Event Comment: At Yates's Great Theatrical Concert Hall, Greyhound Inn

Event Comment: At Yates's Great Theatrical Concert Hall, Greyhound Inn

Event Comment: At Yates's Great Theatrical Concert Hall. Greyhound Inn

Event Comment: AAsh Wednesday. Publish'd this day. Price only 1s. Letters which have passed between John Beard Esq Manager of Covent Garden Theatre, and John Shebbeare, M.D. Wherefore I thus entreat with due Submission, Between the Bard and me you'd make decision, The whole now on your Approbation waits. Prologue to the Perplexities, sung by Mr Beard. Printed for G. Kearsly N.B. This Pamphlet is entered at Stationers Hall, whoever pyrates any part of it will be prosecuted. [This pamphlet of 50 pages is given a four-column review in the Gentleman's Magazine for March (p. 124). The controversy was over a play which Shebbeare submitted to Beard and which the latter finally rejected after holding it two seasons. Beard's letters are quoted. The reviewer is severe upon Shebbeare: Upon the whole for anything that has hitherto appeared, the managers of both theatre have rather been to blame for receiving some pieces that they should have rejected, than for rejecting any they should have received. No piece has yet been printed, by the rejection of which the managers have betrayed their trust, or neglected their duty to the public. There may be such pieces in manuscript, but, if there are, the most effective way of avenging the author on the manager is to print them, for the voice of the public would instantly and effecturally do justice to the writter...by compelling the representation.' Shebbeare was Joseph Pittard?]

Event Comment: Benefit for the City of London Lying@In Hospital. Tickets at half a guinea. At Haberdashers Hall, Maiden Lane in Wood Street

Event Comment: This play is alter'd by Mr Cumberland was very well receiv'd Mr & Mrs Barry play'd very well Alcibiades was perform'd by Mr Crofts being his first appearance upon any Stage bad figure bad voice & Play'd bad (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes, Decorations &c. Mr Crofts-a stationer in the Temple (Winston MS 10). Theatrical Review, 4 Dec.: We think ourselves oblig'd to declare that this gentleman (Crofts), by no means answered the expectations we had formed, from the accounts we had heard of him.--His voice is not bad, though it is not much above the level of common conservation; --his deportment is aukward and void of grace to an extreme; and he labors under the disadvantage of having a face destitute of expression. His gestures are extremely ungraceful, and the whole of his execution is glaringly untutored, and misconceived. His persons is very ill formed, and therefore it makes greatly against him, especially as he is the representative of Alcibiades, who was the handsomest man in all Athens, and we never remember any one's attempting to set out as a capital performer with so few requisites for the support of such an undertaking as this gentleman appears to have. Paid Dr Nares & Mr Cooke's 8 boys in the Garter, 12 nights (30th ult. incl.) #36; Master Brown 7 nights (2nd inst. incl.) #2 12s 6d.; Licence for Timon, #2 2s. (Treasurer's Book). [Larpent MS 328 of Cumberland's Timon, is one of the earliest to include scenic descriptions: "A Hall in Timon's House. The Flat Scene represents stately Folding Doors. Scene two, the Back scene is hastily drawn back and discovers a magnificent Levee Room or Salon. &c."] Receipts: #243 1s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [The play was not allowed to conclude, nor was the afterpiece, All the World's a Stage, performed. "Yesterday evening, during the representation of...A Bold Stroke for a Wife, at China Hall, Rotherhithe, a party of the inhabitants, who had laid an information against the performers, rushed into the theatre, behind the scenes, and seized Mr Russell (who played the character of Colonel Feignwell), and carried him, in his stage dress, before Justice Smith, at the Rotation-Office, St Bennet's-hill, who committed him to the House of Correction, for further examination this morning" (Morning Chronicle, 24 July). What happened to Russell is not known, but because of this occurrence the theatre did not re-open until the following season, on 25 May 1778. See my article on the history of this unlucky playhouse, Theatre Notebook, VIII, 76-80.

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. 1st piece: With a Representation of the Trial at Westminster Hall. Public Advertiser, 22 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lewis, Broad-court, Bow-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #205 19s. (183.13; tickets: 22.6) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Marks, T. Ansell, Pilford & Furkins. Tickets delivered by Claridge, Doe, Roberts, Walker, Cox, Sarjent, Seymour, Rye, Abbott, Akery, Rolles, Hall will be admitted this Evening. Receipts: #224 10s. 6d. (15/18/0; 0/6/6; tickets: 228/6/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Brereton, Beeston, Longley & Colley. Tickets delivered by Robson, Stephenson, Robinson, Varley, Small wood, Partridge, Shirley, Shuter, Pilbrow, Turtle, W. Ansell, Hall will be admitted this Evening. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted. [This was Whitsun Eve, on which night the theatre was customarily closed.] Receipts: #242 17s. (29/17/6; 3/9/6; tickets: 209/10/0)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. [Mainpiece in place of The Natural Son; afterpiece of Liberty Hall, both announced on playbill 22 Feb.] Receipts: #286 14s. 6d. (276/12/0; 9/12/0; 0/10/6)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Hall, Young, Brandon, Curteen, Bourrelier, Rolls, Cox, Robson, Ansell, Roberts, Orme will be admitted (Account-Book). Receipts: #311 15s. (25/4/6; 2/5/6; tickets: 284/5/0)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Furlcins, Turtle, Doe, Rye, Luxmore, Dalby, Crosby, Shuter, Pilbrow, Paddick, Mrs Lampe, Hall (carpenter), Mrs Green will be admitted (Account-Book). Receipts: #224 11s. 6d. (35/0/6; 4/12/0; tickets: 184/19/0)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Marks, Brandon, Edwards, Hall, Rolles, Turtle, Walker, Doe will be admitted (Account-Book). Receipts: #265 5s. 6d. (60.8.6; 3.4.0; tickets: 201.13.0)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Helme, Gaudry, Saby, Young, Hall, Rye, Ackery, Anselmo, Pilbrow, Mrs Linton, Mrs Lampe, Mrs Atkins will be admitted (Account-Book). Receipts: #243 15s. 6d. (57.16.0; 3.0.6; tickets: 182.19.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Miss Ansell, Luxmore, Arne, Akery, Pilbrow, Hall [carpenter], Saby, the Band, Mrs Davenett, Blant, Gray will be admitted. Receipts: #266 6s. 6d. (28.4.0; 4.13.6; tickets: 233.9.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Anselmo, Mrs Brandon, Byrn, Evatt, Hall [box-keeper], Ledger, Marks, Ratchford, Rye will be admitted. Receipts: #295 18s. (39.8.6; 4.7.6; tickets: 252.2.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Evatt, Ledger, Farley, Rolles, Hall (carpenter), Halley, Shuter, Simmons, Strahan, Luxmore, Davenett, Walker, Saby, Mrs Ansell, Ratchford, Rowson will be admitted. Receipts: #350 16s. (45.6.6; 4.13.6; tickets: 300.16.0)

Event Comment: Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Hall, Furkins, Lamp, Pilborough, Plank, Anselmo, Byrne, Copland, Rye, Mrs Arne, Mrs Linton, Jealous, Brereton, Varley, Doser, Loyde, the Band will be admitted. Receipts: #256 (21.10; 2.7; tickets: 232.3)

Event Comment: Tickets delivered for The Merry Wives of Windsor will be admitted. Account-Book: Tickets delivered by Bourrelier, Shuter, Simmons, Strahan, Luxmore, Walker, Saby, Atkins, Young, Curteen, Hall [box-keeper], Hill, Combes, Heathcot, W. Ansell will be admitted. Receipts: #349 15s. (57.6; 5.16; tickets: 286.13)