Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Alter'd from Shakespear by Sir W. Davenant, Mr Dryden

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Ladies of Quality. Mainpiece: Alter'd from Shakespear by Sir W. Davenant, Mr Dryden

Event Comment: Benefit Chetwood. Tickets for Mr and Mrs Marshall taken. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: By Command of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Sir John Vanbrugh. Afterpiece: By Desire

Event Comment: Timon published at 1s. 6d. Tomorrow will be publish'd, Beautifully printed, The Theatres: A poetical Dissection by Sir Nicholas Nipclose, printed for John Bell. [See 17 Dec. and 1 Jan. 1772.] King's share of Bristol Theatre purchas'd by Dodd (Winston MS 10). Paid Mr Weston's Bill to Mr Best #4 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #136 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. The eighth night of the New Pantomime of the Sylphs will be on Thursday. Gave Porters of the several Inns of Court their Christmas Box #3 12s. 6d. Paid John Corker and Joseph Stephenson each 10s. as per certificate from Sir John Fielding (Account Book). Receipts: #183 15s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. [Mainpiece in place of Sir Thomas Overbury; afterpiece of Comus, both announced on playbill of 4 Feb.] Receipts: #268 2s. (267.13; 0.9)

Event Comment: Diary of Richard Boyle, Volume III, in the Duke of Devonshire's Library in Chatsworth: the new play caled the Indian Queen. [I am indebted to Professor Kathleen Lynch for this notice.

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: [Mainpiece in place of King Richard the Third, announced on playbill of 11 Feb.] Receipts: #112 5s. (103/9; 8/16)

Event Comment: 1st piece: The whole under the direction of Byrne, Ballet Master. The Scenes by Richards. Receipts: #212 16s. (211.4; 1.12)

Event Comment: Prelude [1st time;PREL I, probably by Richard Cumberland. Larpent MS 472; not published]. Mainpiece [1st time; M 3, by Richard Cumberland, based on Calypso and Telemachus, by John Hughes]: The Overture and all the Music entirely new, and composed by Butler. With new Scenery painted by Richards and Carver, and new Dresses. Books of the Masque to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 27 Mar. 1779: This Day is published Calypso (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 4, but published in 5, by Richard Bentley. The assignments of Fearon, Booth, Mahon (who are not listed in the text) are my own conjecture. Prologue and Epilogue by Richard Bentley Jun. (Public Advertiser, 18 Dec.)]: New Dresses, &c. Words of the Epithalamium will be given at the Box Doors. Public Advertiser, 11 Jan. 1783: This Day is published Philodamus (1s. 6d.). Afterpiece: Never performed at this Theatre. Receipts: #203 2s. (198/16/6; 4/5/6)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Ferdinand to Johnstone, but "The sudden illness of Johnstone gave much dissatisfaction, though Cubitt did all in his power to supply his place" (Town and Country Magazine, Sept. 1785, p. 451). William Palmer was from the Norwich theatre; Meadows from the HAY.] The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 14 Nov.]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon, at the Stage-Door. [No playbill this season lists the various prices of admission; they were probably, as usual: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s.] The Alterations and Improvements in the Theatre this Season are made by Richards, and executed under his Superintendance by Catton and others. [Public Advertiser, 22 Sept., notes that these improvements consisted of the enlargement of the boxes, in which "the seats are formed into recesses which communicate with the other boxes"; all the pillars, "even those of iron in the back boxes [being] capped, cased, fluted and gilt"; the front of the boxes and galleries being newly painted a "warm lilac"; the back of the boxes being wainscotted and painted crimson.] Paid Charewomen for cleaning Theatre #13 0s. 6d. Receipts: #214 2s. 6d. (210/10/0; 3/12/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 5, by Richard Cumberland. Author of Prologue unknown]: A Romance of the Fourteenth Century, Formed upon the Plan of an unpublished Drama [Johanna von Montfaucon], written and transmitted by Augustus von Kotzebue, The Overture, Songs, Chorusses, Marches and Finale, with appropriate Symphonies between the Acts, by Busby. The Scenery, Dresses, Machinery & Decorations entirely New. The Scenery by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, &c. The arrangement of the Marches, Chorusses & Military Movements incidental to the Piece, under the direction of Farley. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. The Words of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. "The appropriate beauty of the scenery, in which the rules of perspective are critically observed, the splendour of the decorations and the richness of the dresses, have been rarely equalled" (Universal Magazine, Jan. 1800, p. 75). Receipts: #318 6d. (316.2; 2.4)

Event Comment: [By Richard Steele. Date of premiere unknown. Published 20 Dec.] Colley Cibber: I remember [Rich] once paid us nine Days in one Week: This happen'd when the Funeral...was first acted, with more than expected Success.-Apology, I, 263

Event Comment: Written by the Author of The Funeral. [By Richard Steele. Premiere.

Event Comment: Afterpiece [by Richard Estcourt]: Mr Bayes's Practice of an Interlude, call'd, Prunella, done from the Italian. Benefit Estcourt. And at the Request of many of the Nobility (who have taken Tickets) 2 Benches of the Pit will be Rail'd in, for more Conveniency. And to prevent any Disappointment, by coming late, 'tis desire'd that their Servants may be sent by 2 a Clock with the Tickets to keep Places

Event Comment: [By Richard Barford.] Never Acted before. Receipts: #67 10s. Probable attendance: boxes, 90 paid and 14 orders; pit, 243 paid and 10 orders; slips, 12 paid and 5 orders; first gallery, 158 paid and 10 orders; second gallery, 96 paid

Event Comment: Written by the late Richard Steele. Benefit Mrs Wright and Mrs Stevens. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Receipts: money #19 9s. 6d.; tickets #146 19s

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A Rehearsal of a New Ballad-Opera, burlesqued [By Richard Baker]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A Comedy [by Richard Cumberland] never performed there. Paid John Doe for sticking Black Bills #3 12s. Paid Cooper (printer) as per bill #20 2s. (Account Book). [The Westminster Magazine held in reserve its judgment on Lewis as an actor until the reviewer could see him in another part.] Receipts: #137 4s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (Collection...of English Prologues and Epilogues, II, 214; IV, 195)]: With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 7 Feb. 1778: This Day is published The Battle of Hastings (1s. 6d.). "This piece was received with uncommon applause...[Palmer's] heroic exclamation-'all private feuds should cease when England's glory is at stake'-was so sensibly felt by the audience that a repetition was called for, but judiciously refused, as out of character in a tragedy" (London Magazine, Jan. 1778, p.37). Receipts: #243 15s. 6d. (235.0.0; 8.13.0; 0.2.6)