Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted for 7 years. [See 5 Dec. 1758.] Afterpiece: Not acted these two years. [See 1 Feb. 1765.] Paid salary list #435 5s.; Mr Ward 2 weeks additional salary 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #111 14s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 12 years. [See 24 Jan. 1758.] Prologue written by Paul Whitehead. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Sarjant (only) at the Stage-Door. No persons can be admitted behind scenes, nor any Money returned after curtain is drawn up. To begin exactly at 6 o'clock. [Customary note in succeeding bills.] Receipps: #190 14s. (Account Book). @The New Occasional Prologue@As when the merchant to increase his store@For Dubious seas, advent'rous quits the shore;@Still anxious for his freight, he trembling sees@Rocks in each buoy, and tempest in each breeze@The curling wave to mountain billow swells,@And every cloud a fancied storm fortells:@Thus rashly launch'd on this Theatric main,@Our All on board, each phantom gives Us pain;@The Aatcall's note seems thunder in our ears,@And every Hiss a hurricane appears;@In Journal Squibs we lightning's blast espy,@And meteors blaze in every Critic's eye.@Spite of these terrors, still come hopes we view,@Hopes, ne'er can fail us--since they're plac'd--in you.@Your breath the gale, our voyage is secure,@And safe the venture which your smiles insure;@Though weak his skill, th' adventurer must succeed,@Where Candour takes th' endeavor for the deed.@For Brentford's state, two kings could once suffice;@In ours, behold! four kings of Brentford rise;@All smelling to one nosegay's od'rous savor@The balmy nosegay of--the Public favor.@From hence alone, our royal funds we draw,@Your pleasure our support, your will our law.@While such our government, we hope you'll own us;@But should we ever Tyrant prove--dethrone us.@Like Brother Monarchs, who, to coax the nation@Began their reign, with some fair proclamation,@We too should talk at least--of reformation;@Declare that during our imperial sway,@No bard shall mourn his long-neglected Play;@But then the play must have some wit, some spirit,@And We allow'd sole umpires of its merit.@For those deep sages of the judging Pit,@Whose taste is too refin'd for modern wit,@From Rome's great Theatre we'll cull the piece,@And plant on Britain's stage the flow'rs of Greece.@If some there are, our British Bards can please,@Who taste the ancient wit of ancient days,@Be our's to save, from Time's devouring womb,@Their works, and snatch their laurels from the tomb.@For you, ye Fair, who sprightlier scenes may chuse,@Where Music decks in all her airs the Muse,@Gay Opera shall all its charms dispense,@Yet boast no tuneful triumph over sense;@The nobler Bard shall still assert his right,@Nor Handel rob a Shakespear of his night,@To greet the mortal brethren of our skies [upper galleries]@Here all the Gods of Pantomime shall rise:@Yet midst the pomp and magic of machines,@Some plot may mark the meaning of our scenes;@Scenes which were held, in good King Rich's days,@By sages, no bad epilogues to plays.@If terms like these your suffrage can engage,@To fix our mimic empire of the stage;@Confirm our title in your fair opinions,@And crowd each night to people our dominions.@--(Poems and Miscelaneous Compositions, Ed. Capt. Edward Thompson, 1777) Covent Garden opened with the Rehearsal with alterations. I was in the Pit. Powell, from Drury Lane, one of the new managers who have bought the patent from Rich's heirs, spoke an occasional Prologue. Shuter did Bayes pretty much to my liking, adding many crochets of his own.... Entertainment The Mock Doctor,...Young Jasper pretty well by one Massey, being his first appearance on that stage (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Paid Mr French on Acct #30; Paid Supernumeraries in Institution of the Garter 10 Nights (7th inst. incl.) #44 10s. (Treasurer's Book). [N.B. at the rate of 2s. 6d. a night for walking in a procession, this afterpiece would seem to have required about 35 supers for each performance.] Receipts: #243 9s. 6d. (Treasruer's Book)

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: Benefit for Bannister. The great Overflow from Covent-Garden Theatre, on Tuesday last, has induced many of Mr Bannister's Friends to desire he would again perform the Part of Polly. In Compliance with the Wish of those to whom he is under so many Obligations, he will, this Evening, make his Appearance in that Character, for the last Time of his appearing in Petticoats [but see 3, 13 May]. Tickets delivered for Alexander and Acis and Galatea will be admitted. Receipts: #276 10s. 6d. (167/11/6; tickets: 108/19/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Bernard. 1st piece: Not acted these 8 years [acted 7 May 1784]. 3rd piece: In 2 acts [i.e. abridged from the original 5]. Receipts: #243 3s. 6d. (99.4.0; 4.4.6; tickets: 139.15.0)

Event Comment: Kemble Mem., 18 May: On account of Whitsun Eve the Opera was yesterday [at king's]; we acted therefore at Mr Colman's Theatre. Receipts: #73 (64.3; 8.17)

Event Comment: Benefit for Kent and Family. By Desire of Her Serene Highness, the Margravine of Anspach. Kent's most respectful Compliments waits on the Ladies and Gentlemen of Hammersmith, and its Vicinity, informs them that Mr Newman has kindly granted the Assembly Room for one or two Evenings; to accomodate Her Highness the Margravine and principal Inhabitants: Kent has spar'd neither trouble or expence to render it conveniant [sic] as possible, the Room itself being very respectable & the Entrance unexceptionable. He earnestly solicits the company of his Friends in general, assuring them that every endeavour will be exerted for their Entertainment; the Interest of every Lady & Gentleman will be ever most gratefully remember'd, as very highly contributing to Kent's extricating himself from a Situation obvious to all acquainted with the Expence he has been at, and the ill Success he has met with. To begin exactly at 6:30. Admittance 2s. Tickets to be had at the Winsor Castle, of Kent, and Miss Connard in Union Court, and of Miss Kent, at Mrs Bevias

Event Comment: Boxes 6s. Second Price 3s. Pit 3s. 6d. Second Price 2s. Gallery 2s. Second Price 1s. Upper Gallery 1s. Second Price 6d. No Money to be returned. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 9 Nov.]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Fosbrook, at his office, Little Russel Street. The Publick are respectfully informed that Mr Wroughton is appointed Acting Manager. [Playbills] Printed by C. Lowndes next the Stage-Door. Receipts: #281 6s. (195.10; 84.14.6; 1.1.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer's Orphan Family [see dl, 18 June 1798]. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 27 Nov.]. Boxes 6s. Second Price 3s. Pit 3s. 6d. Second Price 2s. Gallery 2s. Second Price 1s. Upper Gallery 1s. Second Price 6d. No Money to be returned. Tickets may be had at Lloyd's Coffee House [for this night only]; and of Fosbrook, at the Box Office, Little Russel Street, where, only, Places for the Boxes can be taken. The Public are respectfully informed that Mr Aickin is appointed Manager. Printed by C. Lowndes next the Stage-Door. Receipts: #571 15s. (519.8.6; 45.17.6; 1.16.0; tickets: none listed; Sundry Sums left at Door: 4.13.0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: [In afterpiece the playbill retains Powel as Mr Pickle, but "Last night, after the performance of Lover's Vows, an apology was made by Murray for Powel who, notwithstanding he performed in the play in apparent good health and spirits, was of a sudden taken so ill that his life is despaired of by his physicians. His part in The Spoiled Child was in consequence...undertaken by Dibdin Jun., which he performed with much humour and discrimination" (Morning Herald, 20 Oct.). Powel died the following morning.] Receipts: #367 4s. (360.7; 6.17)

Event Comment: To all the Nobility and Gentry: In Honour of the Queen s Coronation. At 5 p.m

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Event Comment: The lowest Price 6d. The rest 1s. Pit 1s. 6d. and the Stage 2s. 6d. At 6 p.m. For the Diversion of the Quality and Gentry. [The same company performed occasionally during the winter.

Event Comment: Benefit Dr Thornhill. At the Great Booth in the Queen's-Arms Tavern, next the Marshalsea-Gate. Stage Boxes 3s. Pit 2s. First Gallery 1s. 6d. Upper Gallery 1s. At 6 p.m

Event Comment: London Journal, 21 April: The Scholars of Mr Weston...performed the Play of Tamerlane...before the Lords of the Admiralty, with great Applause

Event Comment: By the Company of Italian Comedians just arriv'd. Boxes 4s. Pit 2s. 6d. Gallery 1s. 6d. At 6 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit Miss Robinson, the Dancer, and Miss Robinson Jr, the Page in The Orphan. At the particular Desire of Persons of Quality. Written by Mr Congreve

Event Comment: cted sometime during this week.] Evening Post, 22 Nov.: We hear that last Week the Gentleman of Mr Clare's Academy in Soho Square acted the celebrated Tartuffe of Moliere, done into English by themselves, before many Persons of Distinction, with great Applause

Event Comment: DDaily Advertiser, 22 Nov.: A Latin Play of Terence's, call'd Eunuchus; the Theatre was newly built by the said Mr Galliardy, and is large enough to contain 150 Spectators; the Scenes were all new, and the House neat and well lighted; the Performers were young Lords, and Sons of Gentlemen of Distinction, whose Propriety of Speech and Justness of Action, exceeded all that had ever been done of the kind; the Dresses were exceeding rich, and after the Eastern Fashion; the Decorations handsome, and every thing performed...to the intire Satisfaction and Applause of the Audience

Event Comment: At the particular Desire of several Persons of Distinction. [The Farce of Wat Tyler postponed by indisposition of a principal performer.