Event Comment: Mr Reddish being a little out of his Senses he could not play Morcar in Matilda therefore notwithstanding the Bills were up for it we were oblig'd to change it to the West Indian & about Two o'clock we put up fresh Bills for West Indian and as Mrs Abington was not in humour to play at so Short Notice we were oblig'd to borrow Miss Barsanti to play Miss Rusport (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Rec'd Mrs Johnson's rent one year to Lady Day 1774 #6 (Treasurer's Book). Tragedy of Braganza is oblig'd to be deferr'd till Thursday on account of Mrs Yates's indisposition. Receipts: #161 17s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The Two Misers oblig'd to be deferr'd

Event Comment: In the Ode will be introduced two songs from Handel's Oratorios

Event Comment: Benefit for King. The Play was very Imperfect. Bon Ton is a Comedy in Two Acts. Written 15 or 16 years ago Mr G. out of Friendship for Mr King gave it him to get up for his Benefit-It was verY well perform'd & receiv'd with the highest Applause (Hopkins Diary). Mainpiece: Not acted these 16 years. [See 29 Jan. 1759.] Part of Pit laid into boxes. Paid 4 days salary, list #377 4s.; J. French on acct #5 5s.; Mr Carter in full for Music for Rival Candidates #42 (Treasurer's Book). [Rather unfavorable review of Bon Ton in Westminster Magazine for March. Ascribes it to Burgoyne, with touches form Garrick.] Receipts: #291 2s. 6d. Charges: #66 7s. 6d. Profits to King: #224 15s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lee. Last Performance but two before the Holidays. Afterpiece: Never acted there. In the comic scenes will be introduced (as they were sung in Masqued and other Characters) the favorite songs, Ye Warwickshire Lads and Lasses, Sweet Willy O, The Mulberry Tree, and the Roundelay of Sisters of the Tuneful Strain. In the second act, a Statue of Shakespeare will be erected, and the ode on Dedicating a Temple to that great poet recited, with proper Airs and Chorusses-Particularly Sweetest Bard that Ever Sung, Tho' Crimes from Death and Torture Fly, the Characteristic Song on Falstaff, More Gentle than the Southern Gale, and Thou Soft-Flowing Avon. Part of Pit laid into boxes

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted in two years. [See 13 May 1772.] Benefit for Miss Pope. Last time of performing till Easter. Part of p1t laid into boxes. Last play till Holidays. Paid 4 days salary list #378 10s. 8d.; J. French on acct #5 5s.; Tallow chandler's 8th bill #27 11s. 4d. Receipts: #287 3s. Charges: #66 3s. 6d. Profits to Miss Pope: #220 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Vallouis and Mme Vallouis, with two new Dances composed by Mr Vallouis

Event Comment: A new Musical Entertainment of Two Acts never performed before by Thomas Brydges?. Music by Hook

Event Comment: By Permission. Mainpiece: Not acted these two years

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Gallery 3s. Pit 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Doors open at half past five. Play begin at half past six. [Repeated.] Before the Play a new Overture and New Occasional Prelude (Public Advertiser). The House has been quite alter'd since last Season and is now fitted up in the most elegant manner Possible by the Adam's etc. and is the most Compleat of any Theater in Europe. Great applause to the House before the Curtain. The Theatrical Candidates is wrote by D. G. Esq and was received with great Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording. In Judging the popularity of a play in terms of box receipts for this season one must be aware of the fact that the treasurer's account books here differ from those of the five preceding years in not recording the income from the tickets delivered out for benefit nights. Hence on those nights the stated income reflects only the money taken at the door the night of the performance, and does not indicate the larger amounts which the actors received for their tickets. Deficits to various actors listed on the following pages were all paid up, presumably from the ticket receipts. Each actor doubtless at least broke even on his benefit.] Ceiling rais'd 12 feet. Old side Boxes top and bottom remov'd. New passages to Boxes. Entrance Bridges St. Light pillars to support Boxes inlaid with plate glass on green and crimson ground. Old chandeliers remov'd. Gilt branches with two candles each on pillars. Four new chandeliers in front. No slit i Curtain. Adam architects. 4,000 guineas. Persons not employed in the night's amusement ordered not to come behind the scenes--performers by that means go cross stage (Winston MS 11, from Dr Burney's News Cuttings). Paid Renters #8; Supernumeraries and Drum #1 16s.; taylor's Bill #10 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [For the 188 acting nights of the season and for 11 Oratorio nights the Renters were paid a total of #1,692. The Supernumeraries were paid an average of #5 per night or #940 for the season. No further account of these items will be made. Full account of the new look given to Drury Lane by the Adam's brothers in the Westminster Magazine for Sept. along with an approving review of the Meeting of the Company.] From Lloyd's Evening Post, 25 Sept., "On the New Front of Drury Lane Theatre": @Garrick asham'd to poke his nose@Too sheepishly beneath the Rose:@And fearing, poor man, what were Worse,@His bashfulness might hurt his purse;@Resolves this year to push a front,@And put a better face upon't.@Not surely meaning to give o'er@His Art, and make no faces more.@Yet, fair as tis, I'd have him know@If tis the last he means to show.@This face will never make amends,@For turning tail upon his friends;@Who own, by general consent,@His face the best Stage ornament.@ (In Folger Library, David Garrick Verses, Prologues and Epilogues, MS, p. 86.) Receipts: #208 11s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Overture and Music for the Prelude composed by Bates. Mr Bensley return'd from Covent Garden Theatre Play'd Pierre as usual was received with Applause (Hopkins Diary). Paid Carpenter's Bill #31 10s.; Two surveyors (by Butler) #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). [The carpenter's bills averaged #10 per week during the season, or about #380 total. No further mention will be made of this item.] Receipts: #238 17s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid half a years rent to Duke of Bedford to Mich. Last #164 2s. 10d.; Ditto to Mr Wegg to ditto #57; Mrs Scott (laceman) #99 7s.; Mrs Chitty for coals #92 10s.; Mrs Sutton for women's cloathes #12; Tabor and Pipe 7 nights #3 13s. 6d.; Two additional flutes #3. Receipts: #272 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). At the Play Mr Garrick acted and the house was so full you could not have thrust your little finger in, not withstanding the plague sweeps us away by dozens (Cumberland's Letters; Hampden, Journal)

Event Comment: By authority of Lord Chamberlin. By Desire of the Masons. With two additional Scenes

Event Comment: In Mr G. fine Scene with Thomas , Just as he was going to trust him with the Secret the House was very Silent and Mr G. very fine a fellow in the Gallery bawld out--Speak louder--It disconcerted Mr G. very much (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid Mr Waller's Bill (hosier) #30 16s. 9d.; Mr Pryer [Turner] #3 2s.; Mr Bannizter [sic] for two songs #5 5s. Receipts: #242 6s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mrs Abington being ill with a cold, The Sultan is oblig'd to be deferr'd a Day or two. Receipts: #83 17s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Rec'd stopages #11 18s. Paid To Mr Garrick, author of the alteration of the Chances and two preludes #171. Receipts: #106 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: A New Comic Opera of Two Acts written by Mr Bate--Much hissing and Crying out no more no more!--Mr Reddish was desired to give out the Play as soon as Matilda was over--but he with his usual politeness ran up and undress'd himself as fast as he could so that the play was not given out till the End of the Farce as soon as the Blackamoor was given out for the next Night they kept a great Noise and call'd for another Farce to be given out--at length they began to be more appeas'd and went away vowing Vengeance on it the next Night (Hopkins Diary). The Overture and Music of the afterpiece entirely New. Books of the Songs &c. to be had at the Theatre. New Scenes, Dresses, &c. [This is Larpent MS 400. Sir Oliver Oddfish distrusts his servants and is about to replace them with blacks, giving his nephew the chance to introduce Frederick , his daughter Julia 's lover, in disguise as a blackamoor, and to effect an elopement. Act I criticizes Londoners and concludes with the comment, "O that I should ever live to see the day when white Englishmen must give place to foreign blacks." MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid the late Mr Johnston's bill to his executors #44 18s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [Afterpiece reviewed in three columns in the Westminster Magazine for Feb. Reviewer thought it had been produced well in all departments, music, scenery, costume, and acting, but concluded it a theatrical trifle giving not much credit to its author.] Receipts: #166 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mrs Abington continuing ill, The Maid of the Oaks oblig'd to be deferr'd. Soon after the Farce began off off--no, more, no more, was the General Cry with much hissing--Mr King went on Two or three times to know their pleasure but they would not hear him. They Call'd for Mr Garrick he attended--but they would not hear him for a long time tho' Attempted Several times to speak--at last Somebody said hear him! hear him!--Mr G. told them that he would wait their [sic] all Night with pleasUre if they requir'd it--hear him! again was bellow'd out--he told them he waited to know their pleasure--whether they would have the Blackamoor go on or if they would have any other Farce then a great Noise ensued; as soon as they were quiet Mr G. told them that his Theatrical Life would be very Short and he should be glad to end it in peace--A man in the Pit said if you have a mind to die in Peace don't let this Farce be play'd again Mr Garrick was on and off the Stage several times nothing would content them--at Length Mr King told them that the Author had taken the Copy from the Prompter and was gone away with it.--Soon after this they withdrew So ended this troublesome Affair (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble is considerably lengthened.] Paid Mr Rowland's bill for dinners #8 9s. 3d. Receipts: #284 18s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Comedy [by Hugh Kelly, not printed] never performed. [It was performed but once. The Biographia Dramatica suggests failure was partly due to Woodward's misconception of the main character. The Westminster Magazine for Feb. damns the play, for developing two confusing and parallel plots, for the acting, and for the language.

Event Comment: An Operetta of Two Acts. Music entirely New by Dr Arne. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. To begin at 7:00 p.m. Being desired by many persons of quality

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire and advertised as Garrick's last time of performing the character of Lusignan. This Farce of Two Acts was written by Mr Colman -the first Act was receiv'd with great Applause the second Act a little heavy -and not so much Applause as the first (Hopkins Diary). Paid Mr Park 1 chorus 4 nights (Jubilee) #1 10s. (Treasurer's Book). [The Westminster Magazine for March tells the plot of the afterpiece, and concludes: "The wit and dialogue of this piece will hardly keep it long in esteem with the public. They are sometimes lively, but generally pert and affected."] Receipts: #272 18s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Being the last time of Garrick's appearing in character of Sir John Brute . When the Song Encor'd Mr Garrick said Come Col. give us that Song again for two very good Reasons, the first because your friends desire it-and Secondly because I believe I shall never be in such good company again. House Mr and Mrs Davies (Sold) (Hopkins Diary). Paid Mr Davies in lieu of Bt #60. Rec'd of Mr Davis on acct #30. Receipts: #281 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Abington. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Garrick's last time of performing Archer . Pit and Boxes will be laid together. Ladies and Gentlemen most earnestly requested to come early (playbill). Mrs Abington having wrote to Mr Garrick that she intended to quit the Stage at the End of the Season never to return to it again, he very kindly play'd for her Benefit (Hopkins Diary). Tickets deliver'd for Much Ado will be taken. Attempted to get into Drury Lane Theatre to see Mr Garrick in the character of Archer, but the crowd was so great that after suffering thumps, squeezes and almost suffocation for two hours, I was oblig'd to retire without effecting it (Hampden, Journal). Receipts: #129 19s. 6d. Charges: #65 7s. 6d. Profits to Mrs Abington: #64 12s. (Treasurer's Book)