Event Comment: Benefit for Richards and Reeves. Price 3s. Miss Esser's tickets will be taken

Event Comment: Paid five days salary at #82 5d. per diem--#411 12s. 1d.; Paid Mr French on Acct #30; Miss Ambrose salary short paid 15s.; Mr J. Richard's for Trumpeter's coats and banners #100 16s.; Miss Hayward 15 nights not on [salary] list #7 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #109 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Acted but once these 20 years. Rec'd of Condell on Acct of Fruit Rent #20; Paid Richards (painter) as per bill #115 15s.; Paid Partridge & Franks (hosiers) #60 5s.; Paid Lowe & Lewis (woolen drapers) #35 15s. (Account Book). Receipts: #207 10s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Condell, Potter and Evans (box-keepers). Charges #81 5s. Deficit to the Box Keepers #14 7s. 6d. apiece, cover'd by income from tickets: Condell #67 3s. (Box 169; Pit 116; Gallery 75); Potter #56 (Box 116; Pit 102; Gallery 117); Evans #83 13s. (Box 151; Pit 228; Gallery 117). Paid Cooper (printer) #33 10s. 6d.; Paid Richards (painter) as per bill #6 16s. 6d.; Paid Dr Arne for composing two songs one in Comus, the other in Twelfth Night #6 6s. (Account Book). Receipts: #38 2s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: King Richard III oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of Indisposition of Miss Miller. Receipts: #139 11s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In three acts altered from Shakespeare. Afterpiece, a New Pastoral Masque and Pantomime interspersed. The Music composed by Fisher. The scenes painted by Messrs Dahl, Richards and Carver. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken. Books of Songs, &c. sold in Theatre. The words of the Masque taken chiefly from Ben Johnson (playbill). [DNB s.v. "Jonson," suggests The Haddington Masque, 1608, with the "Hue and Cry after Cupid" material as the source. The reviewer for the Westminster Magazine commented on the performance of 25 November, after outlining the story: "Such are the outlines of The Druids, whick is a hetereogeneous jumble of monstrous absurdities; and if considered merely as a vehicle for music, dances, and decorations, is, in our opinion, far inferior to the dramatic monstrum horrendum of the other House [The Maid of the Oaks]. Both pieces, however, are equally an insult on the understanding and judgments of the Public, and exhibit striking proofs of the miserably depraved state of the English theatre, whose entertainments are at present conducted by Managers either destitute of taste and abilities or actuated by no other than the paltry, despicable motives of vanity, prejudice, and avarice,"]

Event Comment: Benefit for Carlton Jr, Berrisford and Kaygill. Tickets delivered by Burroughs, The Widow Veal, and for King Richard III, will be taken. Receipts: #211 16s. Charges: #84. Profits to beneficiaries: #127 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Pantomime Entertainment, never performed. With New Music, Scenes, Dresses, and Machinery. The Overture composed by Fisher. The scenes painted by Messrs Dahl and Richards. Nothing under FULL PRICE will be taken. The Words of the songs to be given at the Doors. [This information included in all subsequent bills for the pantomime this season, until 25 March when the half-price practice is announced. Full account of the content of the afterpiece is given in The Westminster Magazine for Dec. The reviewer was delighted with the adherence to the classical myth in the first and last scenes, and with the variety of action and excellence of the machinery and painting in the interventing comic portion.

Event Comment: Garrick put the finish hand to the sale of half the patent &c. to Dr Ford, Linley, Ewart, and Sheridan for #35,000 to be delivered over in June next. Garrick it was said rais'd #12,000 last year by subscription to pay New Ornamentation, which cost #3000, so that the remaining #4500 and #35,000 was no bad interest for the #5,000 he gave in 1747. New property valuation giving him a...(Winston MS 11, from Burney News Cuttings). Paid Mr Palmer, spermacetti candle Bill #186 13s.; Mr Machin, Chorus, 19 times #4 15s. Rec'd Mr Percy's rent 1 year to Mich Last, #10; Stopages #14 5s. Receipts: #167 2s. (Treasurer's Book). From the Morning Chronicle, 19 Jan.: "David Garrick, Esq., has signed and sealed for the sale of his share in the patent and Property of Drury Lane Theatre. The purchasers are Dr Ford, Mr Ewart, Mr Linley, and Mr Richard Sheridan. The purchase money is #35,000. The public may now therefore depend upon it that this will be the last season of Mr Garrick's performing. The new proprietors as an act of their own, have stipulated that Mr Garrick shall continue to keep that box which has of late years been set apart for the accomodation of his family. Mr Garrick intimated last night to the audience his having sold his share in Drury Lane Theatre, by answering in the part of Abel Drugger , on being asked if he had any interest at the theatre, 'I had some, I don't know what I may have.'

Event Comment: House (Hopkins Diary). Afterpiece: For the last time this season. [Public Advertiser, 20 April: The following Accident happened at Drury Lane on Thursday in the Entertainment of the Jubilee. As Mr Hurst and Mr Palmer were representing the characters of Posthumus and Iachimo in the Fighting Scene where they were engag'd with extreme violence, the former narrowly escaped losing his eye from a severe wound in the temple."] Paid Richard Barnard for detecting a pickpocket 10s. 3 extra trumpets #1 2s. 6d. Receipts: #121 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With a New Scene and New Dresses. Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Charles Dibdin and Edward Thompson. Thompson's name does not appear on the title-page of the text; it has been added by J. P. Kemble on the half-title of his copy now in the Huntington Library]: The Music chiefly composed by Dibdin [Public Advertiser, 15 Nov.: Three of the airs and the finale were composed by Samuel Arnold; one air by John Abraham Fisher]. With New Scenes [ibid: by Dall, Richards, and Carver], Dresses and Decorations. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 7 Feb. 1777: Paid Dibdin in full for copyright of the Seraglio #20; ibid, 2 June 1777: Received of Cooper for Songs & Books sold of The Seraglio #19 10s. 9d. [Mrs Ward was from the Birmingham theatre]. Receipts: #221 11s. 6d. (219.7.0; 2.4.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), author unknown]: An Alteration of Prometheus. The Overture and Music composed by Fisher. The Scenes painted by Dall and Richards. Books of the Songs, Masque, &c. to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #208 3s. 6d. (205.14.6; 2.9.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted here. [Epilogue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan.] Receipts: #235 17s. (216.14.0; 17.19.6; 1.3.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lee Lewes. Afterpiece: In [it] will be introduced the Stockwell Scenes, with a Prologue [by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Boaden, Mrs Siddons, I, 107)], in the Character of Harlequin, spoken by Lee Lewes; to conclude with the Escape through the Tub, as in Mother Shipton. [The Stockwell Scenes were included in all subsequent performances. The Prologue and Escape were included in the first 3 performances only (see 3 May).] Public Advertiser, 8 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Lee Lewes, No. 40, Charlotte-street, Rathbone Place. Receipts: #282 18s. (119.15; tickets: 163.3) (charge: #69 17s. 6d.)

Event Comment: [Extra night] By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Mrs Jewell. The Out-standing Tickets of Mr Jewell [from his benefit on 3 Sept.], and those issued for King Richard III will be admitted

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years [acted 16 May 1772]. [Epilogue by Richard Cumberland.] Afterpiece: Never acted here. Receipts: #165 6s. (161.12.6; 3.13.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author [of mainpiece: Richard Brinsley Sheridan, who is named in the Account-Book, but not on the playbill]. Receipts: #259 9s. (250.7.0; 8.19.6; 0.2.6; tickets: none listed) (charge: #73 10s.)

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; CO I, by Charles Dibdin, based on Rose et Colas, by Michel Jean Sedaine]. 3rd piece [1st time; CO I, by Charles Dibdin, based on Les Femmes Vengees, by Michel Jean Sedaine]: With new Scenery [Public Advertiser, 19 Sept.: by Richards] and Decorations. Both the Musical Pieces, with new Overtures, composed by Dibdin. Books of the new Musical Pieces to be had at the Theatre. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon (only) at the Stage Door. No Money to be taken at the Stage Door, nor any Money to be returned after the Curtain is drawn up. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 21 Sept.]. Public Advertiser, 18 Sept.: This Afternoon at Three will be published Rose and Colin and The Wives Revenged (each 6d.). "At this season of the year the little company upon the Ton, who are in town, seldom rise from the table till after the beginning of the play; in order, therefore, to obviate the disturbance that the fracas in the boxes usually makes towards the close of the first act, or the beginning of the second, this comic opera [Rose and Colin] was prefaced. It at the same time affords these late comers an opportunity of seeing the play [i.e. the mainpiece] complete" (Town and Country Magazine, Sept. 1778, p.453)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of King Richard the Third, announced on playbill of 2 Jan.] Receipts: #148 13s. (119.12.0; 28.18.6; 0.2.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 3 (and see 18 Jan.), by Charles Dibdin, with one scene by Hannah Cowley. Synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 5 Jan.]: A Speaking Pantomime, in 3 parts. With new overture, airs, duets, chorus, &c. With new Dresses, Scenes [by Richards, Carver, Garvey and Hodgins (Public Advertiser, 2 Jan.)], Machinery and Decorations. The Music entirely new, composed by Dibdin. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Public Advertiser, 4 Jan. 1779: This Afternoon at Four will be published the Songs in The Touchstone (6d.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, attributed to Richard Brinsley Sheridan (see G. W. Williams in Studies in Philology, XLVII, 1950, 619-28). Synopsis of action (W. Randall, 1779) lists no parts]: The Overture and Music entirely new. With new Scenes, Machines, Dresses and Decorations. All the Scenery, Machinery, &c. designed by DeLoutherbourg and executed under his direction. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. [For a discussion of this pantomime see Theatre Survey, II, 54-66.] Public Advertiser, 24 Feb. 1779: This Day is published an Account of The Wonders of Derbyshire and the Songs (6d.). Receipts: #225 19s. (223.18.0; 2.1.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With alterations by the author [William Mason]. The Overture and all the new Music composed by Giardini.[On playbill of 27 Feb.: With a New Scene painted by Richards.] Public Advertiser, 23 Feb. 1779: This Day at Noon is published Elfrida (price not listed). [Afterpiece: Prologue by the author (New Spouter's Companion, c. 1798, p. 59).

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With a New Scene painted by Richards. Afterpiece: With a New Scene painted by Carver

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5]: Written by the Author of Percy [Hannah More. Prologue by the author; Epilogue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (see text)]. Public Advertiser, 1 Dec. 1779: This Day is published The Fatal Falsehood [sic] (1s. 6d.). Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Charles Dibdin]: The Overture and all the Music composed by Dibdin. With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations to both Pieces. Books of the Entertainment to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 6 May 1779: This Afternoon at three is published The Chelsea Pensioner (1s.). The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]

Event Comment: Opera [1st time; COM 3, by Carlo Francesco Badini, based on The Duenna, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]: the Music entirely new by Bertoni