Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. [The Public Advertiser assigns Montague twice--to Redman and to Lewis. Redman probably correct.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Acted but once these 20 years. Rec'd of Condell on Acct of Fruit Rent #20; Paid Richards (painter) as per bill #115 15s.; Paid Partridge & Franks (hosiers) #60 5s.; Paid Lowe & Lewis (woolen drapers) #35 15s. (Account Book). Receipts: #207 10s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Cipriani (painter) as per bill #42. Paid McMillen (Shoemaker) #18 2s., and Love & Lewis (woolen drapers) #11 7s. (Account Book). [Cipriani possibly painted new scenes for Elfrida.] Receipts: #152 4s

Event Comment: Paid 5 days salary list #441 15s.,; King's extra salary #2 10s.; Mr J. French on acct #5 5s.; Mr J. Palmer on note #21 (Treasurer's Book). [This month was printed An Apology for the Conduct of Charles Macklin, Comedian, which, it is hoped, will have some effect in favour of an aged player, by whom the public at large have been uncommonly gratified." Price 1s. Axtell (Gentleman's Magazine Register). This year was publish'd Miscellaneous Pieces in Verse and Prose, with Cursory Theatrical Remarks, by P. Lewis, Comedian. Contains some apostrophes to Garrick, Holland, etc.] Receipts: #213 4s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid Partridge (hosier) #36 15s.; Lowe & Lewis (woollen drapers) #22 1s. (Account Book). Receipts: #167 16s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [The Gentleman who played Hamlet identified by Winston MS 11 (from O. Smith) as Lewis Hallam, from America, brother to Mrs Mattocks.

Event Comment: [As mainpiece the playbill announces Percy, but "Lewis being suddenly taken extremely ill...Percy cannot be performed this Evening; instead of which Mrs Farrell will appear in the character of Macheath in The Beggar's Opera. The other characters as usual" (printed slip attached to BM playbill).]Receipts: #143 5s. (141.13; 1.12)

Event Comment: King Lear [announced on playbill of 31 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of Mrs Hartley and Lewis. The Rehearsal having been found too tedious in Representation, and Part of the Dialogue between Bayes and the two Gentlemen wholly obsolete, it has been thought advisable to...reduce the Piece to Three Acts [from the original five]. Receipts: #219 10s. [216.4.6; 3.5.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [The playbill assigns Posthumus to Reddish, but "On Saturday afternoon, at four o'Clock, Notice was sent of the extreme illness of Reddish; and Lewis (on Application) finding it impossible to attempt the Character of Posthumus at that very short Notice [not having performed it for some Seasons) it was obligingly undertaken by Brereton of Drury-Lane Theatre" (Public Advertiser, 26 Oct.). Mrs Crawford, as Mrs Barry, had 1st acted Imogen at dl, 1 Dec. 1770.

Event Comment: Benefit for Wood, Percey, Shade & Cameron. Tickets delivered by Lewis, Hodges, Gardner, and for Monday, the 31st of May, will be taken. MS annotation on Kemble playbill: "I believe this was the last time of Mr Henderson's acting at Drury Lane, except when he played Jaques in As You Like It for Mrs Robinson's Benefit, April 7, 1780. See October 18, 1779, Covent Garden Bills." Receipts: #301 6s. 6d. (19.14.0; 2.14.6; 0.14.0; tickets: 278.4.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Nash, Helme, Daglish, Dale, Brigg, Barthrope, Master Pulley, Mrs Lewis, Mrs Byrne will be taken. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Du-Bellamy as Lord Aimworth and Williames as Mervin, but on the Kemble playbill their names are deleted and MS annotations substitute Williames and Fawcett. This was Mrs Cargill's last appearance in London. Subsequently she acted in India.] Receipts: #231 17s. 6d. (32/8/0; 22/9/6; 0/15/0; tickets: 176/5/0)

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of Tom Thumb, announced on playbill of 3 Oct.] "Covent Garden Theatre. As personal allusions and party views have been attributed to the dramatic satire, called The Wishes, the author thinks he cannot so effectively disclaim them as by entirely withdrawing the piece" (Unidentified clipping, dated 5 Oct. 1782, The Tale Edition of Horace Walpoles Correspondence, cd. W. S. Lewis, 1955, xxix, 219). Paid Guard for Scene Men from 8 June to 21 Sept., on 9 occasions, approximately #900. Paid Music #7 14s.; properties 9s. [both being an average payment throughout the season per night]. Receipts: #221 8s. 6d. (218/11/0; 2/17/6)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Pemberton, Devoto, J. Shade, Newton,. Gardner, Leslie, Mrs Lewis and the Widow Collins will be taken. Receipts: #252 5s. (19/6; 10/8; 1/5; tickets: 221/6)

Event Comment: She Wou'd and She Wou'd Not [announced on playbill of 24 Sept.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of a Principal Performer [Lewis (Public Advertiser, 27 Sept.)]. Receipts: #178 2s. 6d. (174/2/0; 4/0/6)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Alfred, Stageldoir, Dale, Daglish, Gibson, Blandy, Miss Hale, Miss Tidswell, Mrs Lewis, Miss Barnes will be taken. Receipts: #231 1s. 6d. (15/3/0; 6/9/0; 0/1/6; tickets: 209/8/0)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Alfred, Stageldoir, Dale, Daglish, Gibson, Blandy, Mrs Lewis, Miss Hale will be admitted. Receipts: #229 13s. (28/12/0; 13/13/6; 1/1/6; tickets: 186/6/0)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Lyon, Sherratt, Gardner, Daglish, Gibson, Gilles, Finney, Barthrope, Aberdein, Purser, Blandy, Mrs Haskey, Mrs Lewis will be admitted. Receipts: #230 7s. (20/5; 3/17; 0/9; tickets: 205/16)