Event Comment: On account of the sudden Indisposition of Sga Ferrarese the new Serious Opera [Demetrio, announced in Public Advertiser, 31 Dec. 1784] is unavoidably postponed [see 8 Jan.]. 2nd dance: With several new Airs composed by Barthelemon

Event Comment: Sga Ferrarese continuing very much indisposed the new Serious Opera [Demetrio, announced in Public Advertiser, 3 Jan.] is unavoidably postponed [see 8 Jan.]

Event Comment: [Opera in place of Demetrio, announced in Public Advertiser, 19 Jan.]

Event Comment: "What a 'monstrous marring' ... is made amongst the wierd sisters! Mrs Wrighten laughing and talking the whole time, [and Miss] George who cannot help joining in a laugh . . . Mrs Siddons's sleeping scene [is] we think the greatest act that has in our memory adorned the stage" (Public Advertiser, 24 Feb.). Receipts: #279 6s. 6d. (250/0/0; 28/9/0; 0/10/0; tickets not come in: 0/7/6)

Event Comment: Macbeth now needs "a less monotonous Macbeth--witches more terrific--gothic scenes--occasional darkness, &c." (Public Advertiser, 28 Feb.). Receipts: #230 13s. (208/9/0; 22/1/6; 0/2/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Henderson. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Richard Cumberland. Text, which assigns no parts, 1st published in his Posthumous Dramatic Works, Vol. II (1813), under the title of Alcanor]. Public Advertiser, 5 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Henderson at his house in Buckingham-street, York-buildings

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister. Public Advertiser, 10 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bannister, No. 29, Bow-street, Covent Garden

Event Comment: "Holman [was sitting] in a Side Box. This should never happen: there an actor should never appear" {Public Advertiser, 17 Mar.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. To prevent Confusion Ladies are desired to send their Servants by half past Four o'clock. Public Advertiser, 12 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Palmer, No. 39, Goodge-street, Rathbone-place. Receipts: #308 1s. (150/16/0; 11/7/6; 0/14/6; tickets: 145/3/0) (charge: #66/1/8)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Rossi. Tickets, half a guinea each, to be had of Mme Rossi, No. 33, Pall-mall. 2nd ballet: With Grand Chorusses; the original Music by Matthew Locke is entirely preserved; the rest partly new [by Barthelemon], partly compiled from the most favourite Scotch Airs. "We cannot think last night's effort among the most successful . . . Lepicq and Rossi were the Macbeth and Lady--and considering the narrow boundaries of their art, which is tongue-tied, they discoursed 'with most miraculous organs.' Still, however, the whole of the material questions of the scene were agitated with all the disadvantages of contrast with comparative inefficience" (Public Advertiser, 18 Mar.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. Public Advertiser, 18 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lewis at his house in Broad Court, Bow-street, Covent Garden

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. Public Advertiser, 15 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Charing-cross. [Miss Bannister's 1st appearance at this theatre was on 28 Apr. 1784.] Receipts: #321 9s. (118/6; 22/18; 2/4; tickets: 178/1) (charge: #113 7s. 3d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Public Advertiser, 5 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Quick, No. 99, High Holbourn. Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years [not acted since 15 Apr. 1763]. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Frederick Pilon]: Altered from [The Comical History of Don Quixote, Part II, by Thomas] D'Urfey. In Act I A Grand Baratarian Procession of Sancho to his Government. The Characters all dressed in the Habits of the Times

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Kennedy. Public Advertiser, 16 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kennedy at her house in Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields

Event Comment: Benefit for Kemble [who had 1st acted Macbeth at Hull, 30 Oct. 1778]. Public Advertiser, 17 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Kemble, No. 2, Leicester Court, Castle-street, Leicester Fields. [In mainpiece the playbill retains R. Palmer as Malcolm, but "Preceding the play there was an apology, on its appearance evidently exciting doubt and trepidation in the audience [probably for fear that Mrs Siddons would be unable to appear]; but Palmer's fourth word broke the spell. R. Palmer was suddenly prevented attending the house:--what could the house do, but laugh?--Laugh they did;--'and Barrymore will read his part.' The house laughed again. And so Britannia was delivered" (Morning Chronicle, 1 Apr.). The name of R. Palmer's substitute in the afterpiece is not given.] Receipts: #293 3s. (175/2; 9/16; 0/5; tickets: 108/0) (charge: #115 10s. 3d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wrighten. Public Advertiser, 29 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wrighten, Kennington-lane, near Vauxhall. Afterpiece: Not acted these 20 years [acted 13 Apr. 1773]. Receipts: #277 18s. (70/15; 8/18; 0/8; tickets: 197/17) (charge: (#106 16s. 1d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Leonard Macnally. Prologue by ---- Chalmers. Epilogue by ---- Norris (see text, but London Chronicle, 4 Apr., says by Thomas Morris). In 1792 this was acted at this theatre reduced to 3 acts]. Public Advertiser, 30 Apr. 1785: This Day is published Fashionable Levities (1s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. To prevent confusion Ladies are desired to send their Servants by half past Four o'clock. Public Advertiser, 17 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Pope, Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #236 13s. (56/19; 30/9; 0/13; tickets: 148/12) (charge: #113 14s. 10d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bensley. Public Advertiser, 2 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bensley, No. 32, Gerrard-street, Soho. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Packer as Belmour, but on the Kemble playbill a MS annotation substitutes Hull.] Receipts: #296 5s. 6d. (165/3/0; 17/7/6; 0/10/0; tickets: 113/5/0) (charge: #106)

Event Comment: Benefit for Baddeley. Public Advertiser, 2 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Baddeley, No. 2, Little Russel-street, Covent-garden. [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Ogle to King, but on the Kemble playbill a MS annotation substitutes Barrymore.] 2nd piece [1st time: INT I, probably by Robert Baddeley. MS: Larpent 692; not published]. Receipts: #226 3s. 6d. (105/18/0; 30/11/6; 0/16/0; tickets: 88/18/0) (charge: #111 17s. 7d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Edwin. Public Advertiser, 29 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Edwin, No. 19, Piazza, Covent Garden. Mainpiece: Altered from Beaumont and Fletcher [i.e. from Fletcher alone]. Afterpiece: Not acted these 6 years [acted 28 May 1782]

Event Comment: Benefit for Brereton. Public Advertiser, 26 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Brereton, Charles-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #262 7s. 6d. (129/3/0; 18/13/0; 0/10/6; tickets: 114/1/0) (charge: #106 7s. 10d.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by William Pearce. MS: Larpent 696; not published; synopsis of plot in Universal Magazine, Apr. 1785, p. 209]: With new Scenes and Dresses. The Overture and Airs composed by Shield. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "The Nunnery [is] ... a most powerful narcotic. The Performers--in friendly sympathy--had totally forgotten their parts--and passed the evening in a conversation with the prompter" (Public Advertiser, 15 Apr.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Farren. Public Advertiser, 11 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Farren at his house in Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields