Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not Acted these Thirty Years. All the Characters New Dress'd. Afterpiece: A New Dramatick Pantomime Entertainment. With New Cloaths, Scenes, Machines, and other Decorations. An Exact Representation of the Hermitage, as in the Royal Garden at Richmond. And Entire New Musick, compos'd by Mr Jones. [Author not known. Apparently not published.] Daily Advertiser, 2 Feb.: When one of the Changes [on 1 Feb.] by Chance miscarried, a second Attempt was generally desir'd, which, when executed, was so pleasing, a general Clap continu'd for more than the Space of a Minute

Event Comment: With all the Scenes, Machines, and other Decorations proper to the Opera, particularly, An exact Representation of Merlin's Cavev, as in the Royal Gardens at Richmond

Event Comment: It is Humbly desir'd that Ladies who have taken Places, will please to send for their Tickets to Mrs Cibber's Lodgings, at Mr Salt's, at Henrietta St., Covent Garden. Benefit Mrs Cibber. By Command of their Royal Highness the Prince and Princess of Wales. Stage formed into an amphitheatre, and to prevent the ladies's catching cold ciel'd after the manner of the Oratorios. Tickets sold at the door will not be admitted

Event Comment: Benefit Quin. By Command of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George, Prince Edward, and the Lady Augusta. N.B.: Servants will be permitted to keep places on the stage which will be form'd into an amphitheatre, enclos'd, covered, and kept ward, as at the late Oratorios. Tickets to be had at Quin's House in Bedford St., Covent Garden; and of Page at the stage door

Event Comment: By Command of His Majesty. We hear that His Majesty will be this night at Covent Garden, as also His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales

Event Comment: Play By Particular Desire. On Saturday night his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was at Covent Garden, where his presence gave such Pleasure, that a general Joy diffused itself in the breasts of the Audience, as might be easily discerned in all their countenances (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: By Command of the Prince of Wales. We hear their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Edward, Prince William, Prince Henry, Princess Augusta, and Princess Elizabeth will be this evening at Covent Garden to see the Siege of Damascus and the Italian Dancers

Event Comment: BBritish Chronicle, 25 Sept.: Last Wednesday the King, Queen and Royal Family went to Covent Garden to see The Beggar's Opera with a [directive?] of the fitting up of the Box (Winston MS 9)

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: Thence to Lincoln's Inn Fields; and it being too soon to go to dinner, I walked up and down, and looked upon the outside of the new theatre, now a-building in Covent Garden, which will be very fine

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: By and by with Lord Bruncker by coach to his house, there to hear some Italian musique: and here we met Tom Killigrew, Sir Robert Murray, and the Italian Signor Baptista, who hath composed a play in Italian for the Opera, which T. Killigrew do intend to have up; and here he did sing one one of the acts. He himself is the poet as well as the musician.... This done, T. Killigrew and I to talk: and he tells me how the audience at his house [Bridges St.] is not above half so much as it used to be before the late fire. That Knipp is like to make the best actor that ever come upon the stage, she understanding so well: that they are going to give her #30 a-year more. That the stage is now by his pains a thousand times better and more glorious than ever heretofore. Now, wax candles, and many of them; then, not above 3 l6s. of tallow: now, all things civil, no rudeness anywhere; then, as in a bear-garden: then, two to three fiddlers; now, nine or ten of the best: then, nothing but rushes upon the ground, and every thing else mean; and now, all otherwise: then, the Queen seldom and the King never would come; now, not the King only for state, but all civil people do think they may come as well as any....That he hath gathered our Italians from several Courts in Christendome, to come to make a concert for the King, which he do give #200 a-year a-piece to: but badly paid, and do come in room of keeping four ridiculous gundilows, he having got the King to put them away, and lay out money this way; and indeed I do commend him for it, for I think it is a very noble undertaking. He do intend to have some times of the year these operas to be performed at the two present theatres, since he is defeated in what he intended in Moorefields on purpose for it; and he tells me plainly that the City audience was as good as the Court, but now they are most gone

Event Comment: The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the premiere probably occurred during this month. The Preface states: This Play, as it was wrote in less than a moneth, and was the last Play that was Acted at the King's Theatre in Covent-Garden, before the fatal Fire there. [The Preface may mean that this was the last new play acted before the fire.] Two songs for this play, with music by Robert Smith, are in Choice Songs and Ayres, The First Book, 1673

Event Comment: The Kings's Company. This is another in the series of plays acted by the women of the theatre. The Prologue and Epilogue are in Covent Garden Drollery, 1672

Event Comment: The Lilliputian Theatre, Under the Direction of Mr Richardson...in Mr Hewetson's Great Room, the Upper End of Bow-Street, Covent-Garden. A New Opera. Price 2s. 6d. Gallery 1s. 6d. At 6 p.m

Event Comment: [The opening of Covent Garden Theatre.] Written by the late Mr Congreve. The Cloaths, Scenes, and Decorations entirely New. And, on Account of the great Demand for Places, the Pit and Boxes, by Desire, will be laid together at 5s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. And to prevent the Scenes being crowded, the Stage Half a Guinea. All Persons who want Places are desir'd to send to the Stage Door (the Passage from Bow-street leading to it), where Attendance will be given, and Places kept for the following Nights as usual. Receipts: #115

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear. [See London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 10 Feb., for a Prologue Occasioned by the Encouragement several Ladies of Quality have lately given to the Revival of Shakespear's Plays at Covent Garden Theatre.

Event Comment: Written by Colly Cibber Esq. Benefit Theophilus Cibber. No persons to be admitted into the Boxes, or behind the scenes, but by Box ticket, which will be deliver'd at White's Chocolate House in St. James' St.; Tom's Coffee House in Covent Garden, and of Mr Bradshaw, &c. Places for the stage (which will be form'd into Boxes and carefully enclos'd) may be taken at Mrs Moor's in the Playhouse passage. Tickets for the Boxes and the stage will also be deliver'd at the proper offices of the theatre. Receipts: #150

Event Comment: A New Oratorio. Tickets will be deliver'd to subscribers (on paying their Subscription money), this day, and every day following at Mr Handel's in Brook Street, near Hanover Square. Attendance will be given from 9 o'clock in the Morning till Three in the Afternoon. Pit and Boxes to be put together and no persons to be admitted without tickets, which will be deliver'd that day at the Office in Covent Garden Theatre, at Half a Guinea each, First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. N.B. Each subscriber is to pay Six Guineas upon taking out his subscription ticket, which entitles him to three Box tickets every night of Mr Handel's first six performances in Lent; and if Mr. Handel should have any more performances after his first six nights, each subscriber may continue on the same conditions. The Gallery will be open'd at Four O'Clock. Pit and Boxes at Five. To begin at Six o'clock. [These notices concerning price, subscription, and time of performance recur regularly, but will not be recorded further here.

Event Comment: Benefit Delane. Tickets to be had at Delane's Lodgings, in Queen's Court, King St., Covent Garden; Places to be taken for Boxes of Hobson at the stage door of the theatre

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Walter and Miss Bennett. Tickets to be had of Mrs Walter at the Three Queens in New-Street, Covent Garden, and places for the boxes of Mr Hobson at the stage door of the theatre. Tickets of Miss Bennett opposite Salisbury St., Strand. Tickets deliver'd out by Rector and Mlle Gondou will be taken

Event Comment: In a short time will be perform'd at the Theatre in the Hay-Market, a Concert of Music; and the Tragedy of Othello, Moor of Venice. The character of Othello will be new dress'd agreeable to the Manner and Custom of his own Country. As both these entertainments will be perform'd by a set of Gentlemen for their own Diversion, no Money will be taken, nor any person admitted but by printed Tickets; which (by order of the Gentlemen) will be deliver'd gratis by Mr Machlin, at his House in Bow-Street, Covent Garden; where Ladies, by sending their Servants, may take Places for the Boxes.--Daily Advertiser

Event Comment: Benefit the Author [Havard]. Tickets to be had at his lodgings, the Corner of the Great Piazza, in James St, Covent Garden; at the Bedford Coffee House, and of Mr Hobson at the stage door of the theatre

Event Comment: Benefit Garrick. By particular desire 5 rows of the pit will be railed into boxes--Servants will be admitted to keep places on the stage, which for the better accomodation of the ladies will be formed into boxes--the ladies are desired to send their servants by three o'clock--to begin at 6 o'clock. Tickets to be had of Garrick at his lodgings, the last house in James St., joining the Great Piazza; at the Bedford Coffee House, Covent Garden; Mr Vaillant's, Bookseller at the Strand; Mr Harrache's, Toyman in Long Acre; and of Mr Hobson at the stage door of the theatre where places for the Boxes may be taken

Event Comment: Benefit Delane. Tickets at his lodgings in Queen's Court, in King St., Covent Garden; and at the Bedford Coffee House in the Great Piazza. Places for the Boxes to be Taken at the stage door of the theatre

Event Comment: [This Pastoral Serenata first appeared 21 March 1744 at the Crown and Anchor in the Strand, qv. At that time Beard, Savage, Mrs Clive and Miss Edwards sang in it.] By Subscription for three nights will be performed an English Pastoral Serenata, set to Music by Mr DeFesch. Pit and Boxes laid together at 5s. First Gallery 2s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. 6d. On the 20th of March and 3rd of April will be performed a New Oratorio call'd Joseph, also set to Music by Mr DeFesch. For the encouragement of such persons as shall please to favour Mr Defesch by subscribing one Guinea, they shall be entitled to six tickets, each of which will admit one into the boxes, or Two into the Gallery. Nobody to be admitted into the boxes without printed tickets, which will be deliver'd at the theatre. Subscriptions to be taken till the 5th of March, at Mr DeFesch's at the sign of the Angel and Trumpet, in St. Martin's Lane, at the Bedford Coffee House, Covent Garden; and at Mr Page's Stage Door-keeper. To begin at half an hour after six. This day is publish'd Papal Tyranny in the Reign of King John. [No price given, but the 1st edition lists it as 1s. 6d. Watts would have had to sell about two thousand copies to cover his investment in copyright and printing costs.