Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of Three Weeks after Marriage, announced on playbill of 30 Sept.] Receipts: #265 8s. (264.10.6; 0.17.6)

Event Comment: Paid Lampmen #3 18s.; Tailors #11 2s. 10d.; Mantua Makers #3 14s. 6d.; Carpenters #16 15s. 6d.; Printer [of playbills] #19 5s. 6d. The Hypocrite and Christmas Tale in three Acts was advertised for to-morrow. This Morning at Rehearsal Lacy came and told Sheridan that he could not be off from his Agreement with Mr Langford and Captain Thomson. Sheridan told him, if he did agree, that he would withdraw himself from the Management of the Theatre--accordingly at eight this Evening he sent me with a Letter to Lacy confirming what he told him, and ordered me to receive my orders from Mr L and that he withdrew the Christmas Tale, as he had altered, for a Farce, it was his Property. This put us all into confusion--Sent to Mrs Abington to know if she would play in the Hypocrite, as it was advertised--Her answer was, that she had made her Agreement with Sheridan only, and would play under no other Manager. About twelve at night we got Richard the third settled, and sent Bills accordingly (Hopkins Diary). [For further remarks concerning this situation see 15 Oct.] Receipts: #173 6s

Event Comment: [As afterpiece Public Advertiser announces The Rival Candidates, but see Hopkins Diary, 12 Oct.] The Managers met again to-day, but nothing settled. Hamlet was given out. I saw Mr Sheridan, he told me that Mr Lacy and he had agreed that no Play should be given out, nor any Bills put up, till they had settled this Affair, which was to be done to-Morrow at Mr Wallis's (the Attorney's) where they were all to dine. I waited on Mr Lacy, who agreed to the same, and no Bills or Paragraph were sent to the Papers. All the Business of the Theatre is at a Stand, and no Rehearsal called. Wed. 16th--Mr Sheridan, Dr Ford and Mr Linley dined today by Appointment with Mr Wallis where Mr Lacy was to have met them; about four o'clock he sent a verbal Message that he could not come to Dinner, but would wait upon them in the Evening, and about nine o'clock he came, and everything was settled to the Satisfaction (of them all) and a Paragraph sent to the Papers, and the Hypocrite and Christmas Tale was advertised for Friday, but no Play was to be done on Thursday--Covent Garden did not play on Friday (Hopkins Diary). Public Advertiser, 16 Oct., summarizes the proprietors' dispute: the Drury Lane patent had been purchased [in 1747] by David Garrick and James Lacy. On his death Lacy had devised his half-share to his son, Willoughby Lacy; on his retirement from the stage Garrick had sold his half-share to Sheridan, Ford and Linley. The original agreement between Garrick and Lacy, as recited in a document retained by the attorney Albany Wallis was that, in case of the sale of either share of the patent, or any part of either share, the seller was obligated to offer the first refusal to purchase to the other partner, and that this was to be done only when the theatre was closed for the summer. In selling one half of his share to Robert Langford and to Edward Thompson, Willoughby Lacy was--so argued his three partners--acting illegally: he had not offered to them the first refusal, and he was negotiating the sale at a time when the theatre was open. Public Advertiser, 17 Oct.. prints a statement from Lacy saying that he did not feel himself bound by the original agreement between his father and Garrick, but that, in the interest of the business of the theatre, he had asked Langford and Thompson to withdraw their claim to partnership, to which request they had acceded. Receipts: #130 9s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 16 years [not acted since 27 Oct. 1758]. With Alterations [by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by David Garrick]. The Characters new dressed. This Play is revived with Alterations (by R. B. Sheridan Esq) and a new occasional Prologue written by Mr Garrick? and spoken by Dodd, both well received. Miss Essex made her first Appearance upon this stage in Silvia, a small mean Figure and shocking Actress, so bad that she is to do the Part no more. Reddish was very imperfect in Vainlove from the Beginning, but was so very much so in the last Act, that the Audience hissed very much, and cryed out, 'Off, Reddish, Off!" He went forward, and addressed them as follows, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I have been honoured with your Favour and Protection for these ten years past, and I am very sorry to give any cause for your Displeasure now; but having undertaken the Part at a very short Warning, in order to strengthen the Bill, and having had but two Rehearsals for it, puts it out of my Power to do Justice to the Part, or myself.' The Play then went on. So great a Lye was never delivered to an Audience by any Actor or Actress before. He had the Part at least six weeks in his Possession, and repeated Notice to be ready in it, and six Rehearsals was called for it,--indeed, he attended but three. Vernon undertook to study the Part at eleven o'clock to-night, and to perform it to-morrow (Hopkins Diary). [Miss Essex was from the hay.] Receipts: #209 6s

Event Comment: Morning Chronicle, 8 May: The audience had been much better satisfied with less noise behind the scenes, while Miss Davies was singing. During her first song there was such a noise that Savoi was obliged to go off the stage, by orders from some gentlemen in the pit, to request silence three several times

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; BURL 3]: Written by the Author of Midas [Kane O'Hara; music by Samuel Arnold]. Books of the Burletta to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 22 Aug.: This Afternoon, at Three, will be published April-Day (1s. 6d.)

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: Hamlet [announced on playbill of 18 Feb.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Indisposition of a principal Performer. Afterpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Abraham Portal. Larpent MS 445; not published]: The Overture and Music [by Thomas Linley Jun.] entirely new. With New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Words of the Songs, Chorusses, &c. to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 19 Feb. 1778: This Day at Three will be published the Songs in The Cady of Bagdad (6d.). Receipts: #180 0s. 6d. (130.9.0; 49.7.6; 0.4.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wrighten. Morning Post, 6 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wrighten, No. 56, Drury-lane. The Battle of Hastings [announced on playbill of 27 Apr.] is obliged to be deferred on account of Mrs Yates' Indisposition. Tickets delivered for the Battle of Hastings will be taken. Receipts: #288 10s. 6d. (74.0.0; 7.7.0; 0.8.6; tickets: 206.15.0) (charge: #66 2s.). Account-Book totals the charge as follows: Ord[inary] Charge #64 4s.; Nosegay 1s. 6d.; Tea for three 1s. 6d.; Negus 1s. 2d.; Bread & Cheese 4d.; K[ettle] D[rum] 5s.; 19 Carp[enter]s #1 8s. 6d

Event Comment: [These performances were held in a temporary booth erected following the destruction of the theatre by fire (see 26 June). In August King Lear, with Everard as Lear and Cooke as Edgar, was acted here three times [Edward Cape Everard, Memoirs of an Unfortunate Son of Thespis [Edinburgh, 1018], p.78). Everard states that the booth was kept open for about six weeks, but no further records of what was acted have survived.

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; CO I, by Charles Dibdin, based on Rose et Colas, by Michel Jean Sedaine]. 3rd piece [1st time; CO I, by Charles Dibdin, based on Les Femmes Vengees, by Michel Jean Sedaine]: With new Scenery [Public Advertiser, 19 Sept.: by Richards] and Decorations. Both the Musical Pieces, with new Overtures, composed by Dibdin. Books of the new Musical Pieces to be had at the Theatre. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon (only) at the Stage Door. No Money to be taken at the Stage Door, nor any Money to be returned after the Curtain is drawn up. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 21 Sept.]. Public Advertiser, 18 Sept.: This Afternoon at Three will be published Rose and Colin and The Wives Revenged (each 6d.). "At this season of the year the little company upon the Ton, who are in town, seldom rise from the table till after the beginning of the play; in order, therefore, to obviate the disturbance that the fracas in the boxes usually makes towards the close of the first act, or the beginning of the second, this comic opera [Rose and Colin] was prefaced. It at the same time affords these late comers an opportunity of seeing the play [i.e. the mainpiece] complete" (Town and Country Magazine, Sept. 1778, p.453)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Recruiting Officer, announced on playbill of 12 Oct.] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2(?), by James Messink. Not in Larpent MS; synopsis of action in London Chronicle, 15 Oct.]: The Scenes partly new and partly compiled from Rich's Pantomimes [i.e. The Rape of Proserpine, Perseus and Andromeda, Apollo and Daphne, all three written by Lewis Theobald (Morning Chronicle, 15 Oct.)]. The new Music by Dibdin. The new Scenes painted by Carver

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Merope, announced on playbill of 4 Jan. "We played last night Much Ado about Nothing, and had an apology to make for the change of three principal parts. About twelve o'clock Mr Henderson sent word he was not able to play. We got Mr Lewis from Covent Garden, who supplied the part of Benedick. Soon after Mr Parsons sent word he could not play. Mr Moody supplied the part of Dogberry; and about four in the afternoon Mr Vernon sent word he could not play. Mr Mattocks supplied his part of Balthazar...In the middle of the first act, a message was brought me that Mr Lamash (who was to play the part of Borachio) was not come to the House. I had nobody there that could go on for it, so I was obliged to cut his scenes in the first and second acts entirely out, and got Mr Wrighten to go on for the remainder of the part. At length we got the play over without the audience finding it out. We had a very bad house. Mr Parsons is not able to play in The School for Scandal to-morrow night; do not yet know how we shall be able to settle that" (Garrick, Private Correspondence, II, 328-29: Hopkins, prompter,in letter to Garrick, 6 Jan. 1779. He does not state who took Wrighten's place as the Sexton.).] On account of the sudden Illness of a Principal Performer, the new Pantomime [The Wonders of Derbyshire, announced on playbill of 4 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred till Friday. Receipts: #74 11s. (48.19; 25.10; 0.2)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Afterpiece: One of the [new Scenes] will conclude the Entertainment, and the Intervals between the three Acts being found tedious, alterations have been made in order to make it practicable to comprize the whole in two Acts

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5]: Written by the Author of Percy [Hannah More. Prologue by the author; Epilogue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (see text)]. Public Advertiser, 1 Dec. 1779: This Day is published The Fatal Falsehood [sic] (1s. 6d.). Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Charles Dibdin]: The Overture and all the Music composed by Dibdin. With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations to both Pieces. Books of the Entertainment to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 6 May 1779: This Afternoon at three is published The Chelsea Pensioner (1s.). The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]

Event Comment: [The playbill of 23 July announces for performance on this night the 1st night of A Tour in Wales, "a New Dramatic Piece of Three Acts, interspersed with Songs." It appears never to have been acted. Larpent MS 484; the author is unknown.

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 4, by George Colman elder. Prologue by the author (Morning Chronicle, 13 Oct.). Scenery by Rooker (ibid. 1 Sept.). Larpent MS 490; not published; synopsis of plot in London Magazine, Sept. 1779, pp. 405-7]. "The first three acts want business, and the denouement is rather suddenly brought about...The greatness of the task of performing a character of which Mrs Abington had been announced as the intended representative seemed to inspire [Miss Farren] with additional zeal, and helped her to gain additional credit" (Morning Chronicle, 1 Sept.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by Edward Neville]: The Overture and Music composed by Dibdin. Books of the Entertainment to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 20 Oct.: This Afternon at Three is published Plymouth In An Uproar (1s.). Receipts: #242 16s. 6d. (241.5.0; 1.11.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wild, prompter. 2nd piece: With Alterations, and three Pantomimical Scenes. Public Advertiser, 28 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Wild, No. 145, Drury-lane. Receipts: #268 14s. (178.13; tickets: 90.1) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of Three Weeks after Marriage, announced on playbill of 19 Dec.] Receipts: #101 7s. 6d. (97.10.0; 3.17.6)

Event Comment: [On this night Sg and Sga Zuchelli, Henry and Sga Crespi also danced in 3 ballets at king's. A probable explanation is that the play at dl began three-quarters of an hour earlier than did the opera.] Receipts: #103 4s. (69.16; 31.18; 1.10)

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; PREL I, by George Colman elder; also ascribed to George Keate. Larpent MS 565; not published]: In Three Scenes of Dialogue. 2nd piece: The Music compiled by Dr Pepusch. 3rd piece [1st time; B. BALL I (see king's, 29 Mar.)]: Ballet Tragi-Comique by Signior Novestris [i.e. George Colman, the elder]. The Music by Signior Gluck. With New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Machinist and Painter-Signior Rookereschi. Tailor-Signior Walkerino. Morning Chronicle, 9 Aug.: Bannister with great good sense played chastely, and suffered the burlesque to arise out of his serious performance of Polly, not attempting to render the character ridiculous by making it more outre than it was rendered by his voice and figure

Event Comment: In order to prevent Confusion among the Carriages, Ladies and Gentlemen are humbly requested to order their Servants to set down and take up with their Horses' Heads towards Pali-Mall. Servants are particularly desired not to croud the Doors, or to come up till called for. 1st piece: In three Scenes of Dialogue