Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales

Event Comment: By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales

Event Comment: Benefit for Foly (Box lobby doorkeekper) and Veal (First Gallery doorkeeper). British Chronicle, 16 May: Yesterday Foulkes, a Beadle of Vere St Clare Market fell from the upper gallery of Drury Lane play house into the pit & expired immediately. The seat on which he fell was broke in half. British Chronicle, 16 May: It is said Mrs Pritchard is appointed Dresser to her intended Majesty for the Royal Wedding

Event Comment: Never Perform'd. Founded on Beaumont and Fletcher. Music by Thomas Linley. A Comic Opera the Music entirely new. [By Thomas Hull altered from The Royal Merchant; or the Beggar's Bush (Biographia Dramatica). See 19 Dec. 1767 for further note on Music.] Paid Mr Horne for 4 Tambourines #1 10s. (Account Book). Went into the Pit to see the opera founded on Beaumont and Fletcher, performed for the first time....The music may be good, but the piece is trifling and childish, barren of incident and character except that of Clause played by Bensley and the frightened peasant. The performers are in the Flemish dresses of the times, and do the piece much justice. At the beginning of the 2nd act some fellows in the 2s. Gallery began a disturbance, but were turn'd out and carried before Sir John Fielding, where they confessed that they were hired to disturb this performance by a publican, but refused to say whom....Stood in the well (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #225 1s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Hull the balance of his night of The Royal Merchant the 16th Inst....#38 14s. Paid also the Extra Charge and allowed again for the same night...#3 10s. (Account Book). [Hull seems to have protested the charge of candles, drum & chorus in addition to the high house charge of #84, and seems to have succeeded.] Receipts: #141 13s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by John Delap, based on the Suppliants, by Aeschylus, and the Haraclidae, by Euripides. Prologue by Hester Lynch Thrale (Thraliana, I, 484-85). Epilogue by Arthur Murphy (Murphy, Works, 1786, VII, 57)]: With New Dresses and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 1 Mar. 1781: This Day is published The Royal Suppliants (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #181 10s. 6d. (158.0.0; 22.2.0; 1.8.6)

Event Comment: The Company will be apprised at the doors as soon as the audience part of the Theatre is full. "When the curtain drew up for the new ballet, ladies [were] at the wings sitting...[and] several hundred gentlemen occupied the back of the stage, so that the beautiful scenery which had been prepared for the ballet lost all its effect" (Oracle, 22 Feb., which also states that the part of Roxalana was danced by Mme Hilligsberg). [Didelot and 1st appeared at the former king's theatre on 8 Dec. 1787.

Event Comment: Benefit J. and Ch. Rich. Mainpiece: [Author unknown.] All in the Characters of the Italian Theatre. Receipts: #69 19s

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Afterpiece: A New Dramtic Satire in two acts. N.B. As several of the Town have prejudged the Pit the Boxes and Galleries acting their own parts themselves for their diversion, to be of the same species of the Lick at the Town last year; and that it can mean only the ordinary Approbation or Disapprobation of the Audience, Signor Pasquin thinks it incumbent on himself to assure to Publick that all those conjectures are groundless; And farther, he assures them that the Pit, &c. acting their parts has no other meaning than the common literal sense; and that the Audience are really interwoven in the piece; and are to be bona fide part of the Dramatis Personae; and he makes no doubt but that he shall make them perform their parts to a numerous and polite audience, and with universal Applause. But he begs that those Ladies and Gentlemen who intend to perform in the Pit and Galleries will be at the Theatre betimes, for particular reasons; and those who are to act in the Boxes are requested to send their servants to keep their places by three o'clock. Signor Pasquin has received the letters sent by the Town and the Village, and they may depend upon having Places kept for them upon the Stage. The Hiss concerning the Robin Hood Society will be complied with (General Advertiser). [The parts were: Pasquin, Marforio, Sir Eternal Grinn, Sir Conjecture Positive, Sir Roger Ringwood, Bob Smart, Soloman Common Sense; Count Hunt Bubble, Sir John Ketch, hic and Hac (Scribblers), Hydra, Lady Lucy Loveit, Miss Diana Singlelife, Miss Brilliant, Miss Bashfull (Larpent MS 96).

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Leonard Macnally; words to some of the songs by Edward Lysaght]: With new Music, Scenes and Dresses. The Music composed by Shield [with selections from Sacchini, Bertoni, Lord Mornington, &c. (Public Advertiser, 19 Apr.); overture by Baumgarten, being the same as that used by him in William and Nanny at CG, 12 Nov. 1779 (Town and Country Magazine, Apr. 1784, p. 171)]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 30 Oct. 1784: This Day is published by J. Almon Robin Hood [listing cast for season of 1784-85] (1s. 6d.). [In the season of 1789-90 this was reduced to an afterpiece of 2 acts.] Receipts: #206 4s. (204/3; 2/1)

Event Comment: Benefit for Munden. 2nd piece hst time; MF 2 , by Samuel Birch. MS: Larpent 1011; not published]: The Overture and Music composed by Attwood. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Murning Chronicle, 28 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Munden, No. 6, Frith-street, Soho. Receipts: #423 5s. (132/12/6; 6/18/0; tickets: 283/14/6)

Event Comment: p Comic Opera; the music by Paisiello. 2nd ballet: Originally composed by D'Auberval, and brought out with new Episodes and Dances by D'Egville [with music by Bossi], The Doors to be opened at 6:15. To begin at 7:15 [same throughout opera season]. Single tickets for the night, for pit or gallery, to be had at the office of the Theatre. [Sga Bolla was from the opera, Milan. Sga Clara's name is not in the playbill, but "The second comic opera singer, Sga Clara, was also new...There is much sweetness and delicacy in her voice, and perhaps it may be owing to her evident timidity that it did not seem to possess strength and compass in proportion" (Monthly Visitor, Jan. 1800, p. 71). Deshayes was from the Opera, Madrid.

Event Comment: Three Brothers of ye Delavals play'd ye Eldest Othello, ye next Iago, ye next Cassio--+Brabantio & Lodovico Mr Pine Roderigo-Cap. Stevens and Wife Emelia $Mrs Quan did Desdemona, the performance was very decent & met with great applause the Audience from ye Boxes to the upper Gallery were fill'd with people of ye first rank & make a most brilliant appearance. & ye greatest Crowd at ye Doors I ever saw. their Agreement for ye House was a receipt of one of the Alfred Houses upon an Averidge. they had all new cloaths, & very nicely ornamented with Diamonds (Cross). [See eulogy and criticism in some detail concerning the acting, by John Hill, Inspector No 3.] All Gentlemen and Ladies who intend going in coaches this evening to Drury Lane Theatre, are desired to order their coachmen to drive thro' Covent Garden, and stop at Bridges St. Door, and as soon as they have set down the company to drive off directly towards the Strand.--Those who go in chairs, are requested to order the men to the New Door in Russel St., and to prevent the avenues being stopt up no person will be admitted to either passage without first showing their tickets at the outward door (General Advertiser). Tickets Lost. If any person has found three tickets (numbers forgot) for the private play this night at Drury Lane, and will be so kind as to bring them to the Bar of the Rainbow Coffee House, Ironmonger Lane, shall receive 15s. for the whole, or in proportion for one or two of them (General Advertiser). Tomorrow Morning at 8 o'clock will be published' (price 6d.) by Thomas Carnan, at Mr Newberry's, at the Bible and Sun in St Paul's Churchyard; An Occasional Prologue and Epilogue to Othello, as it will this night be acted at the theatre-Royal in Drury Lane, by Persons of distinction, for their diversion. Written by Christopher Smart, A.M., Fellow of Pembroke Hall in the University of Cambridge. To be had at the place above mentioned, and at the pamphlet shops at the Royal Exchange and Charing Cross. This Prologue and Epilogue will be entered in the Hall Book of the Company of Stationers, and whoever presumes to pyrate them, or any part of them, will be persecuted as the Law directs (General Advertiser). [Both pieces by Christopher Smart, according to the Daily Advertiser. See two exceedingly favorable critical comments and one derogatory reprinted in the Gentleman's Magazine, March 1751 (pp. 119-22): "The greatest part of the play was much better performed than it ever was on any stage before. In the whole, there was a face of nature that no theatrical piece, acted by common players ever came up to." Macklin was Delaval's dramatic coach, according to one of these articles.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Norton Amber, formerly a Patentee, & Banker, now Pit Doorkeeper (Cross), late of the Strand (Winston MS 7). Tickets to be had at Mr Pierce's at the Castle Tavern, Corner of Henrietta Street, in Bedford Street, Covent Garden; Mr Frye's a Hosier, the Corner of James Street, Long Acre; King Street Coffee House, near Guild Hall; Batson's Coffee House, Cornhill; and at the Theatre. Places will be taken at the Stage Door of the theatre. This Day publish'd, Young Scarron, at 2s. 6d. sew'd, 3s. bound. Dedicated to the managers of both theatres. "The Stage reproves the follies of the age. For once we'll laugh at Follies of the Stage." Anon. Printed for T. Tyre, near Gray's Inn Holborn and W. Reeve in Fleet St. (General Advertiser). A comical and satirical account of summer strolling players: "When the time draws near that the Theatres Royal disband their troops, or rather grant their furloses till the next Campaign, each private Man becomes an Officer; and they who for nine months before submitted to Monarchical Government, now form themselves into several republicks for the remaining three. Then each Hero takes the path of his own ambition...The various whimsical disputes that arise from this kind of Emulation, are, in part the subject of the following sheets" (173 pp. Written by Thomas Mozeen, Biographia Dramatica). Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: Archer by Mr King. Cherry first time Miss Jarratt pretty well. Sga Pacini danc'd for the first time. She is a small figure, not much Elegance but was very well received (Hopkins Diary). Agreement with Sga Paccini, 20 June 1775: "I do agree for my partner, Mr Willoughby Lacy, and myself, to engage Signora Paccini as first dancer at our Theatre, the ensuing season, which commences the first week in September 1775, and finishes the end of May 1776; for which the said Signora shall receive from us, by weekly or monthly payments as she pleases, the sum of three hundred and twenty-five pounds sterling, and she is likewise to have a benefit in course of salary, and at the best time of the year, for which she is to dance whenever she is called upon, to the best of her power and abilities. This engagement the managers of the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane engage to fulfill on their part, under the penalty of five-hundred pounds sterling. Witness my hand this nineteenth day of June 1775." (Signed.) David Garrick for Willoughby Lacy and himself (Boaden, Private Correspondence of Garrick, II, 63). The Comedy of The School for Lovers oblig'd to be deferr'd. Receipts: #153 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Last Tuesday Signior Pasquali, Master of the Band of Music at the Theatre Royal, Mr Cibber and some other prominent players arriv'd from England to act the ensuing season [in Dublin]. Mrs Bland arriv'd [in Dublin] last Sunday from England and will appear tomorrow night in the character of Miranda in the Busy Body. Receipts: #180

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time in London; DR. POEM 5, by William Mason, 1st acted at Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, 30 Mar. 1764]: Written on the Model of the ancient Greek Tragedy. The Overture and all the Music composed New by Dr Arne. With a New Scene designed and executed by Dahl [recte Dall]. The Dresses, Decorations, &c. all entirely New. Books of the Lyrical Part of the Drama to be had at the Theatre. 'But I had rather talk of Caractacus; I agree that he will not suffer by not being sputtered by Barry, who has lost all his teeth. Covent Garden is rather above Drury Lane in actors, but both sets are exceedingly bad, so bad-that I almost wish Caractacus was not to appear. Very seldom do I go to the play, for there is no bearing such strollers" (Walpole [to the author, 8 Oct. 1776], IX, 419-20). "I attended Caractacus last winter, and was greatly interested, both from my friendship for Mr Mason and from the excellence of the poetry. I was out of all patience; for though a young Lewis played a subordinate part very well, and Mrs Hartley looked her part charmingly, the Druids were so massacred, and Caractacus so much worse, that I never saw a more barbarous exhibition" (Walpole [13 July 1777], X, 81-82). Public Advertiser, 7 Dec. 1776: This Day is published the Lyrical Part of Caractacus (6d.). [The publisher, J. Wilkie, states that he also has the "whole Drama, as altered by the Author, 18d." Ibid., 9 Dec., contains an advertisement from Mason stating that this version is unauthorized.] Ibid., 12 Dec.: This Day is published [by A. Ward of York] a new Edition of Caractacus, now altered for Representation at the Theatre-Royal in Covent Garden (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #163 10s. (163.6; 0.4)