Event Comment: Prologue by Garrick; Epilogue by Cumberland, spoken by Foote and Mrs Jewell. A Comedy Never performed [by Foote]. [Audience included Dr Johnson, Mr Colman, Mr Garrick, Dr Goldsmith, Mr Macpherson, Mr Stevens, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Lord Littleton....So much applause that the audience stopped the play and required one speech repeated (Theatrical Intelligencer).

Event Comment: This Comedy was written by Mr Cumberland was very well receiv'd & great Applause but it will not be so Successful as the West Indian was (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes and Dresses for the Mainpiece. [See Theatrical Review, 20 Jan. See also account in Town and Country Magazine (Theatre No. XXXIII). Larpent MS 329 again includes scene description by the author: "Hall in Lord Abberville's Housev with a staircase seen through an arch in the Flat."] Receipts: #248 17s. 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

Event Comment: Great Applause to the Farce (Hopkins Diary).Benefit for Mrs Abington. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets delivered for The Tender Husband will be taken. Send Servants by Four to prevent Confusion. [Sir Joshua Reynolds had procured forty places in the front boxes this night. Boswell and Dr Johnson were among his guests. Johnson could see and hear little, but sat out the performance, commenting on Garrick's excellence as a writer of Prologues. See Boswell's Life of Johnson, ed. G. B. Hill, II, 324ff.] Receipts: #287 9s. 6d. Charges: #64 4s. Profits to Mrs Abington: #223, 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Clinch. Doors opened at half past 5. Play to begin at Half an Hour after 6. [Afterpiece written by Sheridan for Clinch, traditionally in gratitude for his saving The Rivals from damnation. (See Thomas Moore's Life of Sheridan [London, 1825], I, 148). The Westminster Magazine for May adds to cast: Irish Corporal-Fox; Soldiers-$Davies, $Wewitzer, Chaplin, and reviews the piece briefly: St Patrick's day is replete with broad humor, homely jests, and extravagant caricature. The language in general shewed the author a man of honour and observation; the situations were whimsical and produced that mirth which the audience in the Prologue were invited to partake of....The jests were occasionally too low and vulgar, and his scene too extravagantly absurd. The main drift of the Prologue was to tell the Audience that a fine Spring impeded the theatrical harvest; and that at this season the benefits of Nature were the greatest enemies to the Performer's Benefits."

Event Comment: This Musical Farce of one Act was wrote by Mr G on purpose to introduce Miss Abrams (a Jew) about 17 Years old. She is very small, a Swarthy Complexion, has a very sweet Voice and a fine Shake, but not quite power enough yet-both the Piece and Young Lady were receiv'd with Great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Books of the Songs, Choruses etc. of Afterpiece to be had at the Theatre. The Conscious Lovers oblig'd to be deferred till Monday, with which will be performed the last new Grand Ballet, The Savage Hunters. [Advertisement to the published edition: "The author of this musical Farce, begs leave to inform the readers, if there should be any, that it was merely intended to introduce The Little Gipsy to the public, whose youth and total inexperience of the stage made it necessary to give as little dialogue to her character as possible, her success depending wholly upon her singing-This reason added to another, which is that the piece was produced at an early part of the season, when better writters are not willing to come forth, is the best apology the Author can make for its defects."] Paid 6 days salary list at #104 7s.-per diem, #626 2s.; Mr Lamash on note #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). [The note on sale of books of the songs and choruses for the afterpiece occurs on all subsequent bills this season in which May Day is mentioned. The songs and chorusses and overture by Dr Arne. The afterpiece reviewed in Westminster Magazine for Nov.: The preparation is palatable, and the hand of the preparer is discoverable from the affinity between the scene of Roger and the Old Man, and that of whittle and Thomas in the Irish Widow....The Music of the overture and Finale were remarkably light and pretty: some of the airs also did Dr Arne credit. As to Miss Abrams, she has a sweet pipe, and a natural shake that charmed us;-If maturity does but strengthen her voice, at the same time that it gives her ease in deportment, she will prove an ornament to the stage."] Receipts: #205 3s. (Treasurer's Book)