Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Afterpiece [written by Mrs Clive]: A new farce partly singing, part speakg. Went off well (Cross). Music by Dr Boyce. Five rows of Pit &c. [Stage arranged as on 10 March. The framework for financial analysis of receipts appears in Treasurer's Book, but the figures are missing. The parts for The Rehearsal, according to the Larpent MS 86, were: Mrs Hazard, Nelly, Tom, Witling, Mr Cross; Miranda-$Miss Norris; Corydon-$Beard; Marcella, Miss Giggle, Sir Albany Odelove, Miss Sidell, Miss Daudle.] Receipts: #240 (Cross); charges, #60 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Beard. Part of Pit will be rail'd into Boxes, where servants may keep Places and on the Stage. Tickets to be had of Beard at his House in New North St., Red Lion Square, and of Hobson at the stage door. Rec'd front Cash #67 12s., plus #132 13s. in tickets. Total #200 5s. Paid Hobson for 2 suits of cloaths #21; Salary list #203 7s.; Norton for 1 chorus 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #205 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: A New Opera. To begin at half after six (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: MMasque with a Prologue, for ye Benefit of Mrs Foster, Grand Daughter to Milton & his only surviving Descendant (Cross). [For Prologue, see Gentleman's Magazine April 1750.] Rec'd cash #76 6s., plus #71 4s. from tickets. Total #147 4s. 6d. Paid for 1!2 year New River Water #1; Paid 1!2 year's scavanger's tax to Lady Day #3 14s. 6d.; Norton 4 Chorus #1 (Treasurer's Book). Tickets deliver'd for the 4th will be taken. Receipts: #150 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: At the New Wells, London Spa. To begin at two o'clock and at five o'clock. [This house managed by Matthews, Dancer, and Yeates. See Daily Advertiser 13 March.

Event Comment: At the New Wells, Shepherd's Market. A Dramatic Farce. To begin at twelve noon (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: This day is publish'd a Guide to the Stage; or Select Instructions and Precedents from the best Authorities towards forming a polite Audience; with some account of the Players, &c. Printed and sold by D. Job, at the Spread Eagle in King St. [An ironical post-Addisonian quip at theatrical behavior]: I boldly enter the lists as the first champion for theatric decorum. The next thing to be consider'd is disapprobation, which I think may be sufficiently shewn, by an attention to something else, by loud discourse, profuse laughter, and the like. I cannot help thinking it a little out of character, for a polite audience to distort their features by a hiss: however for the sake of some ambitious youths, who thus love to signalize themselves, I shall leave a new play to their mercy. They then are at liberty to exercise their several talents whether they hiss or groan most successfully, or have a greater genius for the cat-call. If you desire to know when you are to shew your dislike, my answer is, when anything displeases you, or in fine when you will provided you have a strong party to second you; for the best hiss or groan in the universe may be drown'd in a general applause. [Never laugh at what passes on stage save it be an error, blunder, or accident. In tragic scenes avoid being visibly moved by humming a tune, regarding the audience, engaging in conservation, or turning your back to the stage. When a female social rival calls attention to herself and away from the stage, let fall your handkerchief into the pit, or call out to an acquaintance in the opposite box, or burst into loud and unexpected laughter. You'll know when to applaud, for the actors will tell you.] On these occasions Cato looks more than unusually big, Hamlet stares with great emphasis, Othello has a most languishing aspect, Monimia is all sighs and softness, Beatrice will bridle, and pretty Peggy Wildair leers you into a clap. Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: [MS note in hand of Colley Cibber (in R. J. Smith, History of the Stage, Vol. IV. BM 11826r)]: December 25, 1750 Sr. Tho' Death has been cooling his his [sic] heels at my door these three weeks, I have not had time to see him. The Dayly conversation of my friends have kept me so agreeably alive, that I have not passed my time better a great while. If you have a mind to make [?] us, I will order Death to come another day--to be serious I long to see you, and hope you will take the first opportunity. And so wish as merry a Christmas, as many New Years as your heart can hope for, I am Your real friend and Serv't C. Cibber Xmas Day

Event Comment: A New Pastoral Opera. Pit and Boxes to be put together, and no Persons to be admitted without Tickets, which will be deliver'd this Day at the said Office, at Half a Guinea each. Gallery Five Shillings. No person whatsoever to be admitted behind the Scenes. To begin at 6 p.m. [Repeated in all bills.

Event Comment: A New Comedy call'd Gil Blas is now in rehearsal at Drury Lane, and will speedily be performed there. Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: A New Comedy written by Mr Moor, author of ye Foundling--the 3 first Acts went off without much hissing, but the two last were but indifferently treated; a great party for & against it, but it was given out again--great crowding to get in, & ye Pit took possession of many of the Boxes, wch confus'd ye accounts (Cross). [Cast taken from the 1751 edn., since the General Advertiser merely lists the actors and does not mention the Prologue or Epilogue.] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Great applause--I believe the Author had many friends (Cross). This day at 2 o'clock will be publish'd at 6d. The Original Story from which the New Comedy of Gil Blas is taken. Printed for W. Owen, at Temple Bar. Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: A New Pastoral Opera

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pritchard. By desire of Several Ladies of Quality. Part of the Pit and Boxes will be laid together, and servants will be admitted to keep Places on the Stage. N.B. The building on the stage is rais'd on a new plan, much more convenient than any ever yet erected, the Area of the being kept entirely clear, and the Building enclos'd so as to form distinct Boxes, like those in the Front of the House. Tickets and Places to be had of Mrs Pritchard, next the Chapel in Great Queen St., Lincoln's Inn Fields, and of Mr Hobson at the stage Door. Receipts: #250 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Part of Pit will be rail'd into the Boxes. Servants allow'd to keep places. Send servants by 3 o'clock. Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Clive at the Naked Boy in Henrietta St., Covent Garden. Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years [see 18 Nov. 1754]. Afterpiece: With alterations and an additional scene. Mr Havard's benefit play, which should have been acted some day this month, is deferr'd on account of his Indisposition, to the 12th of April, when the new Masque of Alfred will be perform'd, with its proper Scenes, Dances, Music, and Machinery. Receipts: #230 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Afterpiece: A New farce written by Mr Woodward-for his Benefit, The farce was a kind of dispute among ye Actors, & went off, as it was a Benefit, without Interruption, but I believe will not be play'd agen, ye Epil: was a parody upon Shakespear's Stage of Life, & was Lik'd (Cross). No Part of Pit will be rail'd into the Boxes. Ladies send servants by three. Tickets to be had of Woodward at Clarendon's Warehouse, and of Hobson at the stage door. Last time of performing the mainpiece this season. [Larpent MS 92, indicates the afterpiece as a criticism from the actors' view of the way they are handled by audiences, and of their own damnation of a play presented to them. All works up to the Epilogue: @'All the town's a farce-he says and swears,@And all the men and women merely players...'@ which is severe upon politicians, doctors, statesmen and connoisseurs. The characters appear under their own names, Cross, Clive, etc.] Receipts: #300 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Last time of performing mainpiece this season. N.B. A New Tomb will be made use of, so modell'd as to prevent any obstruction to persons sitting on the stage, from seeing the performance. Pit and boxes will be laid together. Amphitheatre on stage. Servants admitted to keep places. Tickets at Mr Barry's in Bow St., Covent Garden and at Stage Door

Event Comment: This Morning we were surpris'd with the unhappy News, that Frederick Prince of Wales Dy'd the Night before between ten & eleven-Mr Beard's Benefit was to be on Thursday & many of ye Bills were posted before we heard of this Accident the Bills were immediately torn down, & the House shut up before my Ld Chamberlain sent orders for so doing-on fryday the 5th of Ap: my Lord sent us leave to open on the 8th: being Easter Monday; it is said our having permission to open so soon, & before the prince was Bury'd was on account of the Actors Benefits depending (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer and Shuter. Last time of acting mainpiece this season. Tickets of Hobson at the stage Door. At Sadler's Wells near Islington will this day be opened a Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Music, divided into two parts; the vocal parts to be perform'd by Hemskirk, Bell, Mrs Yates, and Mrs Hooper. Between the two parts of the concert will be introduced several curious Performances, among which will be a fine representation of the Italian Shadows, which have not been performed in England these 30 years. The whole to conclude with a Grand piece of Fireworks, decorated with machinery and paintings entirely new, Each person to be admitted for a pint of Wine. To begin at 5 o'clock (General Advertiser). Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: A concert, &c. At the New Wells, Lemon St., Goodman Fields. The First Gallery will be made into Boxes, &c. To begin at 6 p.m. Benefit for Goodfellow