Event Comment: At Penkethman's and Jubilee Dickey's Booth at the Horns-Inn

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Mainpiece: Never acted there. Charges #69 12s. 6d. Profit to Woodward #121 2s. 6d., plus #44 10s. from tickets (Box 178) (Account Book). The several Musical Pieces performed last night at Covent Garden, were very agreeably received by a numerous Audience. The well contrasted variety of the Compositions in which each performer exerted their [highest] excellency had the most pleasing effect. Dr Arne's elegant Serenata, as well as the Thunder Ode, composed by Mr Michael Arne, met with the greatest Applause. The Performance will be repeated on Wednesday Next (Public Advertiser). Receipts: #190 15s

Event Comment: 2nd ballet: With entirely new Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations. The Music entirely new, composed by Millerd, composer for the ballets at the Opera at Paris. In the course of the performance the Grand Procession of Iphiginia into Aulide. The Scenery, Machinery, &c. designed by Marinari, and executed by him and his assistants. The decorations by Johnston, the dresses by Sestini. [Scenario published by J. Hammond [1793].] The Managers beg leave particularly to request that no Gentleman will come behind the Scenes, as the number of people engaged in the ballet, and the variety of scenery and machinery, render such admission highly inconvenient. Morning Herald, 24 Apr,: The story [of the ballet] is perhaps not very intelligibly told; but the shew and the dance are admirable. It begins and concludes with magnificent processions, the last of which brings Iphiginia to the altar, where she is saved just as the holy knife is raised for the sacrifice. At this instant the chariot of the Sun, the brilliancy of which is much beyond any former representation of the sort, passes over the stage, and is, for some time, suspended over the altar, while the whole corps de ballet offer their adorations

Event Comment: Farce hiss'd (Cross). The Confederacy is oblig'd to be deferr'd a few days (playbill). [Goldsmith in The Bee (Vol. 1759, p. 154) comments on the farce: "Too narrow a plan...The poor affecting the manners of the rich might be carried on through one character or two, at the most, with great propriety; but to have almost every personage on the scene almost of the same character, was unartful in the poet to the last degree." He laments the barrenness of incident, but admits one or two scenes are "fine satire and sufficiently humorous...Whatever defects there might be in the composition, there were none in the action; in this the performers shewed more humour than I had fancied them capable of."] Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: Farce not so much hiss'd (Cross). This month published A Defence of Mr Garrick in Answer to the Letter Writer [See 13 Oct.], 37 pp. [Closes with the paragraph: "Nor need I take notice of your accusation against the manager for his neglect in the Decorations of the Scenery, since it is notorious to everyone who has eyes, that the scenes at Drury Lane are as well adapted to the Representations, and as well executed, as any Covent Garden can boast of (though you are pleased to assert the contrary) Pantomimical Decorations not excepted."] Receipts:#100 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMrs Abington left about this time for Ireland (Genest, IV, 574). Receipts: #170 (Cross)