Event Comment: A new short Introductory Piece before a play [
The Meeting of the Company]. This new Prelude call'd
The Meeting of the Company or Bayes' Art of Acting by D. G. Esq--it is full of fine Satyr & an Excellent Lesson to all performers, it was receiv'd with very great Applause (
Hopkins Diary). [
MacMillan's note from
Kemble differs slightly in
the wording.
The salaries this season were #94 7s. 8d. per day; #566 6s. per week. Kemble's note as to total receipts is short by 8 pence.] Prices: Box 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. [Unfavorable review of
Meeting of the Company in
The Westminster Magazine (Sept., p. 472).
The actor Aickin referred to this season is
J. Aickin.
Francis Aickin left
dl before
the beginning of this season. He was dismissed by
Garrick in May. See
Booden,
Private Correspondence of David Garrick, I, 651-55.] Paid Renters #8; Advanced
Mr Watson (box office keeper) #10; Ditto to
Mr Mortimer (box office keeper) #15 (Treasurer's Book). [
The funds to
the box office keepers was operating cash which was returned 29 May 1775. Payment to Renters was same for each acting night until
the eighty-eighth night (9 Jan. 1775) when it dropped to #4 nightly, since half of
the stock holders (
the Old Renters) were paid up by that time.
The remaining 100 nights of
the season plus 11 Oratorio nights yielded #448 to
the Renters. No fur
ther mention of this item of expense will be made this season.] Total to Renters #1,152. Receipts: #212 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)