Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire, Afterpiece: By Desire. [Mrs Copin's name spelled Copen until 12 Nov.

Event Comment: Tragedy, never before acted, by Dr T. Franklin. Published at 1s. 6d. [See A Letter from the Rope Dancing Monkey in the Hay-Market to the acting Monkey of Drury Lane on the Earl of Warwick (London, 1767) which damns the play as a flat and insipid plagiarism from de la Harpe's tragedy Le Conte de Warwick, Paris, 1764. Especially severe on Colman's Prologue and Garrick's Epilogue.] Rec'd stopages #4 11s. 6d.; Paid salary list #440 4s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #165 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. Afterpiece: Never acted there before. Mainpiece: Not acted this season. Mrs Ward having been defrauded of a number of Tickets for the above play, those sold at the door will not be admitted. [Afterpiece is John Lee's alteration of Wycherley's play into two acts. See dl 26 April 1765.] @Receipts #74 2s. 6d.@House charges #63@Candles #1 5s.@Extra: Kettle drum 5s.@Side Drum 2s.@Wardrobe #1 9s.@Total #66 1s.@Balance due Mrs Ward #8 1s. 6d.@Tickets 115 129 179 #66@Money #74 2s. 6d.@Total value of House #140 2s. 6d. (Account Book). [Mrs Ward seems to have profited only to the extent of #74 1s. 6d.

Event Comment: HHopkins MS Memorandum Book: Mrs Barry sent word she was so ill she could not come out for the Pageant [The Jubilee]. If she did she could not play in the Mourning Bride on Monday. I waited on her by the manager's orders & told her they would excuse her playing on Monday if she would come out & do her part in Pageant; & as it was a thing of great consequence to them, they desir'd and expected as she had begun it [as the Tragic Muse] that she would continue it as long as she was able. Her answer was, that as they seem'd to think it of such consequence she would come out & do it tonight & Monday night, but after that desir'd to be excus'd from do[ing] it. On Tuesday Morning Mr Barry sent a note that Mrs Barry was ill in her Bed & could not come out till she was better. Tancred & Sigismunda was call'd, and I did not receive the note till the rehearsal was begun. I also on Saturday deliver'd a message to Mrs Barry from Mr Garrick that he would never ask her to play in anything in which he was particularly interested. Her answer was that was in his Rage. But if his mind should alter, she was ready and willing to do anything he would desire her to do

Event Comment: This Comedy is written by Mr Cumberland but I think inferior to his other Productions was tolerably well receiv'd but a most excellent Epilogue was Written by Mr G. & Spoken by Mrs Abington which gave a great Lift to the Play Uncommon Applause to the Epilogue (Hopkins Diary). [Macmillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Paid Mr Lauchery per order #1 1s. (Treasurer's Book). [From the Westminster Magazine, Dec. 1774: We cannot think Mr Cumberland has courted the Comic Muse in this play so successfully as in the West Indian, and the rest of his comedies. His language is unexceptionably good; he is often as witty as Congreve, as easy as Vanbrugh, and as satirical as Wycherly. But language alone will not do. The plot is ill conducted.] Receipts: #243 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy [by R. B. Sheridan] never perform'd. New Scenes and Dresses. [Gentleman's Magazine for Jan. states: "Tuesday 17, Was performed for the first time at Covent Garden a comedy call'd The Rivals, said to be written by Mr Sheridan. Some objections being made both to language and character, the author has thought proper to withdraw his piece for correction, and it has since been played with applause." See 18 and 28 Jan. The Westminster Magazine, Jan., remarked: "This comedy was acted so imperfectly, either from the timidity of the actors on a first night's performance, or from an improper distribution of parts, that it was generally disapproved....The author promised some alterations, which implied that he would be glad the Town would suspend judgment till a farther hearing" See 28 Jan. John Hampden quotes from Lloyd's Evening Post, 18 Jan., the Morning Chronicle and Morning Post of the same date, and the London Chronicle of 19 Jan. articles damning the casting and the imperfectness of the actors, the impudence of Shuter in particular, and the fatigue of the audience.

Event Comment: Benefit for Moody. Paid Paving, Cleaning and Lighting to Lady Day last #27 6d.; 3 extra trumpets 2 nights #2 5s. Charges: #83 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by William Augustus Miles]: The music entirely new, composed by Michael Arne. With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. Books of the Opera to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 15 Apr. 1780: This Day is published The Artifice (1s.). Receipts: #119 8s. 6d. (71.12.0; 47.1.6; 0.15.0)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Separate Maintenance, announced on playbill of 3 Sept.] Afterpiece [1st time: MF 2]: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. The new Scenes painted by Rooker. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [Larpent MS 568; text 1st published (authorized), Cumberland's British Theatre, XXXI.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Never performed here. Written by [John] O'Keeffe; As it was performed at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket [beginning with 4 Sept.], with the greatest Applause. The Overture and new Music composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #205 7s. 6d.(203/6/6; 2/1/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Text (which assigns no parts) 1st published in his Posthumus Dramatic Works, I, 1813. Epilogue by the author (Public Advertiser, 24 Apr. 1782). Prologue probably by same; speakers unknown]: With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. Receipts: #171 14s. (166/6; 5/8)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Diana to Mrs Martyr, but "News of Mrs Martyr's husband's death having reached her the day before, an apology was made for her not playing Diana; Miss Wheeler, however, from the other house proved a very agreeable substitute" (.European Magazine, Oct. 1783, p. 310). In afterpiece the playbill assigns Lucy to Mrs Wilson, but on the Kemble playbill a MS annotation substitutes Mrs Davenett.] Receipts: #134 19s. 6d. (133/9/0; 1/10/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years [acted 18 Jan. 1782]. [In afterpiece the playbill retains Edwin, but "At the conclusion of the play an apology was made for Edwin's non-appearance, owing to indisposition, and Palmer and Meadows announced as his substitutes in the two songs in Omai" (Morning Post, 6 Feb.).] Receipts: #231 15s. (229/7; 2/8)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author [of mainpiece]. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Crouch, but she "had, in her way to the theatre, been overturned in a coach. Mrs Brereton read the part of Miss Harley " (London Chronicle, 14 Nov.). The playbill also lists the song, as 12 Nov., but it was not sung on this or any subsequent night. As afterpiece the playbill announces Comus, in which Mrs Crouch was to appear, but it was not acted. Its substitute is listed in the Account-Book.] The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 23 Apr. 1788]. Receipts: #124 14s. 6d. (107.12.0; 15.15.0; 1.7.6; tickets: none listed) (charge: #105)