Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mountain. [Philipps is identified in Monthly Mirror, Sept. 1796, p. 315. As Mrs Plomer Sga Salvini had 1st appeared at the hay, 12 June 1788.] Afterpaece [1st time; MF 2, author unknown. Larpent MS 1131; not published]: The Music and Overture by Spofforth. Morning Herald, 4 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mountain, No. 6, York-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #380 18s. 6d. (150.7.6; 5.16.0; 224.15.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Powell. "If we make allowances for embarrassment and imperfect study, the performance of Mrs Powell was by no means indifferent" (Monthly Mirror, May 1796, p. 50). Afterpiece: Not acted these 4 years. Morning Herald, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Powell, No. 22, Henrietta-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #466 11s. 6d. (189.3.6; 53.1.6; 4.14.6; tickets: 216.15.0) (charge: #212)

Event Comment: Benefit for Suett. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by John Grubb. Larpent MS 1132; not published. Author of Prologue unknown]. Morning Herald, 16 May: Tickets to be had of Suett, No. 19, Martlet-court, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #403 13s. 6d. (152.10.0; 57.5.0; 4.16.0; tickets: 187.10.0; odd money: 1.2.6) (charge: none listed). [Account-Book: Suett to have #100 of Tickets and half those above that sum which he brings in; of which due him #43 15s.

Event Comment: Benefit for Middleton. Morning Herald, 10 May: Tickets to be had of Middleton, No. 20, Great Russell-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #287 12s. (144.18.6; 2.15.0; tickets: 139.18.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clendining. 3rd piece: To conclude as 15 Apr. Morning Herald, 16 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Clendining, No. 13, King-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #238 4s. (100.15; 15.4; tickets: 122.5)

Event Comment: Benefit for Whitfield. 1st piece: Written by the late Mr Benson [see 9 June]. Morning Herald, 21 May: Tickets to be had of Whitfield, No. 19, Piazza, Covent Garden. Receipts: #127 15s. (79.11.0; 40.5.6; 3.12.6; tickets: none listed; odd money: 4.6.0) (charge: #223 3s. 5d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnstone. 1st piece: The Overture, Chorusses and new Musick by Dr Arnold. The new Scenery by Rooker, Marinari, &c. 2nd [1st time; MF 1, author unknown. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: Overture and new Music by Reeve, and selected Songs by Dibdin. [3rd piece in place of The Prize, advertised on playbill of 31 Aug. C. Kemble had 1st appeared as Zorinski at the hay on 31 Aug. and 7 Sept. 1795.] Morning Herald, 27 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Johnstone, No. 19, Piazza, Covent-Garden

Event Comment: [Extra night] By Authority of the Most Noble for Marquis of Salisbury, Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Household. Benefit for Waldron, prompter. Tickets to be had of Waldron, No. 4, Cross-court, Bow-street, Covent Garden

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Force of Ridicule; afterpiece of Richard Coeur de Lion, both advertised on playbill of 28 Nov.] "The new Comedy last night was deferred upon the pretext of Miss Farren's illness...The Manager sent after Mrs Siddons, who was found at Covent-Garden Theatre, seeing Abroad and at Home. Brandon, however, ordered her a chair, and she kindly performed Isabella. Wroughton read the Father" (Oracle, 30 Nov.). "For near an hour the audience waited patiently...At half past seven Palmer addressed the audience" He said that Miss Farren was ill, that to those who preferred to leave the theatre their money would be returned, and that instead of the new play Mrs Siddons would act Isabella, "as soon as the dresses could be prepared for that purpose. This address was by no means favourably received, and hundreds of persons immediately left the house. A few minutes after eight, the Curtain drew up to the tragedy, which was well performed, and much applauded by the few who remained to witness it" (Morning Herald, 30 Nov.). "November 30. Miss Farren last night refused to appear in a new Play at Drury Lane which made much confusion in the House. The cause assigned was indisposition but that was not believed by the audience; and the fact Lysons says is, that as she cannot obtain payment from the Theatre, she resolutely told them she wd. not appear unless her demands were paid...Such is the unprincipled conduct of Sheridan" (Diary of Joseph Farington, 1922, I, 174). [On 1 Dec. Morning Herald prints a letter from Miss Farren, from Green-street, Grosvenor-square. saying that she really was ill. The editor of the paper adds a note in which he affirms his positive knowledge that rumours about a dispute as to Miss Farren's unpaid salary were without foundation.] Receipts: #134 2s. (82.2; 50.18; 1.2)

Event Comment: [Murray's 1st appearance as Dr Caius was at Bristol, 11 June 1787. In adterpiece the playbill retains Incledon, but "Last night at Covent Garden an apology [was] made for the indisposition of Incledon, and a request that Bowden might sing the Hunting Song in his stead" (Morning Herald, 29 Dec.).] Receipts: #216 15s. 6d. (208.17.6; 7.18.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Elizabeth Inchbald. Author of Prologue unknown]: With new Dresses, Scenery, &c. Morning Herald, 4 Apr. 1797: This Day is published Wives as they Were, and Maids as they Are (2s). "The Manager of Covent Garden Theatre gives Mrs Inchbald #500 for her new Comedy" (True Briton, 13 Mar.). Receipts: #302 13s. 6d. (295.9.0; 7.4.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mattocks. 1st piece: In 3 Acts. [In 1st piece the playbill assigns Welford to Holman, and in 3rd piece Don Carlos to the same. But "An uncle of Holman expired suddenly on Saturday morning. An apology was made for Holman in the evening, and Macready took the Parts he was to have performed in the Play and Farce" (True Briton, 8 May). In 1st piece Cheaterly is assigned to Macready; who took his place is not stated.] True Briton, 22 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mattocks, No. 8, Great Russell-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #223 12s. 6d. (118.10.0; 4.2.0; tickets: 101.0.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnstone. 3rd piece [1st time; F 2, by Thomas Knight; incidental music by William Reeve]: Partly taken from The Committee [by Sir Robert Howard]. Morning Herald, 21 June 1797: This Day is published [by G. Cawthorn] The Honest Thieves (1s.). True Briton, 25 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Johnstone, No. 19, Piazza, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #434 7s. 6d. (210.4.0; 11.18.0; tickets: 212.5.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Martyr. 2nd piece [1st time; ENT 1, by John Cartwright Cross (see Monthly Mirror, June 1797, p. 370). Larpent MS 1166; not published]; With a striking Representation of the Conflagration of the Spanish Fleet in the Gulph of Pariav, the Island's Capitulation and the Departure of its Garrison, Prisoner of War [on 18 Feb. 1797]. True Briton, 1 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Martyr at her house, No. 16, Martlett Court, Bow-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #359 14s. (185.5; 8.2; tickets: 166.7)

Event Comment: Benefit for Suett. True Briton, 11 May: Tickets to be had of Suett, No. 10, Hart-street, Covent-Garden. Account-Book: Suett by agreement with the proprietors to pay half the value of tickets he brings in over #100. Receipts: #319 11s. (91.16.0; 54.2.0; 1.8.6; tickets 172.4.6) (charge: not levied; see above)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mountain. 2nd piece [1st time: CO 2, by James Hook Jun. Larpent MS 1172; not published]: With appropriate Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. The Overture and Music by James Hook? Sen.. True Briton, 16 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mountain, No. 28, Maiden-lane, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #287 3s. (86.4.6; 14.6.0; tickets: 186.12.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clendining. [1st piece in place of The Travellers in Switzerland, advertised on playbill of 23 May.] Morning Herald, 22 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Clendining, No. 13, King-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #157 18s. (55.10; 3.19; tickets: 98.9)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Powell. Lodoiska [advertised on playbill of 24 May] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of Suett. True Briton, 16 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Powell, No. 22, Henrietta-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #287 2s. 6d. (91.14.6; 49.7.6; 2.3.6; tickets: 143.17.0) (charge: #220 0s. 8d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Whitfield. True Briton, 26 May: Tickets to be had of Whitfield, No 19, Piazza, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #427 14s. (69.1.6; 54.3.0; 2.2.6; tickets: 302.7.0) (charge: #212 13s. 5d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss DeCamp. 3rd piece: With a Sea Fight. True Briton, 15 May: Tickets to be had of Miss DeCamp, No. 32, Bow-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #376 6s. 6d. (121.8.6; 79.13.6; 2.14.0; tickets: 172.10.6) (charge: #221 1s. 1d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Delpini. [1st piece in place of The School for Arrogance, advertised on playbill of 8 June.] 2nd piece [1st time; BALL. P 1, author unknown]. 4th piece: To conclude with a View of the Temple of Magic. True Briton, 2 June: Tickets to be had of Delpini, No. 27, Maiden-lane, Southampton-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #211 0s. 6d. (105.5.6; 13.11.6; tickets: 92.3.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Suett. True Briton, 8 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Suett at his chambers, No. 10, Hart-street, Covent-Garden

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnstone. 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT 1, but Walley Chamberlain Oulton; music by Thomas Attwood. Larpent MS 1178; not published]. True Briton, 23 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Johnstone, No. 19, Piazza, Covent-Garden

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act I incidental to the Tragedy, a Grand Masquerade. [This was included in all subsequent performances.] Afterpiece: With the Fantoccini, as 30 Oct. ["In the late performance of this play at Covent Garden theatre, we perceive that this objection [i.e. Romeo and Juliet in III. v standing on the stage] is removed; the principal part of the scene is spoken from a balcony...The grand funeral dirge is introduced with magnificence and ostentation. A long procession of monks, friars, &c., accompanied with music, is made to passover the stage. But what end is all this farce and shew to answer?...We must rather laugh at so much pomp and expence bestowed on Juliet. If there is any distress stirring, the candle-snuffers and scene-shifters, who assist as chief mourners, have it all to themselves" (Monthly Mirror, Nov. 1797, p. 293). Receipts: #197 3s. 6d. (193.5.6; 3.18.0)

Event Comment: "Incledon is no longer under any engagement at Covent-garden Theatre; having shewn a good deal of restiveness at being obliged to sing in the after-piece of Joan of Arc, he applied to Mr Harris on Friday [16 Feb.] to deliver him up his articles, which was instantly complied with" (Times, 19 Feb.). [On 22 Feb. and 15 Mar. Incledon acted, by Command; but not again until 14 Apr.] Receipts: #256 18s. 6d. (239.10.6; 17.8.0)