Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by John Delap, based on the Suppliants, by Aeschylus, and the Haraclidae, by Euripides. Prologue by Hester Lynch Thrale (Thraliana, I, 484-85). Epilogue by Arthur Murphy (Murphy, Works, 1786, VII, 57)]: With New Dresses and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 1 Mar. 1781: This Day is published The Royal Suppliants (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #181 10s. 6d. (158.0.0; 22.2.0; 1.8.6)

Event Comment: The Company will be apprised at the doors as soon as the audience part of the Theatre is full. "When the curtain drew up for the new ballet, ladies [were] at the wings sitting...[and] several hundred gentlemen occupied the back of the stage, so that the beautiful scenery which had been prepared for the ballet lost all its effect" (Oracle, 22 Feb., which also states that the part of Roxalana was danced by Mme Hilligsberg). [Didelot and 1st appeared at the former king's theatre on 8 Dec. 1787.

Event Comment: Benefit J. and Ch. Rich. Mainpiece: [Author unknown.] All in the Characters of the Italian Theatre. Receipts: #69 19s

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Afterpiece: A New Dramtic Satire in two acts. N.B. As several of the Town have prejudged the Pit the Boxes and Galleries acting their own parts themselves for their diversion, to be of the same species of the Lick at the Town last year; and that it can mean only the ordinary Approbation or Disapprobation of the Audience, Signor Pasquin thinks it incumbent on himself to assure to Publick that all those conjectures are groundless; And farther, he assures them that the Pit, &c. acting their parts has no other meaning than the common literal sense; and that the Audience are really interwoven in the piece; and are to be bona fide part of the Dramatis Personae; and he makes no doubt but that he shall make them perform their parts to a numerous and polite audience, and with universal Applause. But he begs that those Ladies and Gentlemen who intend to perform in the Pit and Galleries will be at the Theatre betimes, for particular reasons; and those who are to act in the Boxes are requested to send their servants to keep their places by three o'clock. Signor Pasquin has received the letters sent by the Town and the Village, and they may depend upon having Places kept for them upon the Stage. The Hiss concerning the Robin Hood Society will be complied with (General Advertiser). [The parts were: Pasquin, Marforio, Sir Eternal Grinn, Sir Conjecture Positive, Sir Roger Ringwood, Bob Smart, Soloman Common Sense; Count Hunt Bubble, Sir John Ketch, hic and Hac (Scribblers), Hydra, Lady Lucy Loveit, Miss Diana Singlelife, Miss Brilliant, Miss Bashfull (Larpent MS 96).

Event Comment: Benefit for Cooke. By Particular Desire. Tickets delivered for the Busy Body will be taken. [Account Book indicates Receipts: #26 1s. 6d. plus #53 14s. from tickets: (Box 61; Pit 165; Gallery 137). A staff of 22 servants, plus the women dressers and charwomen were paid #3 13s. 2d. for operating the theatre this night. The deficit carried into the summer after this night was #216 19s. 10d. This deficit plus summer expenses produced an encumbrance of #359 12s. 9d. to be met at the start of the 1761-62 season. Rich upon ten occasions withdrew under Account I from the treasury #2743. From this account he put back into the treasury upon three occasions (May 8, 31; June 23) #600. So over and above the #6 which the Rich family received daily in Account 76, Rich tucked away #2143 in Account I. In addition his carpentry bills to Mr Gom for work at Cowley were paid from theatrical funds. His cut from Account 76 at #5 per night was #810. So apparently Rich cleared #2953 this season despite the fact that it ran only 162 nights, and that George II's death occurred in a money-making part of the season.] Charges: #42 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Leonard Macnally; words to some of the songs by Edward Lysaght]: With new Music, Scenes and Dresses. The Music composed by Shield [with selections from Sacchini, Bertoni, Lord Mornington, &c. (Public Advertiser, 19 Apr.); overture by Baumgarten, being the same as that used by him in William and Nanny at CG, 12 Nov. 1779 (Town and Country Magazine, Apr. 1784, p. 171)]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 30 Oct. 1784: This Day is published by J. Almon Robin Hood [listing cast for season of 1784-85] (1s. 6d.). [In the season of 1789-90 this was reduced to an afterpiece of 2 acts.] Receipts: #206 4s. (204/3; 2/1)

Event Comment: Benefit for Munden. 2nd piece hst time; MF 2 , by Samuel Birch. MS: Larpent 1011; not published]: The Overture and Music composed by Attwood. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Murning Chronicle, 28 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Munden, No. 6, Frith-street, Soho. Receipts: #423 5s. (132/12/6; 6/18/0; tickets: 283/14/6)

Event Comment: p Comic Opera; the music by Paisiello. 2nd ballet: Originally composed by D'Auberval, and brought out with new Episodes and Dances by D'Egville [with music by Bossi], The Doors to be opened at 6:15. To begin at 7:15 [same throughout opera season]. Single tickets for the night, for pit or gallery, to be had at the office of the Theatre. [Sga Bolla was from the opera, Milan. Sga Clara's name is not in the playbill, but "The second comic opera singer, Sga Clara, was also new...There is much sweetness and delicacy in her voice, and perhaps it may be owing to her evident timidity that it did not seem to possess strength and compass in proportion" (Monthly Visitor, Jan. 1800, p. 71). Deshayes was from the Opera, Madrid.

Event Comment: We hear that the play Venice Preserv'd is in Rehearsal at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, and is to be perform'd on Friday next; and that the part of Pierre will be attempted by a Gentleman who never appear'd on any stage before (General Advertiser). [This month was published A Letter to a certain Patentee, in which the Conduct of Managers is impartially considered, and a few Periods bestowed on those darlings of the Publick, Mr G k, Mr F te, Mrs P d, &c." Addressed to Rich it is criticism of his personnel policies as manager, with side comments on his morals, and some on his performances: of his Orpheus and Eurydice, the author agrees that three flaming scenes of Hell, now left out, should have been omitted from the beginning. The Serpent, however, generally behaves himself so well, that "I have had more real pleasure in his appearance than if he had been a living one." Dislikes his replacing Ryan with Hallam, dislikes his abuse of Mrs Pritchard, criticizes his casting Hippisley as Polonius, since Polonius requires more than Hippisley can give, the latter being able to act only in the comic way.

Event Comment: According to the Flying Post, 18-20 Oct. 1698: On Tuesday October 18, 1698, the Penny Lottery began at the Theatre Royal in Dorset Garden with the first draw. [On 28 Sept. 1698 James Brydges, Diary reported that he had gone into dg to see the "engine" for the lottery.] The Post Boy, 18-20 Oct. 1698: There is now Acting at the Theatre Royal in Dorset Garden a Tragy-Comedy called The Wheel of Fortune, or The Fools Expectation. And 'tis thought the Author will have a good Sixth Day. According to the Post Boy, 20-22 Oct. 1698: On Monday next will be publish'd, a Comical and Satirical Prologue and Epilogue, intended to be spoken at the Acting of the new Invented Farce, call'd, the Wheel of Fortune, or the Fools Expectation. [The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 305-10.] It seems probable that the lottery was dignified, for satiric purposes, by being given the title of a play, with a satirical Prologue and Epilogue. Post Man, 20-22 Oct. 1698: The Entertainment performed at the Theatre Royal in Dorset Garden, at drawing the Lottery, called the Wheel of Fortune; being the Speeches addrest to the Spectators, as Prologues and Epilogues. During a Symphony of Musick the Curtain rises slowly, and discovers two wheels upon the Stage; then two Figures, representing Fortunev and Astraea the Goddess of Justicev, descend over each Wheel, in two rich Chariots gilt with Gold

Event Comment: The King's Theatre having been rented to the Proprietors of Drury-Lane House, with a reserve of the Nights for the Italian Opera to be carried on there for the Opera Trust, the Drury-Land Patent will in future be moved on Tuesdays and Saturdays to the Theatre Royal, Hay-Market, where all old and new Renters, claiming under the Drury-Lane Patent, will be entitled to Free Admission, and to their Rights for each Night of Performance. Half Price not being taken at this Theatre, the Performances will be reduced to the old established Prices. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes in the Theatre Royal, Hay-Market, to be taken at Fosbrook's Office at the King's Theatre as usual. [Mainpiece in place of Cymon; afterpiece of The Patron, both advertised on playbill of 25 Jan.] Receipts: #140 11s. (139.0; 1.11)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland was at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, to see the tragedy of The Orphan; being the first time of his Royal Highness's being at either of the Theatres since his indisposition (General Advertiser, 4 Jan.). Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: The King's Company. This marks the opening of the new Theatre Royal in Bridges Street, Drury Lane, to which Killigrew moved his company from Vere Street. Downes erroneously gives the opening date as 8 April, a fact which led to the creation of the famous spurious playbill for Bridges Street, Thursday, 8 April 1663. See Montague Summers, The Restoration Theater (London, 1934), p. 15. Pepys, Diary: This day the new Theatre Royal begins to act with scenes the Humorous Lieutenant, but I have not time to see it, nor could stay to see my Lady Jemimah lately come to town, and who was here in the house. Downes (p. 3): Note, this Comedy was Acted Twelve Days Successively

Event Comment: Benefit Denoyer. By Command of His Royal Highness. Mainpiece: Taken from Moliere. London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 17 March: The celebrated Monsieur Denoyer and Mademoiselle Salle, by Permission of the Masters of the two Theatres Royal, have agreed to dance together at each other's Benefit