Event Comment: Never were the theatres more in Estimation than at present, nor was there ever a time at which so much pains appear to have been taken, in order to continue them upon a good footing. We owe our thanks to Mr Garrick for engaging in the expence of such a number of additional performers, but we owe him also our applause for the success with which they have played (Inspector No 203, in Daily Advertiser and London Gazette). Receipts: #110 (Cross)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 7 years. [See 31 Dec. 1744.] The Tragedy of the Siege of Damascus is now in rehearsal at Covent Garden, in which Mr Barry will perform the part of Phocyas , being his first appearance in that character. And a Gentleman who never performed on any stage, will soon appear in the Character of Richard III

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Bland. [Bland probably first appeared as Polydore in The Orphan, 17 Oct.

Event Comment: MMr Garrick did Richard (Cross). This day is publish'd, Dedicated to the Right Honorable John, Earl of Orrery, Sejanus a Tragedy, as it was intended for the stage, with a Preface; wherein the Manager's reasons for refusing it are set forth. By Mr Gentleman. Printed for R. Manby and H. S. Cox on Ludgate Hill. [Garrick turned it down and Gentleman accepted his judgment without animosity.] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: By desire. Benefit for a Citizen under misfortunes. A Concert, &c. Tickets may be had of Mr Meredith, housekeeper at the Theatre. Boxes 4s. Pit 2s. 6d. Gallery 1s. 6d

Event Comment: A New Pantomime, compos'd by Mr Woodward--it went off with great Applause (Cross). [Full prices were demanded throughout the season. Not further noted herein.] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: The Fifth Day. At the Castle Tavern, Paternoster Row. [See 30 Dec., hay; 3 Dec., ct.

Event Comment: As the Entertainment call'd Taste, was not quite so well receiv'd as was expected, and as it was solely intended for the Benefit of Mr Worsdale, the Author has suspended its representation till Worsdale's Benefit night; by that time some alterations will be made, which, it is hop'd, will render the piece more palatable to the publick (General Advertiser). [The Inspector No. 271 , commented on Foote's Taste of the previous Saturday: A party against it, but the piece was "heard with attention, and, in consequence with Applause. There is, indisputably more genuine Wit in it than in any piece of the kind ever produc'd among us; the characters are natural, tho many of them uncommon ones; their stile and sentiments are adapted to them with perfect propriety, and the incidents are not forced or crowded together upon the audience." A full discussion of each part follows. (Daily Advertiser and Literary Gazette.] Receipts: #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: No alterations were made in the farce, but cutting out a little, & it was play'd with great Applause, & given out again with great Clapping. Benefit for Mr Worsdale (Cross). Tickets to be had at the Bedford Coffee House. Part of Pit laid into boxes. We hear that Miss Bellamy, belonging to Drury Lane Theatre, was taken ill on Sunday last, and continues very much indispos'd. Receipts: #230 (Cross)

Event Comment: A little hissing during the farce, & at the End ye Audience call'd, no more &c.--& insisted upon another farce being given out wch Mr Blakes did--farewell Taste (Cross). The Book of the Entertainment will be sold in the theatre, and at R. Francklin's in Russel Street, Covent Garden (playbill). [The publication of Taste was dedicated to Francis Delaval, and includes in prefatory remarks Foote's distinction between Comedy and Farce: As the follies and absurdities of men are the sole objects of Comedy, so the powers of Imagination (Plot and Incident expected) are in this kind of writing greatly restrainded. No unnatural assemblages, no creatures of the fancy can procure the protection of the Comic Muse; men and things must appear as they are. To Farce greater liberties are permitted. I look upon Farce to hold the same rank in drama that Burlesque does in other poetry. It is employed either in debasing lofty subjects, or in raising humble ones.'] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: TThe Sorcerer, a Pantomime Entertainment, originally performed at the Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, is preparing, with alterations, at Covent Garden (The scenes painted by Mr Lambert) and will be performed one day next week. [Another letter appeared in the General Advertiser on innocent entertainment for the lower classes (see 29 Jan. 1752), but severely criticized the existence of Prize fights, Cock-pits, and Gambling houses as the real nuisances and nurseries of theft and disorder."] It is whispered that the Townwill shortly be entertained with a phenomenon of the Monosyllable Fun,--the match between Sir Alexander Drawcansir, Kent. and their Lownesses of Grub Street, being certainly to be decided on the Stage; great bets depending on this Battle, it is thought the Knowing ones will be taken in (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. The Comedy of Every Man in His Humour, will be played again on Tuesday, the 10th of March for the Benefit of Mr Woodward. Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: RRichd 3d (by Mossop) & Anatomist was put up but: Mossop being taken ill, after many Messages it was resolv'd to do ye Con. Lovers & Harl. Ranger. Small bills were printed & deliver'd at ye Doors to signify the Change & all went well. Mr Rich's Ent: of ye Sorcerer came out this day (Cross). Receipts: #120 (Cross). [The small bill referred to by Cross read as follows:] @Theatre Royal in Drury Lane@This night being the@11th of February@Richard the Third@(On Account of the Indisposition of a Principal Performer)@Is Oblig'd to be Chang'd to@The Conscious Lovers@and@Harlequin Ranger@with Dancing@By Mad Auretti@

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A Pantomime entertainment not performed these 20 years. The Scenes painted by Mr Lambert. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken during the performance. Ladies send servants by three o'clock. [The note about full prices is repeated throughout the run of this pantomime this season. A rather detailed description of the action in this pantomime appeared in the Drury Lane Journal, reprinted in the Gentleman's Magazine for Feb. 1752, pp. 52-53.

Event Comment: Benefit for ye Author (Cross). Tickets to be had of the Author at his lodgings the Angel in King's Street, Covent Garden; A Millar, over-against Catharine Street, in the Strand; and at the Stage Door of the theatre, where places may be taken (playbill). We hear Mr Ross is to perform the part of Romeo in the Play Romeo and Juliet for his benefit, which is to be on Thursday, the 31st of March (General Advertiser). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: A Morning's Entertainment of Vocal and Instrumental Musick. The Oratory given gratis. Benefit Mr James Lowe. To begin At 12 noon. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Cibber. Afterpiece: A Dramatic piece of one act taken from the French. Never perform'd before. The characters in it to be newdress'd. Pit and boxes laid together and amphitheatre on stage. Tickets deliver'd for 3 March will be taken. [See, 20 March. The note in Have at you all; or, The Drury Lane Journal (19 March) seems to comment on this performance: Those heroic full-bottomed perukes, whose bushy expanse is spread over the whole back of the wearer, have lately been exploded on the stage, and a more natural, I mean a less enormous covering for the head substituted in its stead. Unfortunately Mr Barry this night chose to appear in one of the most curiously frizzled out and of the fullest tragical flow I ever saw: When in the last act it was our heroes turn to be kill'd, honest Ryan being eager to dispatch him, just as he was to plump down upon the carpet, entangled his hand in the vast profusion of Macbeth's hair; and by jerking back his sword after the concluding stab, away came poor periwig along with it, while our hero was left expos'd, in the last agonies of death-bare headed. Ryan in the meanwhile with some confuconfusion contemplated Full-Bottom, which he held dangling in his hand, but sadly tumbled out of curl; at length he good naturedly adjusted it on the bald pate of the tyrant, who was then enabled to make his dying speech with proper regularity and decorum."

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Church, performer on the Jew's Harp. Boxes 4s. [Rest as 12 March. The seventeenth night.

Event Comment: This day is publish'd Judas Macchabaeus: a Sacred Drama as it is performed at Covent Garden. Set by Mr Handel. Printed for J. Watts. This day Publish'd The Oracle, a Comedy of one act as it is perform'd at Covent Garden, at 1s. By Mrs Cibber printed for R. Dosdley in Pall Mall, &c

Event Comment: Benefit for Bencraft and Mrs Vincent. Mainpiece: Containing the Memorable Battle of Agincourtv; with the total overthrow of the French Armyv; and many other historical passages. Tickets to be had of Mrs Vincent at the Cock and Turk's Head, in Bedford St., Covent Garden; of Bencraft at the corner of the Piazzas; and of Mr Page at the Stage Door of the Theatre

Event Comment: Benefit for Ross. Mr Ross did Romeo & spoke an Elogium upon Shakespear in ye form of ye Monument in the Abby (Cross). Last time of performing the mainpiece this season. Nothing under full prices. After the play an Elogium wrote by Dryden, concluding with Milton's Epitaph to the Memory of Shakespeare, spoken by Ross representing the Shade of Shakespeare as figured on his monument in Westminster Abbey. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Mathews. Places at stage door, and at Mathews in Long-Acre, near St Martin's Lane. Receipts. #140 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Falkner. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Tickets for the Merchant of Venice will be taken. Mr Lowe being incapable of performing by a cold, obliges Miss Falkner to change the Farce [Pyramus and Thisbe had been advertised]