Event Comment: A New Opera. First performance in England. The Musick composed by Sig Abos

Event Comment: For one Night Only. Benefit for the Author [John Slade]. A New Tragedy, never acted before. To begin 7 p.m. Places for the Boxes to be had of Varney at the Stage Door

Event Comment: A New Opera. Musick composed by Signor Hasse. Application by Regina Mingotti, Manager of ye Operas (Larpent MS)

Event Comment: None admitted behind the Scenes. No after money returned after the Curtain is drawn up. [Repeated during the run of this piece.] A new Farce of 2 acts wrote by Dr Smolet-went off wth Great App: (Cross). [See Theatrical Review for the Year 1757 and the beginning of 1758, for contemporary comment.] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece by Mr Foote (Cross). [Foote advertised that persons in the Author were fictitious, some having said his past friends were introduced. See Theatrical Review, 1757, and Public Advertiser this day: "Whereas it has been represented to the Managers of Drury Lane that Mr Foote in his new Farce call'd the Author, intends introducing the Character of a Gentleaan for whom he has the greatest esteem and regard, he thinks it incumbent upon him to assure the Public, that all the persons in that piece are fictitious and general. Samuel Foote."] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: uthor of the Theatrical Review, 1757-58, pp. 47-48 comments on the afterpiece: "Nothing but my promise to give some observations on all new dramatic productions could have prevailed on me to wade through this farce...I hear the author himself is come over to the public opinion and acknowledges it to be a very indifferent performance."] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: Alter'd from the Italian with several new Additions. [By Dr Morell. Set by Handel. The words entirely adapted to the Music of Il Trionfo del Tempo, composed at Rome about 1707 (Biographia Dramatica).

Event Comment: Play Never acted there before. The Characters new dress'd. [See comment in London Chronicle, March 8-10, 1757, which quotes the lengthy Admonition and Exhortation of the Scots Presbytery to be read from all pulpits, against stage plays. "This Exhortation," writes the London Chronicler, "was probably occasioned by the greatness of the crowds who flocked for many successive nights to see the tragedy of Douglas acted" It had been played in Edinburgh 14 Dec. 1756.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Davies. Last time of performing the Mainpiece this season. Tickets to be had at Mr Davies's No 16 in New Crown Court, Covent Garden. Receipts: #230 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Holland. Afterpiece: By particular Desire. Tickets of Holland at No 17 New Crown Court, Bow St., Covent Garden. Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: At Bence's Room, Swan Tavern, West Smithfield. Boxes 2s. 6d. Pit 1s. 6d. Gallery 1s. Upper Gallery 6d. The scenes, cloaths, paintings and all other decorations are entirely new. The Room is made very Theatrical and commodious for the better reception of Gentlemen and Ladies and a good band of music is provided, consisting of Violins, Bassoons, Hautboys, &c. To begin each day at Twelve o'clock. [This note repeated on subsequent bills.

Event Comment: The pant: was hiss'd & Dull (Cross). Afterpiece: with new Scenes and Decorations, not acted these 4 years [see 15 Oct. 1753]. Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Woodward was taken ill, & Mr Yates his part of Lucio, & Mr Rooker did the Harl: (all well) a Disturbance was design'd by the officers occasion'd by a new Scene (which no Effect) about a Captain being in Leading strings, but we left it out & all was Quiet (Cross). Receipts: #80 (Cross)

Event Comment: [The new scenes and Decorations which continue to be noted for the afterpiece will not be recorded here further.] Receipts: #110 (Cross)

Event Comment: [For Cross' comment, see dl.] Receipts: #203 8s. 6d. Paid Barry one third of the surplus of this night's receipt over and above #80 allow'd for the charges:-#41 2s. 10s. Paid Lambert (Scene Painter) 3 month's salary to 16 Nov. last:-#25 (Account Book). [Lee, who seems to have entered earlier on a percentage-of-Box-Receipts: basis for his salary, received only one-third of receipts above a house charge of #100.] The Tragedy of King Lear was presented on this stage; King Lear by Mr Barry, and Cordelia by Mrs Bellamy; The latter was received with universal satisfaction; but on the former's appearance, after a thundering Peal of Applause, a few misguided persons made it necessary for Mr Barry to inform the audience that it ever had been his study to contribute his utmost to the entertainment of the town, and that all reports of his having been exorbitant in his demands were injurious and totally groundless. Upon this he was desired with one general acclamation to proceed in the play. The disturbers of the public were ordered to be silent or to be turned out of the house; and this great actor proved, by the improvement he has made in this character, that excellent as he is, he is still capable of reaching new strokes of perfection; and in the conclusion of the play the applause he met with was the tribute of hearts gratefully agitated through the whole performance with a variety of passions thrown into a ferment by powers most wonderfully suited to tenderness and compassion (London Chronicle, 3-6 Dec.)