Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'Keeffe. MS: Larpent 608; not published. CG playbill of 16 Nov. 1795 has a detailed synopsis of the action]: Intermixed with Songs and Dialogue. With new Music, Scenes, Dresses, Machinery, and Decorations. The new Music composed by Shield. The new Scenes designed by Richards, and executed by Richards, Hodgins, and assistants. To conclude with a Representation of the Lord Mayor's Show on the Water. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. "As to the Pantomime it wanted nothing on the first Night but Abbreviations . . . [which should be] omission of the Doctors, the two Women of the Town, and the whole of Edwin's Character" (Public Advertiser, 27 Nov.). Gentleman's Magazine, Jan. 1783, pp. 29-31, contains a detailed synopsis of the procession, and adds, "The personages of this procession were all dressed in the characters of the time in which they lived, and before each of them a label, a scroll, or a pageant was carried, bearing their name, or some allusion of the poets to their occupation. The figures in transparency were all painted as large as the life, and had a most grand and beautiful effect . . . The idea of the paintings was furnished by Mr Richards and Mr Smirk [sic], and all of them executed by the latter in a style of so much taste and excellence that it is a matter of some wonder to us, where an artist of Mr Smirk's abilities has been so long concealed . . . The glee introduced with so much applause is the composition of the late Dr Rogers (who lived in 1600); the other airs in the pantomime and procession arc by Handel, Lord Kelly, Abel, Stamitz and Shield, and have very great merit. The expense of preparing this splendid spectacle must have been very great, and the cost of continuing its representation cannot be inconsiderable, since more than 200 supernumeraries are employed to walk in the procession." Receipts: #215 3s. (206/3; 9/0)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 2. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 347. There is no certainty that this performance is the premiere, but it may well be. Two songs, Ah false Amyntas, and Amyntas led me to a grove, both set by Robert Smith, are in Choice Songs and Ayres, 1673. Preface to the edition of 1673: Good, Sweet, Honey, Sugar-candied Reader, ...Indeed that day 'twas Acted first, there comes into the Pit a long, lither, plegmatick, white, ill-favour'd, wretched Fop, an Officer in Masquerade newly transported with a Scarfe & Feather out of France, a sorry Animal that has nought else to shield it from the uttermost contempt of all mankind, but that respect which we afford to Rats and Toads, which though we do not well allow to live, yet when considered as a part of God's Creation, we make honourable mention of them. A thing, Reader--but no more of such a Smelt: This thing, I tell ye, opening that which serves it for a mouth, out issued such a noise as this to those that state about it, that they were to expect a woful Play, God damn him, for it was a womans.... Reader, I have a complaint or two to make to you, and I have done; Know then that this Play was hugely injur'd in the Acting, for 'twas done so imperfectly as never any was before, which did more harm to this than it could have done to any of another sort; the Plot being busie (though I think not intricate) and so requiring a continual attention, which being interrupted by the intolerable negligence of some that acted in it, must needs much spoil the beauty on't. My Dutch Lover spoke but little of what I intended for him, but supplied it with a great deal of idle stuff, which I was wholly unacquainted with until I heard it first from him. According to the Preface, the Prologue was lost

Event Comment: [T+The Theatrical Monitor, No. V (21 Nov.) includes a letter from Bathyllus: As Dancing has ever been receiv'd by the greatest of dramatic writers, with encomiums suitable to its distinguished merit; you will be pleased through the channel of your justly spirited paper, to express the satisfaction I met with from Mr Aldridge in the Merry Sailor: his stature, strength, agility, and swiftness, are beyond anything I ever saw on Covent Garden theatre: he stands tip-toe on the pinnacle of perfection, and gives us an idea of Homer's pyrrhick dance delineated on the shield of Achilles"] Receipts: #74 17s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. Public Advertiser, 25 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lewis at his house in Broad-court, Bow-street. Afterpiece [1st time in London; co 2. MS: Larpent 620; not published]: Written by the Author of The Castle of Andalusia, The Agreeable Surprise, Son-in-Law, &c &c. [John O'KeefFe, 1st acted at the Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, 15 Apr. 1777, and altered in the CG season of 1783-84 as The Poor Soldier]. The Airs Select [ed by the author from] Irish [airs]. With a New Overture and Accompaniments by Shield, who composed the music of Rosina. The Words of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #256 9s. (201/10; tickets: 54/19) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: 14th Night [i.e. in continuation of the reckoning for the previous season]. With new Music [consisting of 6 new songs (Gazetteer, 2 Oct.)], Scenes and Dresses. The new Music and Accompaniments to the adapted Airs by Shield. The Overture by Baumgarten. The Words of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [It was "represented in an altered state . . . The second act is almost newly written, and the language of the whole opera amended and pointed with great neatness" {London Magazine, Oct. 1784, p. 315).] "At the end of the first act [of mainpiece], Davies came forward and informed the audience that Mrs Kennedy was of a sudden taken dangerously ill, and hoped that Cubitt might be permitted to read the remainder of her part; a request that was immediately complied with" (London Chronicle, 13 Oct.). [Afterpiece in place of The Positive Man, announced on playbill of 11 Oct.]

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Tamerlane, announced on playbill of 23 Dec] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by Ralph Wewitzer and Frederick Pilon. MS not in Larpent; not published. Synopsis of action in Town and Country Magazine, Supp. 1784, p. 717]: With new Scenery, Music, Dresses and Decorations. The Scenes chiefly designed by Richards, and executed by him, Carver, Hodgins, and assistants. The Overture, Songs, Chorusses and the whole Music of the Pantomime new, and composed by Shield. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. The Words of the Songs, &c to be had at the Theatre. "The performance was such as the first performance of pantomimes generally--machinery and scenery not so perfectly executed as when practice has rendered the movements more familiar to those to whom they belong, which, as the beauty of a pantomime depends on the celerity and adroitness of the scene-men, it seldom is discovered on the first night" (Public Advertiser, 28 Dec)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: With new Scenery, Machinery, Music, Dresses, and Decorations. The Scenes chiefly designed by Richards, and executed by him, Carver, Hodgins, and assistants. The Overture, Songs, Chorusses, and the Music of the Pantomime composed by Shield. Receipts: #206 4s. 6d. (204/2/0; 2/2/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Robert Jephson and John O'Keeffe, i.e. an abridgement by O'Keeffe of Jephson's The Campaign (see 12 May 1785). Not in Larpent MS; not published; synopsis of plot in Universal Magazine, Mar. 1787, p. 155]: With new Scenes, Dresses, &c. A new Overture composed by the celebrated Haydn. The Airs by Gretry, Hook, J. C.? Bach, Paisiello, Duny [recte Duni], Carolan, Shield and Tenducci. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #265 11s. 6d. (257.11.6; 8.0.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Mainpiece: With (1st time) Alterations and Additions by the Author [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture, Airs, &c. by Dr Arnold. The selected [music] by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan. The new additional Songs by Shield. Public Advertiser, 22 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Quick, Broad-court, Bow-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #325 8s. 6d. (164.6.6; 3.19.0; tickets: 157.3.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by James Wild. Text (no publisher, 1790)]: Being a Collection of favorite Scenes from the Following celebrated Pantomimes: Harlequin Sorcerer, Mother Shipton, Choice of Harlequin, Lord Mayor's Day, Druids, Fryar Bacon, Harlequin Freemason, Norwood Gipsies, Omai, Magic Cavern, and Harlequin Rambler. With new Dresses and Decorations. The Original Scenery, Machinery, &c. painted by Lambert, Dall [both deceased], Carver, Hodgins and Richards-and now all repaired and repainted. The Music selected by Shaw from Pepuch [sic], Dr Arne, Dr Arnold, Dr Fisher, ?M.? Arne, Vincent, Dibdin and Shield. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 31 Dec.: Paid Wild for his Attention to the Pantomime #30; Boyce for Ditto #15; Shaw for Ditto #10. Receipts: #233 5s. 6d. (204.8.6; 28.17.0)