Event Comment: Tickets delivered by Prosser, Simpkinson, Jackson, J. Wilson, Smith, Mrs Lampe, Mrs Hamilton, Miss Willis, the Widow Wise, the Widow of the late Dr Arne will be admitted this Evening. Receipts: #169 (50.14.6; 5.2.6; tickets: 113.3.0)

Event Comment: [MS annotation on playbill in Harvard Theatre Collection: "Mrs Cargill run away this day with Colman Jun. James? Winston?." And see 11 Sept.

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; c 3, altered from the same, probably by the author, Richard Bentley]: Written in the manner of the Italian Comedy. With new Scenes and Dresses. [Author of Prologue unknown.] "It was originally produced at Drury Lane in the summer of 1761 [27 July] . . . and has now been new dished up, and seasoned to the day" (European Magazine, ibid). J. P. Collier states that "it is not a revival of the former piece" (MacMillan, Larpent Catalogue, p. 98). It was not, strictly speaking, a "revival", but, rather, a revision, as a collation of Larpent MS 586 (the present version, which is unpublished) with MS 199 (Bentley's 1761 version) makes clear. In 1761 Bentley introduced "the speaking Harlequin after the manner of the Italians . . . Mr Harris some years after gave it a second chance on the stage" (Cumberland, Memoirs, I, 212-14). Receipts: #215 19s. (213/5/6; 2/13/6)

Event Comment: "I have been for two days in town, and seen Mrs Siddons . . . She is a good figure, handsome enough, though neither nose nor chin according to the Greek standard, beyond which both advance a good deal. Her hair is either red, or she has no objection to its being thought so, and had used red powder. Her voice is clear and good; but I thought she did not vary its modulations enough, nor ever approach enough to the familiar--but this may come when more habituated to the awe of the audience of the capital. Her action is proper, but with little variety; when without motion, her arms are not genteel ... I treated my eyes, not only with Mrs Siddons but a harlequin farce. But there again my ancient prejudices operated: how unlike the pantomimes of Rich, which were full of wit, and coherent, and carried on a story! What I now saw was Robinson Crusoe: how Aristotle and Bossu, had they ever written on pantomimes, would swear! It was a heap of contradictions and violations of the costume. Friday is turned into Harlequin, and falls down at an old man's feet that I took for Pantaloon, but they told me it was Friday's father. I said, 'Then it must be Thursday'" (Walpole [3 Nov. 1782], XII, 356-57, 359). Receipts: #241 6s. (222/4/0; 18/15/6; 0/6/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. "There was, in my early days, such a permanent property as a stage-door in our theatres, and the proscenium beyond it; so that when [Jane] Shore was pushed from the door, she was turned round and staggered till supported by the firm projection behind her. Here was a terrific picture full in the eye of the pit, and this most picturesque of women knew the amazing value of it" (Boaden, Siddons, I, 326). Receipts: #232 (209/8; 21/18; 0/14)

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of Lord Mayor's Day, announced on playbill of 31 Dec. 1782.] Receipts: #201 8s. (199/0/6; 2/7/6)

Event Comment: Opera advertised for this Day [I Vecchi Burlati] is, on account of the Indisposition of one of the Performers, put off till Saturday the 5th Inst