Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy [by Oliver Goldsmith] never perform'd. [Carried in the Account Book under its secondary title. A long and grudgingly favorable review appeared in the Westminster Magazine: On the whole the Comedy has many excellent qualities: though we cannot venture to recommend it as a pattern for imitation. Still attached to the laudable intent of it, we wish it may keep possession of the stage till a better comedy comes to relieve it." There follows a long account of Foote's Puppet Show.] Receipts: #234 11s. 6d

Event Comment: A New Comic Opera of Two Acts written by Mr Bate--Much hissing and Crying out no more no more!--Mr Reddish was desired to give out the Play as soon as Matilda was over--but he with his usual politeness ran up and undress'd himself as fast as he could so that the play was not given out till the End of the Farce as soon as the Blackamoor was given out for the next Night they kept a great Noise and call'd for another Farce to be given out--at length they began to be more appeas'd and went away vowing Vengeance on it the next Night (Hopkins Diary). The Overture and Music of the afterpiece entirely New. Books of the Songs &c. to be had at the Theatre. New Scenes, Dresses, &c. [This is Larpent MS 400. Sir Oliver Oddfish distrusts his servants and is about to replace them with blacks, giving his nephew the chance to introduce Frederick , his daughter Julia 's lover, in disguise as a blackamoor, and to effect an elopement. Act I criticizes Londoners and concludes with the comment, "O that I should ever live to see the day when white Englishmen must give place to foreign blacks." MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid the late Mr Johnston's bill to his executors #44 18s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [Afterpiece reviewed in three columns in the Westminster Magazine for Feb. Reviewer thought it had been produced well in all departments, music, scenery, costume, and acting, but concluded it a theatrical trifle giving not much credit to its author.] Receipts: #166 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Afterpiece: A new Farce never performed. Altered from Sir Charles Sedley's Piece of the same title by Dr Goldsmith. Acted only this night (playbill). [The notation on the alteration is by Kemble on the playbill. The characters are: Sourby, Octavio, Wentworth, Dancing Master, Scamper, Clarissa and Jenny. See Edition by Alice I. Perry Wood (Cambridge, Mass., 1931).] Charges #66 5s. Profit to Quick #7 6d., plus #80 from tickets (Box 100; Pit 263; Gallery 156) (Account Book). [Brief review of the Grumbler in the Westminster Magazine for May 1773: "It was several years ago translated from the French, and received this night some additional touches from the pen of Dr Goldsmith. An entertainment of one act cannot be expected to contain much. The whole merit of this is centered in one character, and perhaps in one scene."] Receipts: #73 5s. 6d