Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'Keeffe and Charles Bonnor; later (see 29 Jan. 1784) altered as Harlequin Rambler. MS: Larpent 642; not published; synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 24 Dec]: The Overture and all the Music new, with entire new Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, Decorations and New Performers. The Pantomime invented by O'Keeffe, the Music composed by Shield, the Scenery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and others. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Books of the Songs (T. Cadell, 1783) [which list no cast] to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #288 1s. (277/18; 10/3)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Lord Lumbcrcourt to Wilson, but "Lee Lewes was the substitute for Wilson, and far indeed better than the man he appeared for" (Public Advertiser, 31 Jan.).] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'KeerFe]: The Music composed by Shield. The Scenery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and others. The 1st Part of this Pantomime is an Alteration of the Last New One [Friar Bacon (see 23 Dec. 1783)], and the 2nd Part entirely new and never before exhibited. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. "If Macklin once loses the Catch Word he is gone irretrievably." At the end of the 3rd act, at half price, some apprentices coming into the pit talked so loudly that "Macklin stopped; he lost himself. ... He came to the Side of the Stage, and stooping down to the Talkers, said, 'Gentlemen, I must beg you to be silent; my Hearing and Recollection are not so perfect as they were; I cannot proceed for your Talking'" (Public Advertiser, 5 Feb.). Receipts: #286 14s. (282/15; 3/19)

Event Comment: "Wilson's Polonius was exceedingly pleasant, of course produced much laughter, though we do not think that he, any more than his immediate predecessors, conceived the part properly" (Public Advertiser, 21 Sept.). Afterpiece: The Music composed by Shield. The Scenery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and others

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Tamerlane, announced on playbill of 23 Dec] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by Ralph Wewitzer and Frederick Pilon. MS not in Larpent; not published. Synopsis of action in Town and Country Magazine, Supp. 1784, p. 717]: With new Scenery, Music, Dresses and Decorations. The Scenes chiefly designed by Richards, and executed by him, Carver, Hodgins, and assistants. The Overture, Songs, Chorusses and the whole Music of the Pantomime new, and composed by Shield. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. The Words of the Songs, &c to be had at the Theatre. "The performance was such as the first performance of pantomimes generally--machinery and scenery not so perfectly executed as when practice has rendered the movements more familiar to those to whom they belong, which, as the beauty of a pantomime depends on the celerity and adroitness of the scene-men, it seldom is discovered on the first night" (Public Advertiser, 28 Dec)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: With new Scenery, Machinery, Music, Dresses, and Decorations. The Scenes chiefly designed by Richards, and executed by him, Carver, Hodgins, and assistants. The Overture, Songs, Chorusses, and the Music of the Pantomime composed by Shield. Receipts: #206 4s. 6d. (204/2/0; 2/2/6)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Wells, but she "was so ill last night that she could not perform the part of Jane Shore. It was undertaken by Mrs T. Kennedy" (Public Advertiser, 21 Dec.).] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'Keeffe]: The Pantomime, and the whole of the Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, &c. designed and invented by Loutherbourg, and executed under his superintendance and direction by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, Catton Jun., Turner, assisted by two other celebrated artists [all subsequent playbills have "a celebrated artist"; he was the Rev. Matthew William Peters (Public Advertiser, 16 Dec.)]. The Music entirely new, composed by Shield. Books containing a short account of the Pantomime, as well as the Recitatives, Airs, Duets, Trios and Chorusses, and a Description of the Procession, to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. [This was the last theatrical piece for which De Loutherbourg designed the scenery. For a detailed account of it see "De Loutherbourg and Captain Cook", by Ralph G. Allen, Theatre Research, IV, 195-211.] Account-Book, 17 Oct.: Paid De Loutherbourg on acct. #120; 20 Dec.: Paid Goodwin for copying Music #10 14s.; 14 Feb. 1786: Paid O'Keeffe in full for Omai #40. Receipts: #309 19s. (302/7; 7/12)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by Miles Peter Andrews. Larpent MS 752, as The Castle of Wonders; not published; synopsis of action in Morning Post, 27 Dec.]: With new Music, Scenes, Machinery, Dresses, and Decorations. A few of the Airs compiled from Purcell, Travers, Sacchini, &c. The Rest of the Music composed by Shield. The Scenery and Machinery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and many Assistants. To conclude with a Representation of the Inside of a Nabob's Palacev. Books of the Songs [which assign only Colombine ] to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Account-Book, 6 Mar. 1787: Paid Shield in full for Compositions #100. Receipts: #242 4s. (239.8; 2.16)

Event Comment: "The leaving Percy untaken up [by Falstaff, in V.iv of mainpiece] was an improvement. The best acting was that of Mrs Pitt" (World, 6 Nov.). Afterpiece: With new Music, Scenes, Machinepy, Dresses, and Decorations. A few of the Airs compiled from Purcell, Travers, Sacchini, &c. The rest of the Music composed by Shield. The Scenery and Machinery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and many assistants. To conclude with the Representation of the inside of a Nabob's Palacev. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #199 0s. 6d. (193.16.0; 5.4.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2(?), by Ralph Wewitzer. Not in Larpent MS; not published; synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 28 Dec.]: With new Music, Scenery, Dresses, Machinery, and Decorations. The Music composed by Walter? Clagget. The Scenes designed and executed by Richards, Carver, Hodgins and others. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Receipts: #192 2s. (188.12; 3.10)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2(?), by John O'Keeffe. Synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 27 Dec.]: With new Music, Scenery, Machinery, and Decorations. The Scenes designed and executed by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, Pugh, &c. The Music selected from the Works of the most eminent Masters, by A. Shaw. The new Airs composed by Shield, and the Overture by Richardson. Books of the Songs, Recitative, &c. to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Receipts: #315 16s. (301.6; 14.10)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by James Wild. Text (no publisher, 1790)]: Being a Collection of favorite Scenes from the Following celebrated Pantomimes: Harlequin Sorcerer, Mother Shipton, Choice of Harlequin, Lord Mayor's Day, Druids, Fryar Bacon, Harlequin Freemason, Norwood Gipsies, Omai, Magic Cavern, and Harlequin Rambler. With new Dresses and Decorations. The Original Scenery, Machinery, &c. painted by Lambert, Dall [both deceased], Carver, Hodgins and Richards-and now all repaired and repainted. The Music selected by Shaw from Pepuch [sic], Dr Arne, Dr Arnold, Dr Fisher, ?M.? Arne, Vincent, Dibdin and Shield. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 31 Dec.: Paid Wild for his Attention to the Pantomime #30; Boyce for Ditto #15; Shaw for Ditto #10. Receipts: #233 5s. 6d. (204.8.6; 28.17.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Being a Collection of favorite Scenes from the following celebrated Pantomimes: Harlequin Sorcerer, Mother Shipton, Choice of Harlequin, Lord Mayor's Day, Druids, Fryar Bacon, Harlequin Freemason, Norwood Gipsies, Omai, Magic Cavern, Harlequin Rambler. The Dances [composed] by Byrne. The Original Scenery, Machinery &c. painted by Lambert, Dall, Carver, Hodgins and Richards. The Music selected by Shaw from Pepuch [sic], Dr Arne, Arnold, Fisher, M.? Arne, Vincent, Didbin, Reeve, Shield. Receipts: #193 7s. (187.15; 15.12)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Being a Collection of favorite Scenes from the following celebrated Pantomimes: Harlequin Sorcerer, Mother Shipton, Choice of Harlequin, Lord Mayor's Day, Druids, Fryar Bacon, Harlequin Freemason, Norwood Gipsies, Omai, Magic Cavern, Harlequin Rambler. The Dances [composed] by Byrne. The Original Scenery, Machinery &c. painted by Lambert, Dall, Carver, Hodgins and Richards. The Music selected by Shaw from Pepuch [sic], Dr Arne, Arnold, Fisher, M.? Arne, Vincent, Didbin, Reeve, Shield. Receipts: #193 7s. (187.15; 15.12)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild, prompter. 2nd piece [1st time: M. INT 1]. 3rd piece: As it was originally performed upwards of 50 nights in the Year 1789. Being a Selection of favorite Scenes form the following celebrated Pantomimes: Harlequin Sorcerer, Mother Shipton, Choice of Harlequin, Druids, Friar Bacon, Harlequin Freemason, Omai, Magic Cavern, and Harlequin Rambler. The machinery of the Peacock by Sloper. With the original Scenery painted by Lambert, Dall, Carver, Hodgins and Richards. The Music selected from Dr Arne, Dr Arnold, Dr Fisher, M.? Arne, Vincent, Dibdin and Shield. Morning Chronicle, 4 May: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 46, Drury-lane. Receipts: #399 19s. 6d. (205.18.0; 16.4.6; tickets: 177.17.0)

Event Comment: See Herbert, Dramatic Records, p. 116. This was the King's Company (under Killigrew), split off from the United Company. According to Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, p. 2) the roster included: Theophilus Bird, Hart, Mohun, Lacy, Burt, Cartwright, Clun, Baxter, Robert Shatterel, William Shatterrel, Duke [Marmaduke Watson], Hancock, Kynaston, Wintersel, Bateman, Blagden. (But see also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 295.) According to the articles of agreement, 5 Nov. 1660 (Herbert, Dramatic Records, pp. 96-100), the Duke's Company (under Davenant) included Thomas Batterton, Thomas Sheppey, Robert Noakes, James Noakes, Thomas Lovell, John Moseley, Cave Underhill, Robert Turner, Thomas Lilleston