Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Boswell (Restoration Court Stage, p. 282) thinks that this play given on the L. C. lists--see Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 346--between 29 Oct. and 6 Nov., may have been acted on this day. See also an order for supplies for the comedians acting at court in Alwin Thaler, Shakespear to Sheridan, p. 290. Pepys, Diary: I to White Hall, where I staid walking up and down till night, and then got almost into the playhouse, having much mind to go and see the play at Court this night; but fearing how I should get nome, because of the bonefires and the lateness of the night to get a coach, I did not stay

Event Comment: The King's Company suffered from internal disagreements during this portion of the summer. For details, see L. C. 5@142, p. 98, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 326, and Thaler, Shakspere to Sheridan, p. 291

Event Comment: Benefit Ford, the Numberer, and Mrs Cantrell. At the particular Desire of several Persons of Quality. Receipts: money #49 3s. 6d.; tickets #117 9s. [A Ticket (Pit, No. 119) for this performance is in the Folger Library; another (Pit, No. 107) is reproduced in Thaler, Shakespere to Sheridan, facing P. 52.

Event Comment: HHenry Carey died. We are informed, General Theophilus Cibber arriv'd in Town on Saturday Morning. He made a Campaign this last summer in Dublin, where he maintained the Field, with great reputation against the illustrious Count Sheridan. We further hear the ioung Gentleman has taken up his Winter Quarters in the Territories of Covent Garden; but his scene of action, 'tis said, will be Drury Lane. Tis rumored he will be soon join'd by some Auxiliaries, draughted from the Forces on the Irish Establishment, who are to supply vacant commissions of the present Theatrical Mutineers and Deserters--Daily Advertiser

Event Comment: CCatherine Talbot to Elizabeth Carter, 18 April: These oratorios of Handel's are certainly (next to the hooting of owls) the most solemly striking music one can hear....In this last oratorio he has literally introduced guns, and they have a good effect.--Deutsch, Handel, p. 640, who identifies the guns as kettle-drums. But Winton Dean, Handel's Dramatic Oratorios, p. 471, identifies them as the outsize drums from the Tower of London. See Sheridan's The Critic on off-stage gun shots: This hint I took from Handel. Recced of Mr Handell for rent of his 10 Oratorio's #210.--Account Books, Egerton 2268. [Actually there were twelve nights of oratorios.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Elmy. Tickets and Places of Mrs Elmy at the corner of Tavistock St. next Southampton St., Covent Garden; and of Hobson at the stage door. Being the last time of acting till the Holidays. Cash, #92 12s.; tickets, #56 8s.; total, #149 (Clay MS page reproduced in Oct. 1926 issue of Connoisseur, p. 93). A few days ago arriv'd in Town Mr Sheridan, Manager of the Theatre Royal in Dublin, and we hear as his stay is to be but short, he intends to perform only once, for the benefit of the poor sufferers by the late Fire (General Advertiser). [The fire happened the 25th in "Exchange alley (London) and in the space of 10 hours consumed a great number of houses occupied by persons in middling circumstances and with large families." Subscriptions were raised and distributed by a committee of ten bankers. See General Advertiser.] Receipts: #160 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel)

Event Comment: TThe Mourning Bride, advertised for this day, could not be perform'd on account of the Indisposition of Sheridan

Event Comment: Benefit for Sparks. Afterpiece: A farce never perform'd before. [Possibly Thomas Sheridan's The Brave Irishman, but see Ten English Farces, Leo Hughes and A. H. Scouten (Austin, Texas, 1948), pp. 221 ff.] Last time of the company's performing till the holidays

Event Comment: About this time Mr Theo: Cibber Mr Maddocks the wire Dancer, & several other Theatrical performers, with & number of other Passangers embark'd on board the Dublin, Captain White, in order to go to Ireland but the Ship was lost & every Soul perish'd (Cross). As Mr Sparks & others complain'd of Mr Wilkinson for taking them off, it [Diversions of ye Morning] was intended to be omitted this Night, But the Audience call'd so violently for it, that we were oblig'd to let him do it--he took off Foote & Sheridan, & wou'd have left out Sparks but ye Audience wou'd not be satisfied without it--when they first call'd Mr Foote went forward & said as some of the performers had complain'd it was to be omitted; as for being taken off himself he had no Objection to it, as he was always glad to contribute to their Entertainm[en]t &c. (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years [see 14 Oct. 1756]. Receipts: #130 (Cross); #139 10s. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: TThe London Chronicle for 1758 (p. 455): On Friday the 3rd instant was presented Coriolanus. The two first acts of this play, as it is performed at the above theatre, were written by Shakespear; the three last for the most part by Mr. Thomson. But how a man of Mr Sheridan's knowledge (who first introduc'd it there about four years ago) could think of pounding into one substance two things so heterogeneous in their natures as the productions of those authors, is to me amazing. Mr Smith enters in the first act, after having (as we are to suppose) just overcome the Volsci, to the tune of violins and hautboys; but I am a little afraid the grandeur of his triumph is a little misapplied, considering the early times in which Coriolanus lived, before the Roman empire had arrived to any degree of splendor and magnificence, and was great in virtue only. However it makes a fine show; and Mr Smith, who has an excellent person, by the help of a little burnt cork and a real coat of mail cuts a very martial appearance. I think it was one of the Gracchi, who, when he was speaking to the people, always had a servant behind him in the Rostrum with a pitch-pipe which he touched whenever he found his master's voice rising beyond a certain height; such an instrument as this would, in my opinion, be of service to Mr Smith, for his fault seems to be that of keeping too much at the top of his vioce. Mrs Hamilton in the part of Veturai, especially in the last act, excells herself; and in particular, she repeats that line: "He never can be lost who saves his country," with the genuine spirit of a free-born Englishman. By the unnatural conjunction which is attempted to be made in this tragedy, most of the other characters are robbed of their significance. Those two excellent actors, therefore, Ryan and Sparks, only give us just cause to regret that the parts of Tullus and Volscius are not longer....After the play was presented a Ballad Opera called The Contrivances; in which some good comedians are oblig'd to submit to the drudgery of supporting as contemptible a trifle as ever was acted on the stage

Event Comment: BBritish Chronicle, 8 Oct.: A young Lady from Jamaica, Miss Osborne, is to make her appearance at Drury Lane and Sheridan is also engag'd there

Event Comment: Receipts: #296 11s. Paid Mr Sheridan a draft for #300; Sarjant on acct of his salary #5; Advanc'd Gibbs #2 2s

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Lessingham. Mainpiece: Alter'd from Shakespeare and Thompson, not acted these 4 years. Afterpiece: For last time this season (playbill of 19 April 1768). [See 18 Feb. 1765. This Coriolanus is possibly the Tragedy by Thomas Sheridan, 8vo, 1755.] @Receipts #85 10s. 6d.@House charge #63@Candles #1 5s.@Extras: Kettle Drum 5s.@2 Side Drums 4s.@4 Fifes 8s.@2 Trumpets 10s.@Chorus Singers #1 10s.@Wardrobe #5 19s.@Total #73 1s. 6d.@Balance due Mrs Lessingham #12 9s.@Tickets 197 137 89 #78 14s.@Money #85 10s. 6d.@Total value of House #164 4s. 6d. (Account Book).@ Mr Clarke being suddenly taken ill in the afternoon [yesterday] his part in the tragedy was oblig'd to be supplied by Mr Younger. And Mr Clarke still continuing ill the Tragedy of King Lear, with the Musical entertainment Amelia is oblig'd to be deferred till further notice (Public Advertiser, 21 April)

Event Comment: DDialogue-Epilogue, an Address to the Town-Sparks and Keen, as Lord Chief Justice Joker and his Attorney General. Benefit for Sparks. Afterpiece: By Thomas Sheridan. [The Dialogue-Epilogue is Larpent MS 309.

Event Comment: Receipts: #200 7s. 6d. (Account Book). Mainpiece: With New Dresses and Decorations. [The first of a series of five performances (the last, Merchant of Venice, 18 Nov.) which got Macklin dismissed from the theatre until 1775, when his lawsuit against six persons whom he claimed formed a conspiracy to hiss him from the stage and ruin his livlihood was concluded favorably for him. His performance of Macbeth was favorably treated but with certain misgivings in the Morning Chronicle (25 Oct.), but he was mercilessly criticized in the London Evening Post and St James Chronicle: "In Act II, Sc. i, Shakespeare has made Macbeth murder Duncan; Now Mr Macklin, being determined to copy from no man, reversed this incident, and in the very first act, scene the second, murdered Macbeth." The favorable review (Morning Chronicle) thought he did well in first and last acts, but gave way to stage rant and "vehemence of energetic expression" wanting any variation in tone in between. It also pointed out a certain faulty memory of his lines. His novel stage effects came in for a paragraph of comment: The alterations in the jeux de theatre respecting the representation of this tragedy do Mr Macklin great credit. His change of the scenery is peculiarly characteristical. The Quadrangle of Macbeth's castle, and the door which is supposed to lead to Duncan's apartment (both of which are entirely new) are additions of consequence to the exhibition of the play. The door also through which Macbeth comes to the Weird Sisters, in the 4th act, is a better and more probable entrance than through the common stage portal. The dresses are new, elegant, and of a sort hitherto unknown to a London audience, but exceedingly proper. The Banquet was superbly set out, and it must be confessed that the managers seem to have spared neither cost nor assiduity to ornament and add to the effect of the representation." A favorable letter from a correspondent to the London Evening Post adds: "I must observe, Mr Printer, that from the graceful and characteristic manner in which Macbeth was introduced by the martial music and military procession, from the manner of M. Macklin's acting, from his judicious alteration of the dresses, the disposition of the scene where the King is killed, the cave of the witches in the 4th act, from the improvement of Mrs Hartley's thinking in Lady Macbeth and from her manner of speaking, which seemed plainly to be the effects of some intelligence she had received from Mr Macklin...I thought Mr Macklin deserv'd great praise." See the newspaper comments all gathered and reprinted in an Apology for the Conduct of Charles Macklin, (London, 1773). See also note to 30 Oct. See also London Chronicle, Oct. 23-26 (cf. Odell, I, 453). The Westminster Magazine suggests the performance was pitiable. "Macklin knew what he ought to do, but could not do it." The Scenemen's pay this week was about double the normal cost. (Account Book).] Verse Squibs from St James Chronicle (Oct. 1773) against Macklin: @Macbeth@"Eight Kings appear and pass over in order, and Banquo the last"@Old Quin, ere Fate suppressed his lab'ring breath@In studied accents grumbled out Macbeth:--@Next Garrick came, whose utt'rance truth impressed,@While ev'ry look the tyrant's guilt confess'd:--@Then the cold Sheridan half froze the part,@Yet what he lost by nature sav'd by art.@Tall Barry now advanc'd toward Birnam Woodv@Nor ill performed the scenes--he understood--@Grave Mossop next to Foris shaped his march@His words were minute guns, his action starch.@Rough Holland too--but pass his errors o'er@Nor blame the actor when the man's no more.@Then heavy Ross, assay'd the tragic frown,@But beef and pudding kept all meaning down:--@Next careless Smith, try'd on the Murd'rer's mask,@While o'er his tongue light tripp'd the hurried task:--@Hard Macklin, late, guilt's feelings strove to speak,@While sweats infernal drench'd his iron cheek;@Like Fielding's Kings [in Tom Thumb] his fancy'd triumphs past,@And all be boasts is, that he falls the last.@ Also from St James Chronicle:@The Witches, while living deluded Macbeth@And the Devil laid hold of his soul after death;@But to punish the Tyrant this would not content him,@So Macklin he sent on the stage to present him.

Event Comment: [Advertised as performed but once, but see 18 Jan. Sheridan in Preface to Edition of 1775 (2nd) refers to withdrawing the piece to remove those imperfections in the first representation which were too obvious to escape reprehension, and too numerous to admit of hasty correction." He blames his inexperience and want of judgment in theatrical effects, the extreme length of the play act by act, and haste in writing. From the Westminster Magazine Feb., which outlined the plot in five columns: The present state of the Rivals is widely different from that in which we found it on the first night's representation. Sir Lucius O'Trigger being re-touched, has now the appearance of a character; and his assigning Beverley's reflection on his country as the grounds for his desire to quarrel with him, is a reasonable pretence, and wipes off the former stigma undeservedly thrown on the sister Kingdom. An alteration of a principal incident gave a very favorable turn to the fable and the whole piece: that where young Acres now delivers his challenge to his friend Absolute, begging him to carry it to his Rival Beverly, not knowing the two characters composed but one man; its being at first given to Sir Lucius, the person who indited it, was highly inconsistent...we should be induced from many evident traits of literary genius to pronounce the Rivals a good comedy."

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Barry. Mainpiece: A Tragedy altered from Thomson [by Thomas Hull] never perform'd. Part of Pit laid into the Boxes. Servants who are to keep places are desired to be at the stage door by 4 o'clock, and those Ladies and Gentlemen who have taken seats in the Pit are requested to come early to prevent confusion in getting to their places. Epilogue by Sheridan. [This play had been refused a license on 26 March 1739, While Walpole was still Prime Minister, probably because of such speeches as: @Is there a cure on Humankind so fell@So pestilent, to Prince and People,@As the base servile vermin of a court;@Corrupt, Corrupting ministers and favourites?@How oft have such eat up the widow's morsel,@The Peasant's toil, the Merchant's far-sought gain,@And wantoned to the ruin of a nation!-Larpent MS, op. p. 65.@ Also the play equalizes Christianity and Mohammedanism before God, and gives a slight edge to the latter (Act IV, scene ii), suggesting the part politics play in Christian churches. An account of the alterations made for the present performance is given in the Westminster Magazine for March. The review concludes: The Play was got up altogether well, and reputedly acted, and is in its present state what the Ladies call "a very pretty tragedy."