Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward

Event Comment: Benefit for Grimaldi and Aldridge. Tickets deliver'd by Tassoni will be taken. Mr Yates being ill Mrs Ward was borrow'd to play Belvidera (Hopkins). Receipts: #53 18s. (MacMillan); charges: #64 4s. [Deficit to Grimaldi and Aldridge: #10 6s.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Yates. Mainpiece: A Tragedy (Written by Voltaire) and translated by [Dr Thomas Francklin] the Author of The Earl of Warwick. Pit and Boxes will be laid together. Ladies are desired to send their servants by 4 o'clock. Mrs Yates will be particularly oblig'd to those Ladies, and Gentlemen, who have seats in the Pit, if they will be co kind as to come as early as possible to prevent confusion in getting their places. [Genest V, 242, conjectures the following assignment of parts: Orestes-Smith; Aegisthus-Bensley; Pammenes-Clarke; Pylades-Perry; Electra-Mrs Yates; Clytemnestra-Mrs Ward; Iphisa-Mrs Bulkley.] Charges #65 7s. 6d. Balance to Mrs Yates #39 1s. plus #180 10s. from 722 Box tickets (Account Book). Total House value #284 18s. 6d. Receipts: #104 8s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Wardrobe 3 nights #4 0s. 6d. [Ward was from the Birmingham theatre.] Receipts: #302 17s. 6d. (302.10.0; 0.7.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With a New Scene and New Dresses. Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Charles Dibdin and Edward Thompson. Thompson's name does not appear on the title-page of the text; it has been added by J. P. Kemble on the half-title of his copy now in the Huntington Library]: The Music chiefly composed by Dibdin [Public Advertiser, 15 Nov.: Three of the airs and the finale were composed by Samuel Arnold; one air by John Abraham Fisher]. With New Scenes [ibid: by Dall, Richards, and Carver], Dresses and Decorations. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 7 Feb. 1777: Paid Dibdin in full for copyright of the Seraglio #20; ibid, 2 June 1777: Received of Cooper for Songs & Books sold of The Seraglio #19 10s. 9d. [Mrs Ward was from the Birmingham theatre]. Receipts: #221 11s. 6d. (219.7.0; 2.4.6)

Event Comment: [Mrs Ward was from the Manchester theatre.] Afterpiece: To conclude with a perspective Representation of the Grand Camp at Cox-Heathv [see 15 Oct. 1778. This was included in all subsequent performances.]. Receipts: #225 11s. (179.2.0; 44.19.6; 1.9.6)

Event Comment: "When Brabantio speaks to Iago and Roderigo from the Window, Aickin should not show to the audience that he stands upon a Ladder, which he manifestly does, by getting down first, and pulling the Window down after him ... Mrs Ward and Mrs Hopkins seemed to have forgot their Engagement on the Stage, and dressed themselves for a Card Party ... frizzed, hooped and fly-capp'd" (Public Advertiser, 4 Oct.). [Afterpiece: Prologue by George Colman, the elder.] Receipts: #152 0s. 6d. (107/7/0; 44/11/0; 0/2/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. The Clandestine Marriage [advertised on playbill of 9 May] is obliged to be deferred, on Account of the Indisposition of Parsons. Receipts: #209 18s. 6d. (36.13.0; 12.11.6; 0.10.0; tickets: 160.4.0) (charge: #109 15s. 9d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. 2nd piece [1st time; INT 1]. Receipts: #247 15s. 6d. (40.8.0; 17.2.0; 1.1.6; tickets: 189.4.0) (charge: #114 17s. 6d.)

Event Comment: [As mainpiece the playbill announces the 8th night of Better Late than Never (see 20 Jan.), but "The Play was to have been Better Late. I was hoarse, & could not act. Miss Farren refus'd to play Berinthia. Mrs Ward acted it for her" (Kemble Mem.).] Receipts: #253 6s. 6d. (208.6.0; 41.9.0; 3.6.6; tickets not come in: 0.5.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Orphan Daughters of the late Mr Wrighten, prompter. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Kemble as Charlotte, but "Mrs Ward read Charlotte " (Thespian Magazine, June 1793, p. 3).] Receipts: #548 12s. 6d. (137.4.6; 32.11.0; 2.17.0; tickets: 376.0;0) (charge: #147 11s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by James Wild. MS: Larpent 1000]: The greatest part entirely new, with a few Select Scenes from the most approv'd Compositions. With new Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations. The Dresses entirely new. The new Music composed by Shield, the rest selected from Harington, Dr Arne, Eley, Reeve, Pepusch, Galliard, George Ware, Hook, &c. The Scenery and Machinery entirely new painted by Richards, Hodgins, Walmsley, Lupino, Pugh, Phillips and Malton. The Dances entirely new, composed by Byrn. Account-Book, 23 Apr. 1795: Paid James Wild in full for Dr Faustus #40. European Magazine, Jan. 1794, p. 49: Dr Faustus has afforded entertainment to three if not four generations. It was first produced at Drury-lane in 1723, by Mr Thurmond, a dancing-master, and was afterwards succeeded at Lincoln's inn-fields, in the same year, by Mr Rich's more splendid performance [entitled The Necromancer; or, Harlequin Doctor Faustus], which received improvement at different revivals of it. At the latter end of 1766 [at Covent Garden] Mr Woodward made some alterations, and it was revived with great success. It is again brought forward with applause, and recalls to the remembrance of those who formerly saw it with delight, the recollection of the most enchanting period of life. The opening scene of Tartarus . . . was first introduced in the speaking pantomime of The Mirror [at Covent Garden, 30 Nov. 1779). Receipts: #352 13s. 6d. (324/13/6; 28/0/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Edward Morris. Prologue by Charles Morris; Epilogue by George Colman, ynger (see text)]: With new Dresses and Decorations. Morning Chronicle, 14 Mar. 1799: This Day is published The Secret (2s.). Receipts: #371 18s. 6d. (319.17.0; 49.14.6; 2.7.0)