Event Comment: Book of the opera to be had at the Theatre. A serious English Opera with music by Mr Bates. [These notes appear on all bills this season.] Well received but neglected (Victor, History of the Theatres, III, 63). [Altered from the Italian by Thomas Hull.] We hear a patent will be made out, in favor of an eminent English actor, who intends to establish a Playhouse at New York (Winston MS 9)

Event Comment: Ash Wednesday. A comedy, by the author of Love in a Village [I. Bickerstaffe] and the Maid of the Mill, will be performed this season at one of the theatres (Winston MS 9). [See 23 April, Thomas and Sally.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Lessingham. Mainpiece: Alter'd from Shakespeare and Thompson, not acted these 4 years. Afterpiece: For last time this season (playbill of 19 April 1768). [See 18 Feb. 1765. This Coriolanus is possibly the Tragedy by Thomas Sheridan, 8vo, 1755.] @Receipts #85 10s. 6d.@House charge #63@Candles #1 5s.@Extras: Kettle Drum 5s.@2 Side Drums 4s.@4 Fifes 8s.@2 Trumpets 10s.@Chorus Singers #1 10s.@Wardrobe #5 19s.@Total #73 1s. 6d.@Balance due Mrs Lessingham #12 9s.@Tickets 197 137 89 #78 14s.@Money #85 10s. 6d.@Total value of House #164 4s. 6d. (Account Book).@ Mr Clarke being suddenly taken ill in the afternoon [yesterday] his part in the tragedy was oblig'd to be supplied by Mr Younger. And Mr Clarke still continuing ill the Tragedy of King Lear, with the Musical entertainment Amelia is oblig'd to be deferred till further notice (Public Advertiser, 21 April)

Event Comment: The Last time of the company's performing this season. [Following deficiencies for this season paid up: Richard Smith, Lewes, Dumay, Condell, Potter, Thomas Smith, Quick, Furkins, Wilkinson, Abbott, Simmonds, Pullen, Stephenson, Asbury, Wilde, Francis, Mrs Griffiths, Claridge, and Sharratt (Account Book). This includes payment of half value of tickets for those who were granted partial benefits on that basis.] Music forfeits at end of season #17 6s. 11d. Neville MS Diary: Went...to see Cymbeline...chiefly to hear Powell speak an occasional prologue. Would not have gone had I known it was only a stale piece of flattery to George. [See The Gentleman's Magazine, 9 July p. 346: "On shutting up the playhouse in Covent Garden at the end of the season, admission into the theatre having been denied to Mr H and R through any other passage but Mr Powell's House, those gentlemen at the head of a large posse on the 17th of last month, [June] made a forcible entry by breaking open a window near the playhouse door in Hart street; after which they expelled by violence Mr Sargeant the Housekeeper, all his family and others; but the acting managers not being inclined to submit to the arbitrary proceedings of their colleagues, immediately applied for redress, where redress was effectually to be had, and this day they were formally expelled by virtue of a warrant from under the hand and seal of the high sherrifs of London and Middlesex, and the old housekeeper, Mr Sargeant, restored to his office of trust, to the great mortification of one of the champions who had been heard to say: That he had now got possession and d--n him if he would not keep it while he had a drop of blood in his body, and while there was one brick upon another belonging to the house."

Event Comment: HHamlet, Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). Wit's Last Stake by Thomas King, as it is performed at Drury Lane, published at 1s

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Yates. Mainpiece: A Tragedy (Written by Voltaire) and translated by [Dr Thomas Francklin] the Author of The Earl of Warwick. Pit and Boxes will be laid together. Ladies are desired to send their servants by 4 o'clock. Mrs Yates will be particularly oblig'd to those Ladies, and Gentlemen, who have seats in the Pit, if they will be co kind as to come as early as possible to prevent confusion in getting their places. [Genest V, 242, conjectures the following assignment of parts: Orestes-Smith; Aegisthus-Bensley; Pammenes-Clarke; Pylades-Perry; Electra-Mrs Yates; Clytemnestra-Mrs Ward; Iphisa-Mrs Bulkley.] Charges #65 7s. 6d. Balance to Mrs Yates #39 1s. plus #180 10s. from 722 Box tickets (Account Book). Total House value #284 18s. 6d. Receipts: #104 8s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Wm Gard for performing in the Lyon 12 Nights #1 10s. Paid Thomas Singleton for the same #1 10s.; Paid Henry Williams for performing the Bells 4 nights #1 10s. (Account Book). [Epilogue is Larpent MS 306.] Receipts: #194 2s

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Comic Opera. The Music by Hooke, [text attributed to Thomas Bridges. Prologue spoken in the character of Flora by Mrs Gardner. At the conclusion Dido hangs herself in her own garters. She is cut down and gives her hand to Iarbas.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid Mr Clutterbuck's Balance of Last year #147 4s. 4d.; Paid Mr Thomas French for painting (27 days) #10 6s.; Chorus 1 night (16th inst.) #2 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #114 9s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr Thomas French, 8 days, #3 4s.; Mr Caley, (hatter), #2 2s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #153 10s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. N.B. The Institution of the Garter will be laid aside after this night (playbill). Paid Mr Davies on note #5; Miss Hopkins 29 nights at 2s. 6d. per night, #3 12s. 6d.; Mr Thomas French 7 days #2 16s.; Master Brown 12 nights last season and 3 nights this season #5 12s. 6d.; (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #221 4s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

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: Benefit for Thomas Linley Jun

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Barry. Mainpiece: A Tragedy altered from Thomson [by Thomas Hull] never perform'd. Part of Pit laid into the Boxes. Servants who are to keep places are desired to be at the stage door by 4 o'clock, and those Ladies and Gentlemen who have taken seats in the Pit are requested to come early to prevent confusion in getting to their places. Epilogue by Sheridan. [This play had been refused a license on 26 March 1739, While Walpole was still Prime Minister, probably because of such speeches as: @Is there a cure on Humankind so fell@So pestilent, to Prince and People,@As the base servile vermin of a court;@Corrupt, Corrupting ministers and favourites?@How oft have such eat up the widow's morsel,@The Peasant's toil, the Merchant's far-sought gain,@And wantoned to the ruin of a nation!-Larpent MS, op. p. 65.@ Also the play equalizes Christianity and Mohammedanism before God, and gives a slight edge to the latter (Act IV, scene ii), suggesting the part politics play in Christian churches. An account of the alterations made for the present performance is given in the Westminster Magazine for March. The review concludes: The Play was got up altogether well, and reputedly acted, and is in its present state what the Ladies call "a very pretty tragedy."

Event Comment: Benefit for Clinch. Doors opened at half past 5. Play to begin at Half an Hour after 6. [Afterpiece written by Sheridan for Clinch, traditionally in gratitude for his saving The Rivals from damnation. (See Thomas Moore's Life of Sheridan [London, 1825], I, 148). The Westminster Magazine for May adds to cast: Irish Corporal-Fox; Soldiers-$Davies, $Wewitzer, Chaplin, and reviews the piece briefly: St Patrick's day is replete with broad humor, homely jests, and extravagant caricature. The language in general shewed the author a man of honour and observation; the situations were whimsical and produced that mirth which the audience in the Prologue were invited to partake of....The jests were occasionally too low and vulgar, and his scene too extravagantly absurd. The main drift of the Prologue was to tell the Audience that a fine Spring impeded the theatrical harvest; and that at this season the benefits of Nature were the greatest enemies to the Performer's Benefits."

Event Comment: In Mr G. fine Scene with Thomas , Just as he was going to trust him with the Secret the House was very Silent and Mr G. very fine a fellow in the Gallery bawld out--Speak louder--It disconcerted Mr G. very much (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid Mr Waller's Bill (hosier) #30 16s. 9d.; Mr Pryer [Turner] #3 2s.; Mr Bannizter [sic] for two songs #5 5s. Receipts: #242 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Ode [1st time; composed by Thomas Linley Jun. (see 18 Mar. 1778), text by John Hoadly]

Event Comment: Benefit for Thomas Ansell, Pilfold, Woolley, Symmonds Furkins & Roberts. Tickets delivered by Clarridge, Doe, Wells, Longley, Francis, Brandon, Walker, Varley will be taken this Night. Receipts: #278 11s. 6d. (21.8.6; 0.6.0; tickets: 256.17.0) (charge: none listed)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years [acted 6 May 1776]. With Accompaniments to the Airs composed by Thomas? Linley Sen?.. Public Advertiser, 10 Nov.: "Jenny Diver forgot her song...and continued inflexibly silent till a Wag behind the Scenes assumed her Voice, and sung the Song for her"; ibid, 15 Nov., identifies this wag as Bannister, who sang "in a feigned voice." [Webster was from the Crow Street Theatre, Dublin.] Receipts: #192 6s. 6d. (167.2.0; 24.16.0; 0.8.6)

Event Comment: Hamlet [announced on playbill of 18 Feb.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of a principal Performer. Afterpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Abraham Portal. Larpent MS 445; not published]: The Overture and Music [by Thomas Linley Jun.] entirely new. With New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Words of the Songs, Chorusses, &c. to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 19 Feb. 1778: This Day at Three will be published the Songs in The Cady of Bagdad (6d.). Receipts: #180 0s. 6d. (130.9.0; 49.7.6; 0.4.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Alterations [by Thomas Hull]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Accompaniments to the Airs composed by Thomas Linley? Sen.. Receipts: #191 10s. (190.1; 1.9)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With accompaniments to the Airs composed by Thomas? Linley? Sen. [Miss Wright's 1st appearance, as an actress, was at this theatre on 7 May 1779.] Afterpiece: With Alterations and Additions; To conclude with a Grand View of Greenwich Hospital, designed by DeLoutherbourg. Paid Land Tax 3rd & 4th Qtrs. to Lady Day #41 16s. Receipts: #187 3s. 6d. (151.3.0; 35.15.6; 0.5.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 13 years [acted 5 May 1770]. With Alterations and 3 entire new Scenes [by Richard Brinsley Sheridan; and new music by Thomas Linley Sen.]. To conclude with a Representation of the Storming of Fort Omoa in the Bay of Hondurasv [when it was captured by the British from the Spaniards on 26 Oct. 1779. This scene was included in all subsequent performances]. The View and Machinery designed by DeLoutherbourg and executed under his direction. With New Dresses and Decorations. "The scenemen blundered egregiously all through the entertainment. During the siege of the fort so much gunpowder was fired off that the stage was so filled with smoke that the officers, men, were scarcely discernible from the boxes" (London Chronicle, 4 Jan.). Receipts: #203 2s. 6d. (154.7.0;47.17.0; 0.18.6)