Event Comment: [Vernon's Song specified in later bills as the "Original Epilogue Song."] Mainpiece: Not acted in 8 years. [See 6 Jan. 1764.] This Comedy was well perform'd & had great applause (Hopkins Diary). Rec'd Mr Condill's 1st payment for fruit Office #20; Paid Mr Williams, 1 night in Musical Lady #1 1s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #162 2s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Lethe is reviv'd with Alterations & a New Character-very well receiv'd & great Applause-Mr Garrick play'd with great Spirit & was much Applauded (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan notes lack of Fribble parts in Larpent MS. Yet Theatrical Review, 11 Jan., describes briefly the alterations, suggesting, The character of the Fine Gentleman in the former Lethe had some strong allusions to the behaviour of Gentlemen behind the scenes at the playhouses, which custom being abolished of late years, the character had lost its importance, on which account it is altered to a Fribble, and consequently entirely new written." A methodist taylor, an Irishman, Mr & Mrs Carbine (originally Mr & Mrs Tatoo) are also new. See account also in Town and Country Magazine (Theatre NO. XXXIII).] Paid Salary list, #502 3s. 6d.; Mrs Abington's cloaths acct #2; Mr S. French 6 days #1 10s.; Rec'd, Stopages. #11 13s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #245 11s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Particular Desire. Latter end of next month the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, which has been much enlarg'd and Beautified will open with Subs[cription] Jubilee Masque (Winston MS 10). Paid Mr Hopkins, Prompter's Bill, #23 16s.; Mr Calthorpe's 1st payment #157 10s.; Printer's bill #9 6s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #237 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: [This New Comedy (by Mrs Elizabeth Griffith) seems not to have been performed this night, according to the author's Preface to her Edition of 1772. Shuter had been unattentive and absent from many rehearsals]: At length though late [in the season] a day was appointed for the representation, and on that morning Mr Shuter appeared at rehearsal, pretty much in the same state as before, and confessed himself incapable of performing his part, that night. Upon which the play was oblig'd to be further postponed, and handbills were sent about at noon, to advertise town of the disappointment....A further final day was afterwards determined on, but the audience being out of humour at their former disappointment, called Mr Shuter to account for it, on his first appearance; which threw him into such confusion, that he was not able to get the better of it, throughtout the whole performance...in the hurry of his spirits the actor not only forgot his part, the deficiency of which he endeavoured to supply with his own dialect, but also seemed to lose all idea of the character he was to perform; and made the Governor appear in a light which the author never intended: that of a mean, ridiculous buffoon. [Mrs Griffith concluded her preface by relating how her friends stood by the piece, but two or three in the gallery, when it was given out again objected and threw an apple at the chandeliers, which so perturbed the management that the play was withdrawn. She therefore published it by subscription, prefixing the names of about 440 subscribers, persons of the first quality, including James Boswell, Edmund Burke, Col. Burgoyne, the Duke of Devonshire, David Garrick, Mrs Montague, William Richardson, and a host of writers, players, and people of fashion. This list provides a pretty good roster of those who filled the boxes and part of the pit of both theatres at the time.] Paid Younger #2 2s. for the license for A Wife in the Right (Account Book). Receipts: #218 12s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Tickets deliver'd for King Arthur will be taken. Part of Pit laid into Boxes. Ladies send servants by 4 o'clock. Paid Supers, Kettle Drum, & practices to King Arthur #2 16s.; Printer's Bill #8 12s. (Treasurer's Book). Mary Martin to J. M. Rebow, 6 April (MS correspondence in Washington State University Library): There has not been any mention of Barry's Benefit in ye Papers till to Day when it is advertis'd for ye 23rd of this Month, & ye Play. After...ye Constant Couple, which I imagine is no very desirable thing to see so late in ye Season, therefore pray tell me if I must send ye Tickets back directly, or may keep them till you are in Town again, which I hope you certainly will be before that time; I find we are not ye only unfortunates that Mr Johnson disappoints of Places, for that it is his Constant Practice not to let a single Place, till all his Five Guinea Chaps are serv'd even if you are at ye Play House, & apply ye Instant ye Play is given out, for which reason Mr Garrick has desir'd Gentlemen will Write to him upon such Occasions, & it is now very commonly done. Receipts: #264 11s. 6d. Charges: #67. Profits to Barry: #197 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: N.B. Sg Mallicoe is very much recover'd of his late indisposition

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New English Burletta, never performed, by the Author of Midas [Kane O'Hara], in three parts. Books of the Burletta to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #229 14s. [The mainpiece had been censored by Licenser 5 April 1772 (Larpent MS 330) but had been passed later. The MS indicates stage directions "Curtain rising discovers a splendid Pavilion in the Clouds, Juno, Pallas and Venus at card table." Reviewed in the Westminster Magazine. Rev. Charles Jenner wrote the following "Ode to Miss Catley in the character of Juno." (Harvard Library original MSS No. 65 [1930].)] @Hail vulgar Goddess of the foul mouth'd race!@If modest Bard may hail without offence)@In whose majestic, blush-disdaining face@The steady hand of Fate wrote Impudence;@Hail to thy dauntless front, and aspect bold;@Thrice hail, magnificent, immortal scold!@ @Thee, Goddess, from the upper gallery's height@With heedful look the jealous fish-wife eyes,@Tho early train'd to urge the mouthing flight,@She hears thy bellowing powers with surprize.@Returns instructed to the realms that bore her,@Adopts thy tones and carries all before her.@ @Proceed then, Catley, in thy great career@And nightly let our maidens hear and see@The sweetest voice disgust the listning ear@The fairest face assume deformity!@So shalt thou arm them with their best defense,@And teach them Modesty by Impudence.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Sutton, late Miss Froment. Paid salary list #520 7s. 6d.; Rec'd from Mr Clutterbuck's [account] (1st) #100; Stopages #18 10s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #181 5s. 6d. Charges: #74 14s. Profits to Mrs Sutton: #106 11s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The first entertainment a Serenata written by the late celebrated Mr Hughes. Music entirely new compos'd by Hook. The second a Burletta [by Lady Dorothea Dubois] in 2 Acts. Benefit for Hook

Event Comment: Receipts: #200 7s. 6d. (Account Book). Mainpiece: With New Dresses and Decorations. [The first of a series of five performances (the last, Merchant of Venice, 18 Nov.) which got Macklin dismissed from the theatre until 1775, when his lawsuit against six persons whom he claimed formed a conspiracy to hiss him from the stage and ruin his livlihood was concluded favorably for him. His performance of Macbeth was favorably treated but with certain misgivings in the Morning Chronicle (25 Oct.), but he was mercilessly criticized in the London Evening Post and St James Chronicle: "In Act II, Sc. i, Shakespeare has made Macbeth murder Duncan; Now Mr Macklin, being determined to copy from no man, reversed this incident, and in the very first act, scene the second, murdered Macbeth." The favorable review (Morning Chronicle) thought he did well in first and last acts, but gave way to stage rant and "vehemence of energetic expression" wanting any variation in tone in between. It also pointed out a certain faulty memory of his lines. His novel stage effects came in for a paragraph of comment: The alterations in the jeux de theatre respecting the representation of this tragedy do Mr Macklin great credit. His change of the scenery is peculiarly characteristical. The Quadrangle of Macbeth's castle, and the door which is supposed to lead to Duncan's apartment (both of which are entirely new) are additions of consequence to the exhibition of the play. The door also through which Macbeth comes to the Weird Sisters, in the 4th act, is a better and more probable entrance than through the common stage portal. The dresses are new, elegant, and of a sort hitherto unknown to a London audience, but exceedingly proper. The Banquet was superbly set out, and it must be confessed that the managers seem to have spared neither cost nor assiduity to ornament and add to the effect of the representation." A favorable letter from a correspondent to the London Evening Post adds: "I must observe, Mr Printer, that from the graceful and characteristic manner in which Macbeth was introduced by the martial music and military procession, from the manner of M. Macklin's acting, from his judicious alteration of the dresses, the disposition of the scene where the King is killed, the cave of the witches in the 4th act, from the improvement of Mrs Hartley's thinking in Lady Macbeth and from her manner of speaking, which seemed plainly to be the effects of some intelligence she had received from Mr Macklin...I thought Mr Macklin deserv'd great praise." See the newspaper comments all gathered and reprinted in an Apology for the Conduct of Charles Macklin, (London, 1773). See also note to 30 Oct. See also London Chronicle, Oct. 23-26 (cf. Odell, I, 453). The Westminster Magazine suggests the performance was pitiable. "Macklin knew what he ought to do, but could not do it." The Scenemen's pay this week was about double the normal cost. (Account Book).] Verse Squibs from St James Chronicle (Oct. 1773) against Macklin: @Macbeth@"Eight Kings appear and pass over in order, and Banquo the last"@Old Quin, ere Fate suppressed his lab'ring breath@In studied accents grumbled out Macbeth:--@Next Garrick came, whose utt'rance truth impressed,@While ev'ry look the tyrant's guilt confess'd:--@Then the cold Sheridan half froze the part,@Yet what he lost by nature sav'd by art.@Tall Barry now advanc'd toward Birnam Woodv@Nor ill performed the scenes--he understood--@Grave Mossop next to Foris shaped his march@His words were minute guns, his action starch.@Rough Holland too--but pass his errors o'er@Nor blame the actor when the man's no more.@Then heavy Ross, assay'd the tragic frown,@But beef and pudding kept all meaning down:--@Next careless Smith, try'd on the Murd'rer's mask,@While o'er his tongue light tripp'd the hurried task:--@Hard Macklin, late, guilt's feelings strove to speak,@While sweats infernal drench'd his iron cheek;@Like Fielding's Kings [in Tom Thumb] his fancy'd triumphs past,@And all be boasts is, that he falls the last.@ Also from St James Chronicle:@The Witches, while living deluded Macbeth@And the Devil laid hold of his soul after death;@But to punish the Tyrant this would not content him,@So Macklin he sent on the stage to present him.

Event Comment: Both pieces By Command of their Majesties. Present Their Majesties. Gave Yeomen of Guards #2 2s. (Account Book). [Winston MS 10 suggests (from Burney Actor's MS) that Wignell died this day. If so his name is carried in the Bill for the Sylphs until 26 Jan., and he appears regularly upon the payroll through Sat 29 Jan. On this latter occasion he is marked for only half his customary salary, and does not appear thereafter. He would seem to have died in the middle of the week of 22-29 Jan. 1774.] Receipts: #243 1s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Sunday 30 Jan-Saturday last died James Love, Comedian, Master of Edinburg Theatre, late of Drury Lane. Was educated at Westminster School and went from there to Cambridge (Winston MS 10). Rec'd stopages #19 19s. 6d.; Paid salary list #529 2s.; Mr King's extra salary #3. Receipts: #183 19s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mr Daigueville, late Ballet-Master, and First Dancer, at Drury Lane Playhouse begs leave to acquaint the Nobility and Gentry, that he continues to teach the Minuet, Louvre, Cotillions, Allemande, Minuet Dauphine, Country Dances, &c. at his house in King-Square Court, Dean St. Soho. Receipts: #251 14s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Sethona Publish'd. Note of Hand deferr'd Dodd ill (Winston MS 10). Paid Mr F. Aickin's joint note with Mr J. Aickin #4 10s.; Mr Everard (late Cape) a debt & Costs #3 18s.; Mr Highley on acct #200; Mr Hopkins, Licence for Note of Hand & Sethona, #4 4s.; Miss P. Hopkins 1 night 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #239 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Kniveton. Tickets deliver'd by the Sons of the late Mr Wignell will be taken. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted. Charges #70 2s. Profit to Knivetons #5 15s., plus #103 11s. from tickets (Box 122; Pit 343; Gallery 216). Receipts: #75 17s. (Account Book)