Event Comment: The last Night of the Company's performing this Season. [As 2nd and 3rd pieces the playbill announces, respectively, The Maid of the Oaks and The Farmer, but they were not acted. Their substitutes are listed in the Account-Book, and both are reviewed in Morning Chronicle, 10 June.] Account-Book, 13 June: Received [stage] Forfeits #42; 20 June: Received from Their Majesties for the Box #60, from the Princess Royal for the Box #30; 10 July: Paid Lewis for Management from Lady Day 1785 to Midsummer 1788 #650. Receipts: #147 19s. 6d. (141.18.6; 6.1.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years [not acted since 2 Nov. 1761]. With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. In Act I a Grand Banquetv. In Act II the Trial of Queen Katharinev. In V a Procession to the Christening of Princess Elizabethv. [These were included in all subsequent performances.] Mrs Siddons's Queen Katharine was "too laboured -particularly the Trial Scene, where the words came so slow and measured that they seemed to be distilled" (Public Advertiser, 29 Nov.). Receipts: #260 11s. (248.12; 11.6; 0.13)

Event Comment: By Command of Her Majesty. [This was the first time that members of the royal family had appeared in public since the beginning of the King's illness (his first attack of insanity) in November 1788. See also 21, 24 Apr.] The drop curtain with the King's arms on it shown when the front curtain first rose was the "original curtain exhibited on the opening of Lincoln's Inn Fields theatre [in 1714]...It has lain by in the scene-room of Covent-Garden theatre nearly seventy years, but was rescued from oblivion, retouched, and the appropriate ornaments added for the occasion" (Public Advertiser, 16 Apr.). On the Queen's entrance "the house called for God save the King, and the theatre being prepared, the song was immediately sung by Bannister, Johnstone, and Darley, the house joining in the chorus. It was encored...At the end of the play [it] was again called for, and again sung twice. At the end of the pantomime it was again called for; and the theatre not sending forward the performers, the audience cheerfully sung it for themselves; and having sung, they encored themselves; so that altogether it was sung six times in the course of the evening. Her Majesty had a bandeau of black velvet, on which were set in diamonds the words 'Long live the king.' The princesses had bandeaus of white satin, and 'Long live the king' in gold" (Universal Magazine, Apr. 1789, p. 218). Receipts: #388 16s. 6d. (385.12.0; 3.4.6)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Follett, Warrell, A Gentleman, Miss Leserve will be admitted. Received of Their Majesties for the Box #80; for the Princess Royal's Box #40; for Her Majesty's Servants #6 6s. Receipts: #226 10s. 6d. (104.5.0; 4.3.6; tickets: 118.2.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons. To prevent Confusion, Ladies and Gentlemen are desired to send their Servants by Half past Four o'Clock. Mainpiece: In I The Cardinal's Banquet. In II the Court for the Trial of Queen Katharine. In V a Grand Procession to the Christening of Princess Elizabeth. Morning Herald, 7 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Siddons, No. 49, Great Marlborough-street. Receipts: #493 16s. (258.15.6; 25.13.0; 1.16.0; tickets: 207.11.6) (charge: #159 8s. 10d.)

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for a Fund, established for the Relief of those Performers who through Infirmity shall be obliged to retire from the Stage. [Author of Prologue unknown. This was Mrs Pitt's last appearance on the stage.] Received for the King's box #50; for the Princess Royal's box #25; for Their Majesties' Servants' box #2 2s.; from Cadell for Books #30 0s. 6d. Receipts: none listed

Event Comment: 1st piece: With Alterations; Not acted these 6 years [acted 18 May 1792]. [The playbill announces this performance as "By Command of Their Majesties," but they, "who had been expected here last night, did not arrive; the indisposition of two of the Princesses having detained them at Windsor" (Morning Herald, 16 Apr.). "After the Relief of Williamstadt [which is not listed on the playbill, but which on 13 Apr. is called '8th Time,' and on 16 Apr. '10th Time'], the Irishman in London...was attempted to be performed; but after many unsuccessful apologies, the piece was not suffered to proceed, and the farce originally intended for representation, The Lying Valet, not without considerable difficulty, many of the performers having quit the theatre, was gone through with, to the gratification of a part of the audience who appeared determined rather to exercise their power than adhere to propriety" (Public Advertiser, 16 Apr.).] The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]. Receipts: #345 5s

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act I the Cardinal's Banquet. In Act II the Court for the Trial of Queen Katharine . In Act V a Grand Procession to the Christening of Princess Elizabeth . Receipts: #115 10s. (105.0; 10.10)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act I The Cardinal's Banquet. In Act II The Court for the Trial of Queen Katharine. In Act V a Grand Procession to the Christening of Princess Elizabeth. Paid Charles Smith on Acct. of Upholders Work at Drury Lane Theatre #400. Powell: Henry VIII rehearsed at 10 (for Packer, lame, and Mrs Siddons); Siege of Belgrade music at 12 (for Storace, Bannister Jun., Crouch, Davis, Danby). The Iron Curtain being finish'd was this Evening exhibited for the first Time with the Epilogue [and see 21 Apr.]. "On the 24th February, 1809, this theatre was burnt down . . . Every care had been taken to guard against such a calamity. Two large reservoirs for water, on the top of the house, happened, unfortunately, at this crisis to be empty; and an iron curtain, intended to separate the auditory from the stage, for the purpose of saving a part of the edifice in case of conflagration, was, with its machinery, so much out of order as to be useless; it was, in fact, utterly immoveable" (Brayley, p. 8). Receipts: #451 8s. 6d. (389/4/0; 56/5/0; 4/6/6; tickets not come in: 1/13/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act I The Cardinal's Banquetv. In Act II The Court for the Trial of Queen Katharinev. In Act V a Grand Processionv to the Christening of Princess Elizabeth. Afterpiece: Representation of the Engagementv, as 14 Oct. [In mainpiece the playbill omits Lord Sands, but "Sands Hollingsworth, Baddeley ill" (Powell).] Powell, 17 Oct.: Chaplet rehearsed at 10 [see under 16 Oct.]; Drummer at 11; Roman Actor at 12 (order to be dismissed by Mr Kemble); 18 Oct.: Haunted Tower rehearsed at 10; Wedding Day at 12. Receipts: #307 6s. (227.18; 77.6; 2.2)

Event Comment: Ode: In two Parts. Principal Instrumental Performers as 20 Feb., but omitted: Bridgtower, Archer, Mahon, Lavenu, Napier, Simpson. Mr Ashley is exceedingly concerned that he is under the necessity of informing the Public that the Anthem [The Anthem that will be performed at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, on the Nuptials oF his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the Princess Caroline of Brunswick, composed by Handel, to conclude with the Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah (advance playbill of 25 Feb.)] advertised for this Evening is necessarihy postponed until the Royal Marriage shall have taken place

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 2, by William Pearce. The Masque was produced in honor of the marriage of the Prince of Wales and Princess Caroline of Brunswick, 8 April 1795]: The Overture composed expressly for the Occasion by Haydn, as is the rest of the Music by Salomon [and see 9 Apr.]. The Scenery, Machinery, Decorations and Dresses are entirely New, and Designed by Noverre, except St. George's Hall, painted by the late Signor Cipriani. The Scenery executed by Hodgins, Walmsley, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, and many Assistants. The Machinery and Decorations by Sloper. Goosetree and Martinelli. The Dresses by Lupino, Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "On the 10th [of April] I was at the Covent Garden Theatre-to see the big Spectacul [sic]-Windsor Castle, the music by Salomon quite passable. The decorations-costumes-scenery, and the enormous amount of people on the stage are exaggerated. All the Gods of Heaven and Hell, and everything that lives on the earth are in the piece" (Haydn, 299). Morning Chronicle, 7 May 1795: This Day is published Windsor Castle (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #266 8s. 6d. (250.12.6; 15.16.0)

Event Comment: Mainpece: In Act I the Cardinal's Banquet. In Act II the Court for the Trial of Queen Katharine. In Act V a Grand Procession to the Christening of Princess Elizabeth. Receipts: #211 1s. 6d. (150.5.0; 58.4.6; 2.12.0)