Event Comment: Principal Instrumental Performers-C. Ashley, Bridgtower, Archer, Harvey, Sarjant, Mahon, Boyce, Cantelo, Parkinson, Taylor, J. Sharp, Lavenu, Napier, Simpson, the Flacks, Purney, Seutze, Gwilliam, Monro, Wood, Warren, Woodham, Francis, M. Sharp, &c. Organ by J. Ashley. Double Drums by R. Ashley. The Chorusses will be numerous and compleat, and the Orchestra will consist of upwards of Two Hundred Performers. The whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places to be taken, and Tickets for the Boxes may be had of Brandon at the Office in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same throughout oratorio season]. [This performance was originally advertised to take place at the Pantheon, Oxford-street, but "The routed Host of Harmonists, driven from their new works in Oxford-road, hastily encamped last night [at Covent Garden]. Their performance...went off as might be expected from a scanty band, thus collected, without any previous rehearsal" (Morning Herald, 21 Feb.). The Pantheon had been destroyed by fire in January 1792. Work on its reconstruction had only recently been begun, and Was still not completed. It was reopened with a masquerade on 9 April 1795, the "usual licenses being now fully renewed and established" (Morning Herald, 9 Apr.).

Event Comment: Serenata: In two Parts. Principal Instrumental Performers as 4 Mar

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Waldron, prompter. Mainpiece [1st time; TC 5, by Francis Godolphin Waldron. Larpent MS 1094; not published]: Founded on Shakespeare and Fletcher's Two Noble Kinsmen, by the Continuator of Ben Jonson's Sad Shepherd. With new Music composed by Dr Arnold. Copies of the Songs will be delivered gratis at the Theatre. Afterpiece [1st time; C 3, by Francis Godolphin Waldron, abridged from his The Maid of Kent. Larpent MS 1095; not published]: Written by the Author of Heigho for a Husband. Tickets and Places for the Boxes to be had of Waldron, No. 54, Drury-lane, and of Rice, at the Theatre

Event Comment: 1st piece: In one Act [i.e. reduced from the original two]. 2nd piece: Compressed into four Acts by the Author [James Boaden]. Receipts: #217 0s. 6d. (210.19.6; 6.1.0)

Event Comment: 1st piece: In one Act [i.e. reduced from the original two]. 2nd piece [1st time; MD 3, by Richard Cumberland. Author of Prologue unknown]. Receipts: #235 13s. 6d. (232.9.6; 3.4.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Engagement as 6 Mar., but added: The Whole to conclude with a magnificent Illumination; displaying particularly two Ships of the Line in a most brilliant and superb Fire-Work. Receipts: #233 15s. (189.5.6; 41.2.6; 3.7.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Portal, Gibson, Percey, George, Bowley, Stevenson, Woollams, Massingham [box-keepers]. In consequence of the Indisposition of two Principal Performers The Fairy Festival [advertised on playbill of 13 June] cannot be performed this Evening. Receipts: #567 17s. 6d. (31.0.6; 30.19.0; 2.14.0; tickets: 503.4.0) (charge: #213 16s.)

Event Comment: "It was with extreme regret that we perceived the ravages of time in the person of [Mrs Crawford, who had not acted in London since 12 Apr. 1785], tho' we were much consoled in observing that his influence is not equally apparent in her abilities...The blaze is gone, but there is a richness in the setting lustre...Kemble is evidently [Johnston's] model, and he followed him so closely, as even to the crossing of the legs in dying; so that where he was best, his efforts seemed to be the effect of imitation" (True Briton, 24 Oct.). "Mrs Crawford has had her day; but the sun of her genius has long sunk beneath the horizon...Many parts of her performance, we were sorry to observe, evinced the most evident decline of powers, and her tremulous accents, the debility of which was rendered the more striking from the want of several teeth, proclaimed that her days of play and action were nearly brought to a close...She was received with reiterated plaudits throughout...Nature has been very bountiful in supplying [Johnston] with a voice of much compass and melody, but he does not appear to have paid much attention to the cultivation of her favours. His transitions are often abrupt, and sometimes discordant; and the management of his tones is of so strange a nature that it appears more like two distinct voices than a judicious modulation of his natural accents" (Morning Herald, 24 Oct.). Receipts: #260 9s. (253.4.6; 7.4.6)

Event Comment: The New Comedy [i.e. Secrets Worth Knowing, advertised on playbill of 8 Jan.] is unavoidably deferred till Thursday, on account of the Indisposition of two Principal Performers. Receipts: #187 18s. 6d. (173.6.6; 14.12.0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: In Two Acts. Receipts: #245 16s. (241.4.6; 4.11.6)