Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted before, a New Dramatic Opera [Bickerstaffe] the Music by Handel, Boyce, Arne, Howard, Baildon, Festing, Geminiani, Galluppi, Giardini, Paradies, Agus, Abos; with a New Overture composed by Mr Abel. Full Prices. Books of the Opera sold at theatre. [See Theatrical Review; or, Annals of the Drama, 1763, pp. 22-36: Compares Bickerstaff's opera at length with Charles Johnson's Village Opera.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted there. Taken from Shakespear, with a New Overture and New Music between the acts

Event Comment: A New Comedy Written by Mrs Sheridan. This play was well Acted, but the subject seem'd to displease. The three first Acts pass'd off tolerably; in 4 Act they begun to hiss, & continued it to the End of the play. When Mr Havard went forward & Address'd the Audience &c. as follows Ladies & Gentn as Some passages in the play had given offence, they should be omitted the Next Night. Much hissing, & many Cry'd out No more! no more &c. (Hopkins). Much Hiss'd (Cross Diary). A new Comedy (The Dupe) wrote by Mrs Sheridan.--This play was very well acted,--but the subject much displeased.--in 4th act much hissing, and so on to the end. When Mr Havard told the audience as some passages in the play had given offence, they should be omitted the next night, much hissing and many cried out, "No more, No more." (Hopkins Diary-MacMillan). Receipts: #167 18s. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: This night a new Occasional Interlude call'd Hymen was introduc'd between the Acts; but not put in the Bills (Hopkins). [For cast, see 21 Jan.] An occasional Interlude on the Marriage of Princess Augusta to Prince of Brunswick call'd Hymen (Cross Diary). This night a new occasional Interlude called Hymen, but not in the bills. Hymen was written by Mr Allen (Hopkins Diary-MacMillan). [The Larpent MS 217 lists four characters and a Chorus: Hymen, Cupid, Venus, Mars, Chorus. The words of the Songs by Cupid, Hymen and Venus were published in the Public Advertiser, 23 Jan.] Receipts: #122 5s. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: This Night a New Song was Introduc'd in the Pantomime upon the Prs Augusta's leaving England (well receiv'd) (Hopkins). New occasional Song in the Pant (Cross Diary). Receipts: #208 11s. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: [R$Ross this month wrote to Colman (Harvard Theatre Collection A.L.S.) inquiring about an intended new theatre at Bath, and opened his heart as follows: "My present situation is most irksome to me and must be to any gentleman or man of merit in his profession to have such an ignorant and now ill-bred fellow as Beard? presume to conduct the business of a theatre Royal, of which he is totally ignorant, and oblig'd to apply to the great Gibson, who naturally wishes to lower every man to his own standard, while the other despises every degree of merit that is not compris'd in Sol fa and wishes the theatre only to substitute as an Opera house." Ross wanted to be nominated for the manager's postition in the new theatre at Bath. N.B. He had already acted 23 times this season in his best parts.

Event Comment: This Week a Patent passed the Great Seal for the Establishment of a new Theatre, to Samuel Foote, Esq. only (Public Advertiser, London notes, p. 2, col. 3). Mr Barry and Mrs Dancer from Dublin are said to be engaged for this summer at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket (Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser, London notes, p. 2, col. 2, which corroborates the Foote patent)

Event Comment: Benefit for Weller, Murden, Lewes. Afterpiece for 52nd and last time this season. Tickets deliver'd for Friday the 15th will taken. Tickets sold at the Door will not be admitted. Charges #65 10s. [Deficit to each beneficiary #1 14s. 4d., covered by income from tickets. Weller #41 14s. (Box 7; Pit 145; Gallery 182); Murden #41 12s. (Box 31; Pit 111; Gallery 172); Lewes #61 10s. (Box 45; Pit 239; Gallery 144).] Paid the Duke of Bedford half year's ground rent due Lady Day last for the theatre #41 13s. 4d. (#50 minus half year's Land Tax #8 6s. 8d.). Paid Duke of Bedford half year's ground rent for the New Building adjoining the theatre #12 10s. (#15 minus half year's Land Tax #2 10s.). (Account Book). Receipts: #60 1s. (Account Book). At 5 went to Covent Garden to see Conscious Lovers &c....Got a bad place hn the First Gallery...Lewis did Harlequin, but not so well as Woodward; and Miss D. Twist did ye Miller's Bride, Miss Wilford's Character. Mrs Mahon does the jealous fellow's wife (Neville MS Diary)