Event Comment: Mainpiece: In three acts altered from Shakespeare. Afterpiece, a New Pastoral Masque and Pantomime interspersed. The Music composed by Fisher. The scenes painted by Messrs Dahl, Richards and Carver. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken. Books of Songs, &c. sold in Theatre. The words of the Masque taken chiefly from Ben Johnson (playbill). [DNB s.v. "Jonson," suggests The Haddington Masque, 1608, with the "Hue and Cry after Cupid" material as the source. The reviewer for the Westminster Magazine commented on the performance of 25 November, after outlining the story: "Such are the outlines of The Druids, whick is a hetereogeneous jumble of monstrous absurdities; and if considered merely as a vehicle for music, dances, and decorations, is, in our opinion, far inferior to the dramatic monstrum horrendum of the other House [The Maid of the Oaks]. Both pieces, however, are equally an insult on the understanding and judgments of the Public, and exhibit striking proofs of the miserably depraved state of the English theatre, whose entertainments are at present conducted by Managers either destitute of taste and abilities or actuated by no other than the paltry, despicable motives of vanity, prejudice, and avarice,"]

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Particular Desire. House. So Ends the Season 56 different Plays 37 different Farces 188 Nights in all (Hopkins Diary). Paid Mr J. French on acct #5 5s.; Subscription to Chas Standen #1 1s.; Returned Mr J. Palmer part of his Benefit Balance #30; Sga Hidou in full of 500 Guineas for this season #27 5s. Receipts: #118 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). After season receipts and expenses (Treasurers's Book). Receipts: 29 May: Stopages #6 1s.; Watson & Mortimer #25 returned from cash advanced at beginning of season; Mrs Smith in full of debt #14. 2 June: Mr Heath's rent 1 yr to Xmas last #10; Mr Brereton's salary stopt & Benefit after money 3rd May #17 11s. 6d.; Ditto for Reddish #10; Ditto for Dibdin #24 12s. 24 June: Public Advertiser this season #50; Ditto for Gazetter #50; Mr Pope one yrs rent to Lady Day last (#1 10s. land tax deducted) #28 10s.; Harrison's rent ditto (#8 15s. deducted) #34 18s. 4d.; also deducted #2 6s. 8d. sewer's tax; Mr Parsonage 1 yrs ditto (#5 land tax and 15s. Repairs deducted) #42 5s.; Late Mr Banks 1 yrs ditto #3; Their Majesties account #80. 30 June: Mr Burges, 1 yrs rent to Xmas last (#4 4s. land tax deducted) #16 16s.; Discount on #362 1s. 3d. amount of tallow chandler's 10 Bills this season at 8%-#28 19s. 2d.; Remainder of Sinking Fund, #159 12s.; Mr Reddish's Benefit Acct #78 16s. 6d. 15 July: Sundry salary forfeits taken up by Evans #144 18s. 4d.; Music forfeits #18 4s. 6d. B. Richards forfeits #6 12s. Expenditures: 29 May: Salary List #510 6s.; Davies on note #9 9s.; Slingsby in full of #350 for this season #3 1s. 8d.; Mrs Yates ditto of #800 this season 11s. 8d.; Mr Courtney Chorus 27 nights at 5s. per night in full #6 15s.; Advanced to Everard to compleat his ticket acct #1 5s. 6d.; Mr Page on note #5 5s.; Mr Page in full of #25 this season #1 12s. 6d. 3 June: Miss Berkley on note #5 5s.; King in full of #500 salary #32 10s.; Mrs Moffat, dresser, per order D. Garrick #5 5s.; Lamash on note #6 15s.; One yrs watch & rector's rate to Lady Day last (Cov. Garden) #1 10s. 24 June: Repaid Mr Bannister his Bt balance #35 16s. 6d.; Lent Mr Baddeley per order Mr D. Garrick #20; Mr G. Garrick in full of #400, #50; Mr Smart, attending practices of Dances #10 10s.; Mr Pope's bill for Wigs #17 7s. 6d., and his bill for 64 extra nights for dressing #6 8s.; Mr D. Richards 31 weeks 1 day extra salary #31 3s. 4d.; Chaise to Hampton, Mr Evans & Becket 19s. 8d.; J. French on acct #7 7s. 30 June: Mr Vernon's balance of Acct in full #18 9s. 6d.; Mrs Chitty for coals #77; Barrow & Co. for Oil #187 6s. 6d.; Burges (bricklayer) #134 11s.; Tallow chandler's 10th and last bill #28 4s. 10d.; Chettell (timber merchant) #76 12s. 6d.; R. Palmer Jr 47 nights in Maid of Oaks and Harlequin's Jacket #4 14s.; Loss on sale of 75 Guineas & half light cash of Sinking Fund #3 9s. 6d. 5 July: Bibb (sword cutler) #3 6s.; Scott (copper laceman) #100 3s.; Powney (stationer) #5 16s.; Mrs Jones (worsted lace) &c. #8 2s.; Hopkins & Co. (ironmongers) #33 3s. 6d.; Blakes (hatter) #10 4s.; Jennings (glover & furrier) #23 7s. 6d.; Mrs Lowe@and@Co. (glaziers) #2 16s.; Mr Hadley (engine maker) #13; Thomson (smith) #14 9s.; Carter (scowrer) #9 4s.; Cubitt (tinman) #4 8s. 6d.; Hewetson & Co. (laceman) #17 2s. 6d.; Gardner (shoemaker) #3 19s. 7 July: Waller & Co. (hosiers) #24 4s. 6d.; Carpue (silk dyer) #8 10s. 6d.; Cropley (linen draper) #13 9s. 6d.; Mr Knyvett (harpsichord performer) 14 nights #5 5s.; Mrs Vaughan (haberdasher) #13 12s.; J. French on Acct #8 8s.; Cole (turner) #35 5s. 6d. 12 July: Mr Stafford (glassman) per Mr Johnston #29 5s. 6d.; Mr King & Co. for Women's cloaths, per Mr Johnston #10; Mrs Garwood (laundress) per Mr Johnston #15 15s.; Mr Palmer for Spermacetti Candles, per Mr Johnston, #172 4s. 15 July: J. French on Acct #15 15s.; J. Johnston's Music Bill, #12 11s. 10d.; Repaid Mr Reddish's Benefit Acct to Mr Burns for his creditors, #78 16s. 6d. 19 July: Lent to Miss Berkley on note #5 5s.; Mr Victor's Gratuity #30, and two weeks' extra salary #5; Mr Evans in lieu of Benefit #42 and two week's extra salary #3. Books closed and balanced paid. VIZ. Total income #33,614 16s. 6d. Total profit #389 5s. 7d. Total expense #29,719 10s. 11d. Paid Patentees #2840. To Clutterbuck #1000. Left in Victor's hands carried to next season 55 5s. 7d

Event Comment: Wash &c. left out of the title (Winston MS). The farce went off very well till the second act when Capt. Roper and another Gentleman came into the boxes very Drunk hiss'd and kept a great Noise 'till at last the Pit and Gallery began to hiss them he struck at Somebody in the Pit--the Gentleman that came with Capt. Roper Jump'd out of the Stage Box upon the Stage immediately Several out of the Pit and Boxes follow'd and Some blows ensued and I thought they would have pull'd the House down this lasted about half and hour and then it all grew quiet and we finished the Farce (Hopkins Diary). Paid salary list 5 days #520 5s. 5d.; Mrs Garrick for sundry stage trimmings #7 8s. 6d. Receipts: #197 2s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Webster. Mr Barry being ill, the tragedly of King Lear oblig'd to be deferr'd. [A comment in Lloyd's Evening Post for 29 Feb. refers to an incident in cg this evening: "A fellow who sat on the sixth row of the Upper Gallery...Threw a Keg (which he had brought full of liquor into the House) over the Gallery front. It fell upon a lady's head, who sat in that part of the Pit which was railed into the Boxes, but the Lady's hair being dress'd in high ton, the artifical mountain luckily prevented the mischief that otherwise might have been occasioned....The fellow who threw the cask was carried to the Public Office, in Bow Street, and from thence committed to Tothill Fields, Bridewell. As the custom of throwing mugs, bottles, apples, &c. from the galleries of the theatres is equally as wanton and wicked and is frequently the cause of great mischief, it is thought the present culprit will made an example of" (Quoted in Hampden, Journal).

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time in London; DR. POEM 5, by William Mason, 1st acted at Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, 30 Mar. 1764]: Written on the Model of the ancient Greek Tragedy. The Overture and all the Music composed New by Dr Arne. With a New Scene designed and executed by Dahl [recte Dall]. The Dresses, Decorations, &c. all entirely New. Books of the Lyrical Part of the Drama to be had at the Theatre. 'But I had rather talk of Caractacus; I agree that he will not suffer by not being sputtered by Barry, who has lost all his teeth. Covent Garden is rather above Drury Lane in actors, but both sets are exceedingly bad, so bad-that I almost wish Caractacus was not to appear. Very seldom do I go to the play, for there is no bearing such strollers" (Walpole [to the author, 8 Oct. 1776], IX, 419-20). "I attended Caractacus last winter, and was greatly interested, both from my friendship for Mr Mason and from the excellence of the poetry. I was out of all patience; for though a young Lewis played a subordinate part very well, and Mrs Hartley looked her part charmingly, the Druids were so massacred, and Caractacus so much worse, that I never saw a more barbarous exhibition" (Walpole [13 July 1777], X, 81-82). Public Advertiser, 7 Dec. 1776: This Day is published the Lyrical Part of Caractacus (6d.). [The publisher, J. Wilkie, states that he also has the "whole Drama, as altered by the Author, 18d." Ibid., 9 Dec., contains an advertisement from Mason stating that this version is unauthorized.] Ibid., 12 Dec.: This Day is published [by A. Ward of York] a new Edition of Caractacus, now altered for Representation at the Theatre-Royal in Covent Garden (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #163 10s. (163.6; 0.4)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never Performed There. On account of the Additional Airs, contracted into 3 Acts. [Public Advertiser, 30 Dec., notes that the principal omission was the conspiracy of Alonzo, Antonio, &c., and that the Masque in Act IV was removed to the concluding scene of the play.] With New Dresses, Scenery and Decorations. The Music by Purcell, John Christopher? Smith, Dr Arne and Fisher. [In afterpiece the playbill retains Delpini as Pierrot, but "[Hull] made an apology for the illness of Delpini, telling the audience that the Signor had hurt himself so much the preceding evening in performing the part of Pierrot that he could not come out of his room; the managers therefore hoped that the audience would accept of Wewitzer in the character" (Morning Chronicle, 28 Dec.). The playbill also adds Wewitzer as the Gardener; this part was perhaps omitted.] Paid Enderby, Oil Merchant, #258 17s. Receipts: #245 18s. (244.15; 1.3)