Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never aceted here. [Mrs Montague was from the York theatre.

Event Comment: [This theatre had no patent; it could therefore remain open in Holy Week.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [In mainpiece the playbill does not list the Child; for the assignment see Morning Post, 10 Oct., and edition of 1787 (Rachael Randall).] "[Mrs Siddons's] merit in the character was infinite, and the applause she received unbounded. In various of her scenes the plaudits were repeated . . . During the fourth and fifth acts there was almost an incessant clapping, and when Isabella expired her death was rendered glorious by the theatre's resounding with thundering applause for more than a minute" (Morning Chronicle, 11 Oct.). "L'actrice la plus noble dans ses manieres, madame Siddons, ne perd rien de sa dignite quand elle se prosterne contre terre . . . Enfin, il arriva ce moment terrible ou Isabelle, s'etant echappee des mains des femmes qui veulent l'empechcr de se tuer, rit, en se donnant un coup de poignard, de l'inutilite de leurs efforts. Ce rire du desespoir est l'effet le plus difficile et le plus remarquable que le jeu dramatique puisse produire; il emeut bien plus que les larmes: cette amere ironie du malheur est son expression la plus dechirante. Qu'elle est terrible la souffrance du coeur, quand elle inspire une si barbare joie, quand elle donne, a l'aspect de son propre sang, le contentement feroce d'un sauvage ennemi qui se serait venge!" (Mme de Stael: Corinne, livre XVII, chapitre iv). Receipts: #181 11s. (147/0; 34/6; 0/5)

Event Comment: "[Kemble] has not, and we speak charitably, any pretensions to a first or second rank in the theatre. We are sorry for this, as he seemed to labour earnestly, but in vain" (London Magazine, Oct. 1783, p. 350). Paid Music 3 nights #23 19s. Receipts: #288 12s. 6d. (287/0/0; 1/12/6)

Event Comment: [Lamash had originally acted at this theatre from 1774 to 1782]. Receipts: #190 9s. 6d. (143.18.0; 46.5.6; 0.6.0)

Event Comment: Ballet: 1st Time [at this theatre. The two Miss Simonets were from the king's.]. With new Scenes and Dresses. Receipts: #119 9s. 6d. (113.6.6; 6.3.0)

Event Comment: Among the Instrumental Performers are G. Ashley (leader of the Band), Sperati, Sarjant, Patria, Reinagle, C. Ashley, Boyce, Mahon, Mountain, Holmes, Lyon, Schram, Kaye, the Leanders, &c. Double Drums by J. Ashley. The Organ on Fridays by Knyvett, and on Wednesdays by Greatorex. The whole conducted by Harrison and Ashley. The Band will consist of 150 Performers. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon, at the Stage Door. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. No Money to be returned. Places may be taken in the Theatrical Orchestra at 5s. each [i.e. at the oratorios the instrumentalists sat on the stage]. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same throughout oratorio season]. Books of the Performances, with the names of the performers to their respective songs, to be had at the Theatre. And to prevent imposition in the Streets, the Managers have directed that they should be sold in the Theatre, at 6d. each

Event Comment: "The farce waited some time for Bannister, who performed at Covent-Garden Theatre in The Woodman. An apology was made for his absence, and, in a few minutes after, he came" (Gazetteer, 14 June)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Kemble. Afterpiece: The [first] and only time of performing it [this season] at this theatre. Morning Herald, 31 July: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kemble, No. 24, corner of Panton-street, Haymarket

Event Comment: [Miss Hill, who was from the Plymouth theatre, is identified in European Magazine, Oct. 1794, p. 285.] Receipts: #257 11s. (250.12.6; 6.18.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years [acted 17 Apr. 1790. The playbill assigns Theodosia to Mrs Clendining, but "The absence of Mrs Clendining from the theatre on Friday last is due to...accident by which her shoulder and collar-bone were dislocated and she now lies dangerously ill" (Morning Herald, 5 Jan.). On 14 Jan. the part was acted by Mrs Arnold]. Receipts: #164 15s. 6d. (158.16.6; 5.19.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: The Overture, Chorusses and new Musick by Dr Arnold. The Scenery by Rooker. Afterpiece: The Musick by Storace. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never performed at this Theatre. [In afterpiece the playbill assigns Valentine to Johnstone, but "Johnstone's indisposition produced an apology:--his character was undertaken by Incledon" (Morning Herald, 22 Sept.).] Receipts: #280 10s. 6d. (254.12.6; 25.18.0)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Wilson, widow of Richard Wilson, lately of the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden and Haymarket [whose 1st appearance on the stage was at Manchester, 26 Feb. 1796]. Tickets to be had of Mrs Wilson, No. 239, Piccadilly, near the Haymarket

Event Comment: 2nd piece: Compressed for First Time into two acts, with several new Airs, &c. [Miss Sims was from the Theatre, Sadler's Wells.] Receipts: #259 17s. (253.15; 6.2)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnston. [He had 1st acted Hamlet at Edinburgh, 9 July 1794: Egerton's 1st appearance at cg was on 5 June 1797.] 2nd piece [1st time at this theatre; M. PAST 1, author unknown. Larpent MS 1207; not published. 1st acted at Sadler's Wells, 28 May 1787, when the playbill gives the 2nd title as "The Highland Laddie", and adds "The Words of the Airs selected from Allan Ramsay"]. Times, 13 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Johnston, No. 31, King-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #230 19s. 6d. (110.2.6; 1.14.0; tickets: 119.3.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for H. Johnston. Mainpiece: 1st time at this Theatre; by Permission of Mr Colman. Morning Chronicle, 9 Apr.: Tickets to be had of H. Johnston, No. 47, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #334 3s. 6d. (174.7.6; 1.14.0; tickets: 158.2.0)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. "Towards the conclusion [of afterpiece, Miss DeCamp] fell with Kelly, while in the act of running down the stage; her head striking with so much violence against the boards that she fainted away [having received a severe contusion that necessitated surgery]" (Morning Herald, 8 Feb.). It is to be hoped that the events of Thursday Evening will prove a wholesome warning to the servants of the Theatre, and enforce the necessity of sweeping the stage with greater care. The disaster, it seems, originated in the peel of an orange, which the Copper Captain [in mainpiece] throws away" (Dramatic Censor, I, 210). Receipts: #591 19s. (525.13.6; 63.5.6; 3.0.0)

Event Comment: The King's Company. For praise of Lacy, see Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 16, or 27 Nov. 1662. Pepys, Diary: To the Royal Theatre by water, and landing, met with Captain Ferrers his friend, the little man that used to be with him, and he with us, and sat by us while we saw Love in a Maze. The play is pretty good, but the life of the play is Lacy's part, the clown, which is most admirable; but for the rest, which are counted such old and excellent actors, in my life I never heard both men and women so ill pronounce their parts, even to my making myself sick therewith

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The Prologue and Epilogue, printed separately, bear Luttrell's MS notations: At ye Dukes theater at Venice Preserv'd &c. Acted 31 May. 1682 (Huntington Library, with Luttrell's date of purchase, 1 June 1682). The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 108-10. The Newdigate newsletters disagree as to the play acted: 1 June 1682: Yesterday the D. of Y. came to town & went wth his Dutchess to ye play called the Royallist (Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 80)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. This day publish'd Price 1s. Alexander's Feast; or, The Power of Music; written by Dryden. To which is added the Coronation Anthem as performed this evening at Covent Garden. Set by Mr Handel. This Day publish'd Price 5s. sewed. A Treatise on the Art of Dancing, by Giovanni Andrea Gallini, Director of the Dances at the Royal Theatre in the Haymarket

Event Comment: [Holman is identified on playbill of 5 Nov. Address by John Barwis (European Magazine, Oct. 1784, p. 336, which also lists name of speaker).] Mainpiece: With new Dresses, Scenery and Decorations. In Act I a Masquerade Scene. [This notice is included in all subsequent playbills.] "This easy and natural performance of Holman . . . will prove a fatal blow to the cause of the Attitudinarians and Face-makers; to those who think dramatic excellence consists in . . . finding out meanings that were never meant ... in stretching out their fingers like monkies dying in convulsions ... in uttering their words like minute-guns at royal funerals" (Public Advertiser, 1 Nov.). "Why does Romeo wear black in the last Act? Is it on account of his banishment? He has not heard of Juliet's death" (Gazetteer, 28 Oct.)

Event Comment: His Royal Highness the Duke present. Mainpiece: By Terence. Afterpiece: Imitated from the Phormio by Moliere, and translated into English by Mr Otway, with some Alterations; acted by the younger King's Scholars

Event Comment: By Command of his Royal Highness the Duke, and her Royal Highness the Princess Caroline

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By particular desire. [Afterpiece call'd Merlin in the Treasurer's Account Book, but listed as Royal Chace; or, Harlequin Skeleton in the General Advertiser.] Receipts: #58 10s. 6d