Event Comment: Last time but one of the Company's performing this season. House. Mr Garrick as before Mr Vernon being hoarse Mr Davies play'd Sr. John Loverule some body in the Pit call'd for Vernon as his Name was in the Bills Mr Davies told them that Mr Vernon had been ill these two day [sic] and it was thought unnecessary to trouble them with an apology they afterwards call'd for the Early Horn Mr Davies told them he did not know of doing the part till after two therefore he was not prepar'd. they call'd out & bid him go on his own way (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble omits the comment on the afterpiece. Song The Early Horn had been traditional for the part of Sir John for over 30 years. See 10 Sept. 1741.] Paid Mr Short, Chorus, 5s.; Blurton 4 days salary in full #1 6s. 8d.; French on acct #100. Receipts: #305 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mr Baker made his first Appearance in Jerry Sneak--he is a tall, thin, awkward Figure, looked like a Pinmaker, is a very strong Copy of poor Kemble">Weston, has some Requisites, may in Time be a tolerable Actor in low Comedy--pretty well received. [Note added by $J. P. Kemble: Mr Baker, I have heard, had at this Time just received an Inheritance of fifteen thousand Pounds, which he so quickly dissipated as to be reduced within five years after to the Condition of Coachman to a Bristol Diligence] (Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #181 2s

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: The Characters will be dressed in the Habits of the Times. The Musick of Macbeth had a proper Attention paid to it in the getting up by Mr Linley (who composed the Additional Accompaniments) and went off with great Applause. Mrs Melmoth, who came out at Covent Garden [on 26 Feb. 1774], made her first Appearance upon this Stage in Lady Macbeth, was very wild in the Part, met with some Applause. The Play was dressed in the Habits of the Times. [Note added by J. P. Kemble: I have seen some of these Habits, and very paltry and very improper they were] (Hopkins Diary). [Mrs Melmoth was from the Edinburgh theatre.] Receipts: #191 1s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years. Written by Congreve. [For Prologue see 19 Nov.] Love for Love was revived with alterations by R. B. Sheridan Esq. (Note by J. P. Kemble on Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #150 0s. 6d

Event Comment: Juliet by Mrs Robinson--a genteel Figure--a very tolerable first Appearance, and may do in time. [Note added by J. P. Kemble: Mrs Mary Robinson, whose maiden name was Darby, died Dec. 26, 1800 at Englefield Green. See her Life, of which the first part, namely as far as to her Acquaintance with the Prince of Wales, was written by herself] (Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #170 8s. (133.15; 31.15; 4.18)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Semiramis, announced on playbill of 21 Dec.] Mrs Yates sent Word last Night that her Cold continued--she could not play in Semiramis to-night. [Note added by J. P. Kemble: I have not yet found the rest of Mr. Hopkins Diary for the Year] (Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #185 17s. 6d. (160.18.0; 24.2.6; 0.17.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. With a Procession and Sacrifice.[Vincent is identified by a MS annotation on Kemble playbill.] Receipts: #205 4s. (174.11.0; 28.0.6; 2.12.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 9 years [acted 20 Oct. 1769. Wolfe is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill. For Mrs Cuyler see 4 Jan.]. Receipts: #143 15s. (103.19; 33.14; 6.2)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With a Grand Procession of the different Orders of the Knights of Chivalryv. [This was included in all subsequent performances.] With new Dresses, and the Scenery entirely new painted. [Miss Simson is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill.] Receipts: #226 6s. 6d. (204.10.0; 21.12.0; 0.4.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; burl 2, by Charles Dibdin, based on The Loves of Mars and Venus, by Peter Anthony Motteux]: With New Scenes and Dresses. The Music chiefly composed by Dibdin. [Dr Arne and Dr Arnold each wrote one air.] Books of the Burletta to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 5 Feb. 1778: This Day at Noon is published Poor Vulcan! (1s.). [The playbill lists Reinhold in place of Mahon, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted and a MS annotation substitutes Mahon's.] Receipts: #232 5s. 6d. (230.2.6; 2.3.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 9 years. [Miss Smith is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill.

Event Comment: [The playbill retains Henderson as Valentine, but on the Kemble playbill his name is deleted. On 21 Nov. the part was acted by Farren.] Receipts: #187 3s. 6d. (158.2.0; 27.6.6; 1.15.0)

Event Comment: [Rundell is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill. His 1st appearance on the stage was at dl, 19 Apr. 1776.

Event Comment: Announced by the playbill, but "Not perform'd on Acct. of Mr Garrick's Death (at 8 o'Clo'Morng)" (MS annotation on Kemble playbill). See also Public Advertiser, 21 Jan.: Drury Lane Theatre was shut up last night on [this] melancholy Occasion

Event Comment: [Miss Thornton is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill.

Event Comment: [Daly is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill.

Event Comment: [Daly is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill.

Event Comment: Benefit for Reddish [and his last appearance on the stage]. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted. Public Advertiser, 1 May: Tickets to be had of Reddish, No. 14, near the Turnpike, Tottenham Court Road. "Poor Reddish, on the 5th of May, had a benefit, and it was resolved to try whether he could not go through the character of Posthumus. He was now infirm; in common occurrences imbecile, but to be exited by his former profession, or nothing. The late John Ireland gave an affecting detail of this attempt. He met his friend an hour before the performance began. Reddish entered the room with the step of an idiot, his eye wandering, and his whole countenance vacant. Mr Ireland congratulated him, that he was sufficiently recovered to perform his favourite Posthumus. 'Yes', said he, 'and in the garden scene I shall astonish you.' 'The garden scene! I thought you were to play Posthumus?' 'No, Sir, I play Romeo.' His friend assured him that Posthumus was the part he was to act--and he walked to the theatre, reciting Romeo all the way. When dressed for Posthumus, and in the green-room, it was still hard to undeceive him--at length he was pushed upon the stage....The instant he came in sight of the audience his recollection seemed to return; his countenance resumed meaning, his eye became lighted up, he made the modest bow of respect, and played the scene as well as he had ever done. But Romeo again met him in the green-room, and it was only the stage cue that had the power to unsettle this delusion; and that never failed to do it through the whole play. Mr Ireland thought him, on this occasion, less assuming and more natural than he had seemed in the full enjoyment of his reason" (Boaden, Kemble, I, XVI-XVII; Ireland, 58-60)

Event Comment: Benefit for Condell, Evans & Curteen, box-keepers. Tickets sold at the Doors will not be admitted. Mainpiece: On account of the additional Airs, contracted into 3 Acts. The Music by Purcell, Smith, Arne & Fisher. [Wright is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill. And see 8 May.] Public Advertiser, 7 May: Tickets to be had of Condell, Cross-court, Bow-street, Covent Garden; of Evans, at Bromfield's, trunk-maker, No. 118, Long-acre; of Curteen, No. 11, Temple-lane, Whitefriars

Event Comment: Benefit for Wood, Percey, Shade & Cameron. Tickets delivered by Lewis, Hodges, Gardner, and for Monday, the 31st of May, will be taken. MS annotation on Kemble playbill: "I believe this was the last time of Mr Henderson's acting at Drury Lane, except when he played Jaques in As You Like It for Mrs Robinson's Benefit, April 7, 1780. See October 18, 1779, Covent Garden Bills." Receipts: #301 6s. 6d. (19.14.0; 2.14.6; 0.14.0; tickets: 278.4.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: [Miss Storer is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill.] Receipts: #118 11s. (117.13.6; 0.17.6)

Event Comment: [As afterpiece the playbill announces the 23rd night of The Critic, but on the Kemble playbill it is deleted. Its substitute is listed in the Account-Book.] "The earliest notice will be given of the 23rd performance of The Critic, which is obliged to be deferred on account of King's illness" [see 23 Dec.] (Public Advertiser, 13 Dec.). Receipts: #126 14s. 6d. (89.5.0; 34.6.0; 3.3.6)

Event Comment: [Elliot is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill.] Receipts: #130 15s. (128.7; 2.8)

Event Comment: [Mrs Elliot is identified by MS anotation on Kemble playbill.] Receipts: #208 1s. (178.2 29.5: 0.14)