvet" (Boaden, Siddom, I, 371). Receipts: #228 4s. 6d. (218/10/6; 9/14/0)

Event Comment: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. Mainpiece: Written by the late Mrs Centlivre

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister. Afterpiece: Written by [John] O'Keeffe, Author of The Son-in-Law, Agreeable Surprise, Young Quaker, &c &c. Tickets to be had of Mrs Bannister, No. 6, Great Russel-strcet, Covent Garden

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pope. Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years [not acted since 12 Mar. 1771]. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Andrew Franklin]. Morning Chronicle, 5 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Pope at her house, Half-Moon-street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #272 14s. (151.14; 5.3; tickets: 115.17) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. "The same person who, in the play, performed the school-fellow of the Nabob with a great deal of nature, and original humour, here acted the part of the school-master; his name is Edwin, and he is, without doubt, one of the best actors of all that I have seen ... [He], in all his comic characters, still preserves something so inexpressibly good tempered in his countenance, that notwithstanding all his burlesques, and even grotesque buffoonery, you cannot but be pleased with him . . . Nothing could equal the tone and countenance of self-satisfaction, with which he answered one who asked him whether he was a scholar? 'Why, I was a master of scholars.' A Mrs Webb represented a cheesmonger, and played the part of a woman of the lower class, so naturally, as I have no where else ever seen equalled. Her huge, fat, and lusty carcase, and the whole of her external appearance seemed quite to be cut out for it" (Carl Philipp Moritz, Travels in England in 1782, London, 1924, pp. 73-74)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Bertie Greatheed. Prologue by the Rev. David Williames. Epilogue by Hester Lynch Piozzi (see text)]: With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 20 May 1788: This Day is published The Regent (1s. 6d.). Afterpiece: Not acted these 12 years [acted 29 May 1779]. "I do think that Mrs Siddons for Vigour of Action, pathetic Tone of Voice, & a sort of Radiance which comes round her in Scenes where strong heroic Virtues are displayed, never had her Equal" (Thraliana, II, 715). Receipts: #226 13s. (211.1; 14.4; O.18; tickets not come in:0.10)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Thomas Holcroft, based on Le Glorieux, by Philippe Nericault, dit Destouches. In 1793 reduced by the author to an afterpiece of 3 acts. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (Knapp, 101, 307). This play was originally attributed to James Marshall (Public Advertiser, 5 Feb.); on 8 Feb. he wrote a letter to the editor of the Oracle, stating that "The School for Arrogance is not mine, but Mr Holcroft's...By appearing for a time as the ostensible author I hope I have contributed to heal what was most unaccomodating between Mr Harris and Mr Holcroft." And see Genest, VII, 24, 27.] Oracle, 19 Feb. 1791: This Day is published The School for Arrogance (1s. 6d.). "If Mrs Wells could be prevailed upon to speak out, so that the audience might hear, it would be of some advantage to the new play. At present, the performer who happens to be on the stage with her has it all in confidence" (Gazetteer, 9 Feb.). Receipts: #186 11s. (181.8; 5.3)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; PAST 2, by Richard Josceline Goodenough, altered from his unacted play The Cottagers]: The Overture and Music composed by Baumgarten. [Baumgarten used this overture again in Robin Hood (see cg, 17 Apr. 1784).] Books of the Pastoral to be had at the Theatre. [Wordsworth is identified in the playbill of 22 Dec. Mrs Webb was from the Hay.] Public Advertiser, 24 Nov. 1779: This Day is published William And Nanny (1s.). Receipts: #122 15s. (116.15.6; 5.19.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett and Wilson. Receipts: #179 7s. (17.15; 6.17; 0.19; tickets: 153.16) (charge: #107 1s. 4d.)

Event Comment: Paid Music the 13th, 15th, 17th Inst. #23 9s. 6d.; Properties Ditto #2 5s.; Kettle Drum Ditto 15s.; Wardrobe #11 1s. 6d.; Supernumeraries #1 16s. 6d.; Chorus Singers #3; Cox for Scenemen #28 2s. 7d.; Hodgins [painter] #4 4s.; Extra Music #2 5s.; Richards, painter #20. [Wilson's last appearance at this theatre was on 20 Jan. 1786.] Receipts: #222 2s. 6d. (208.16.6; 13.6.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Afterpiece : A New Farce [by Joseph Reed] from a Story in Gil Blas, never perform'd (Larpent MS 409). Tickets deliver'd for the Double Gallant will be taken. [The Westminster Magazine for March lists Alguazil-Thompson; Alphonso-Lewis; Inis-$Mrs Willems, tells the story for the play, and concludes: "The story is professedly taken from Gil Blas, and although we cannot pay the Dramatist any great compliment either on his diction, the management of his fable, the sublimity of his allusions, or in a word, on the excellence of his tout ensemble; it would be unjust were we not to say, that the farce provok'd most hearty peals of laughter; it may therefore serve as well as any other such Bartholomew-fair-like droll for a heel-piece to the performance on a benefit night."

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Kemble. Afterpiece [1st time: F 2, by Stephen George Kemble, altered from The Fair Maid of the West, by Thomas Heywood. Larpent MS 914; not published. Author of Prologue unknown]. Morning Chronicle, 15 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kemble, next door to the Old Slaughter's Coffee-house, St. Martin's Lane. "Miss Kemble, though only four years of age, drew forth much applause" (Diary, 17 Aug.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Kemble. Mainpiece: Never performed at this Theatre. Afterpiece: Not acted these 4 years. Morning Herald, 28 July: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kemble at Adams's Masquerade Warehouse, Hay-market

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Palmer (the Lady who perform'd Calista). [Mainpiece: Prologue by Thomas Baker.] No Person to be admitted without a ticket, which may be had of Mrs Palmer, No. 13 Pierpont-Row; at the King's Head Tavern in the upper-Street; and at the place of Performance. [The date of the performance of The Fair Penitent, of which play Calista is the heroine, has not as yet come to light.