Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bulkley. 2nd piece [1st time; c 2, by James Brown Williamson. MS: Larpent 630; not published. Prologue probably by the author; Epilogue by the author; speakers' names (Public Advertiser, 3 Sept.)]

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, ascribed variously to John O'Keeffe and to James Foord; adapted from La Gageure Imprevue, by Michel Jean Sedaine. Text prints a Prologue "Supposed to be written by G. Colman, Esq., and intended to be spoken by Bannister Jun.," but "it arrived, by accident, too late at the theatre to be studied and recited" (London Chronicle, 25 Aug.)]. "A new afterpiece was...attempted to be represented, [but] it was not heard out" (Public Advertiser, 19 Aug.). Public Advertiser, 8 Oct. 1788: This Day is published A Key to the Lock (1s.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time: MD 5, by James Boaden]: With new Musick [by Michael Kelly], Dresses, and Decorations. [Scenery by Capon (Theatre Notebook, XIX, 14).] Morning Chronicle, 16 Jan. 1799: This Day is published Aurelio and Miranda (2s.). Receipts: #271 16s. (218.15.0; 51.19.6; 1.1.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; BURL 3]: Written by the Author of Midas [Kane O'Hara; music by Samuel Arnold]. Books of the Burletta to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 22 Aug.: This Afternoon, at Three, will be published April-Day (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by George Colman elder, based on Le Barbier de Seville; ou, La Precaution Inutile, by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais; music by Samuel Arnold and, by attribution, Pierre Alexandre Monsigny. Prologue by the author (Collection...of English Prologues and Epilogues, II, 209). Epilogue by David Garrick (Garrick's Poetical Works, II, 340). Larpent MS 436; not published; synopsis of plot in London Magazine, Sept. 1777, pp. 467-69]: With New Dresses and Scenes

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Charles Dibdin, based on La Bohemienne, by Charles Simon Favart. Music by Samuel Arnold]. Books of both Pieces to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 10 Aug. 1778: This Day is published The Gipsies (price not listed)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by Henry Knapp; music by Samuel Arnold. Author of Prologue unknown. London Chronicle, 24 Aug., states that this was based on a French comedy of the same title.]

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Musical Entertainment in 2 Acts [by Theodosius Forrest] never pebformed. With a New Overture by Dr Arnold. The Airs chiefly selected from the most eminent masters. [Larpent MS 392 confirms the character names and adds a Country Lad and a Country Lass. The Westminster Magazine for Oct. condemned the Weathercock: "To speak of this piece as a literary compostiion, it was throughout a dull, uninteresting narrative, told in duller numbers. Considered in a dramatic light, it was still less defensible....The overture by Dr Arnold was trite, except the last movement, which had great merit, and was universally admired....We expected in spite of the numerous Orders sent in by the Author and Managers, that it would have met with its deserved fate on the first representation, it was, however, somehow carried through that and a second night's hearing-on the third evening, however, it received a formal damnation."

Event Comment: Afterpiec : A New Burletta [by George Colman]. The Characters New Dress'd. The Music entirely New composed by Mr Arnold. Books of the Burletta to be had at the Theatre. [Books sold at each subsequent performance this season. See Town and Country Magazine (from Theatre No. XII, p. 593) for comment on the afterpiece.

Event Comment: Rec'd from Thomas and Arnold for use of the Organ this season #21, and for coals burnt at the Oratorios #2 2s. Rec'd #54 14s. 8d. in payment of deficiencies for last season's benefit performances from Dumay, Curtat, Merryfield and Wignell. Paid Garton (treasurer) 11 Oratorio nights for renters #110. Paid Phillips in full for his performance this season #21 (Account Book). Receipts: #117 5s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [Henderson's 1st recorded appearance as Falstaff was at Bath, 6 Mar. 1777. "In the frolicksome, gay, and humourous situations of Falstaff Henderson is superior to every man...His soliloquy in describing his ragamuffin regiment, and his enjoying the misuse of the king's press-money are so truly excellent that they are not inferior to any comic representation of the stage" (Davies, I, 252-53).] Afterpiece: Never performed here. The Musick composed by Dr Arnold

Event Comment: Afterpiece: The Musick composed by Dr Arnold

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2]: Written by the Author of Tony Lumpkin in Town [John O'Keeffe. Text (1st authorized) published in Cumberland's British Theatre, Vol. XXXI]. The Music and Overture composed by Dr Arnold [with airs adapted from Philidor and Guglielmi (Public Advertiser, 17 Aug.)]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P I, by George Colman, the elder. His authorship has hitherto been questioned, but for its authentication see Peake, II, 54. Larpent MS 532; not published]: An Original, Whimsical, Operatical, Pantomimical, Farcical, Electrical, Naval, Military, Temporary, Local Extravaganza.The Overture and new Musick by Dr Arnold. With new Scenes [by Canter (Public Advertiser, 5 Sept.)], Dresses and Decorations. The Views of the Temple of Health and the Camp in St. James's Park designed and executed by Rooker. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2]: Written by the Author of the Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [Text 1st published (unauthorized), Dublin, 1783.

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Separate Maintenance, announced on playbill of 3 Sept.] Afterpiece [1st time: MF 2]: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. The new Scenes painted by Rooker. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [Larpent MS 568; text 1st published (authorized), Cumberland's British Theatre, XXXI.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Never performed here. Written by [John] O'Keeffe; As it was performed at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket [beginning with 4 Sept.], with the greatest Applause. The Overture and new Music composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #205 7s. 6d.(203/6/6; 2/1/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe; MS: Larpent 577; not published. The following season this was altered, and acted successfully as The Castle of Andalusia]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. A new Overture, and the whole of the Music under the Direction of Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 29 Nov.: The admirable first scene, the subterraneous Receptacle of the Banditti, is the production of the ingenious Mr Richards. Receipts: #182 10s. (180/12/6; 1/17/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. "The same person who, in the play, performed the school-fellow of the Nabob with a great deal of nature, and original humour, here acted the part of the school-master; his name is Edwin, and he is, without doubt, one of the best actors of all that I have seen ... [He], in all his comic characters, still preserves something so inexpressibly good tempered in his countenance, that notwithstanding all his burlesques, and even grotesque buffoonery, you cannot but be pleased with him . . . Nothing could equal the tone and countenance of self-satisfaction, with which he answered one who asked him whether he was a scholar? 'Why, I was a master of scholars.' A Mrs Webb represented a cheesmonger, and played the part of a woman of the lower class, so naturally, as I have no where else ever seen equalled. Her huge, fat, and lusty carcase, and the whole of her external appearance seemed quite to be cut out for it" (Carl Philipp Moritz, Travels in England in 1782, London, 1924, pp. 73-74)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Written by the Author of The Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Music composed by Dr Arnold

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 1, by John O'Keeffe and George Colman, the elder. Synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 20 Aug.]: The Music by Dr Arnold. The Scenes by Rooker. Books of the Songs [T. Cadell] to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe, altered from his The Banditti (see 28 Nov. 1781). Text in his Dramatic Works, Vol. 1 (T. Woodfall, 1798)]: With new Scenes [by Carver (O'Keeffe, u, 38)], Dresses, and a new Overture. The Selected Airs by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Giardini, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan, the Irish Bard. The Overture and New Airs composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [This was Sga Sestini's 1st appearance on the English-speaking stage. For several preceding seasons she had been a member of the Italian opera company performing at the King's.] "Sestini . . . was handsome, sprightly, and a good actress, if great exuberance of gesticulation, activity of motion, and affected Italian smorfie could make her one; but her voice was gritty and sharp (something like singing through a comb), and she was nothing of a singer, except for lively comic airs. Yet she was . . . long a favourite with the mass of the public, though not with the connoisseurs" (Mount-Edgcumbe, p. 33). Account-Book, 30 June 1783: Paid O'Keeffe in full for The Castle of Andalusia #368 18s. 6d. Receipts: #166 2s. 6d. (165/9/0; 0/13/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. Public Advertiser, 13 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 52, Margaret-street, Cavendish Square. Afterpiece [1st time; burl 2, by John O'Keeffe. MS: Larpent 616; not published]: Taken from the Italian of La Serva Padrona [by Gennaro Antonio Federico]. The Music chiefly the Original of Parosasi [i.e. Pergolesi, and so spelled on playbill of 17 Feb.]. The new Music composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #256 5s. 6d. (198/12/0; 7/3/6; tickets: 50/10/0) (charge: none listed)