Event Comment: A new Serious Opera. The Music by several eminent Masters; under the Direction of Giardini [who also composed the overture (see 14 Dec.)]. With magnificent new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations, both for the Opera and Dances. Tickets will be delivered at the Office in Union-court, Haymarket, at Half a Guinea each. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. By Their Majesties' Command, No Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Care will be taken that no Inconvenience shall arise from the Pavement not being compleated in the Haymarket, the Commisioners having promised to leave the Way safe for Carriages. The Nobility and Gentry will be so obliging to give Orders to take up and set down with their Horses Heads towards Pall-mall. The Door in Market Lane for Chairs only. Public Advertiser, 21 Sept.: Subscriptions are received by Messrs Hoare, in Fleet-street, and by Johnson at the Office in Union-court, Hay-market

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time in London; DR. POEM 5, by William Mason, 1st acted at Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, 30 Mar. 1764]: Written on the Model of the ancient Greek Tragedy. The Overture and all the Music composed New by Dr Arne. With a New Scene designed and executed by Dahl [recte Dall]. The Dresses, Decorations, &c. all entirely New. Books of the Lyrical Part of the Drama to be had at the Theatre. 'But I had rather talk of Caractacus; I agree that he will not suffer by not being sputtered by Barry, who has lost all his teeth. Covent Garden is rather above Drury Lane in actors, but both sets are exceedingly bad, so bad-that I almost wish Caractacus was not to appear. Very seldom do I go to the play, for there is no bearing such strollers" (Walpole [to the author, 8 Oct. 1776], IX, 419-20). "I attended Caractacus last winter, and was greatly interested, both from my friendship for Mr Mason and from the excellence of the poetry. I was out of all patience; for though a young Lewis played a subordinate part very well, and Mrs Hartley looked her part charmingly, the Druids were so massacred, and Caractacus so much worse, that I never saw a more barbarous exhibition" (Walpole [13 July 1777], X, 81-82). Public Advertiser, 7 Dec. 1776: This Day is published the Lyrical Part of Caractacus (6d.). [The publisher, J. Wilkie, states that he also has the "whole Drama, as altered by the Author, 18d." Ibid., 9 Dec., contains an advertisement from Mason stating that this version is unauthorized.] Ibid., 12 Dec.: This Day is published [by A. Ward of York] a new Edition of Caractacus, now altered for Representation at the Theatre-Royal in Covent Garden (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #163 10s. (163.6; 0.4)

Event Comment: Benefit for the British Lying-in-Hospital, for Married Women, in Brownlow-street, Long-acre. Receipts: #165 (98.5.6; 0.0.0; 1.8.6; tickets: 65.6.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: By authority [of the Lord Chamberlain]. At the Desire of the most noble Order of Bucks. Benefit for West and Johnson. Tickets to be had of West at the Black Lion, Russel-street; of Johnson at the Golden-cross, Charing-cross. Tickets delivered by Comerford will be receiv'd. Doors to be opened at 5:00. To be begin exactly at 6:30. [Mrs West was from the China Hall, Rotherhithe. Author of Prologue unknown.

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Younge. Interlude [1st time; M. INT I, by Edward Jerningham]: Interspersed with Music [by James Hook. Text 1st published in Jerningham's Poems, vol. I (J. Robson, 1786)]. Public Advertiser, 20 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Miss Younge at Thelwall's, Silk Mercer, King-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #222 9s. (80.14; 18.10; 1.19; tickets: 121.6) (charge: #65 17s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Rauzzini. Opera: With Alterations, New Songs, and grand Chorusses. The Music by Rauzzini. Public Advertiser, 15 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Rauzzini, No. 5, Great Suffolk-street

Event Comment: Benefit for Dodd. Public Advertiser, 1 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Dodd, New Ormond-street. Receipts: #244 13s. (111.17.0; 11.16.6; 1.10.6; tickets: 119.9.0) (charge: #74 3s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Signora Davies Inglesina. Public Advertiser, 25 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Sga Davies at her House, No. 1, St. Alban's street, Pall-mall

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Public Advertiser, 8 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Macklin, James-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #273 16s. (charge: #64 10s.). [Of this amount #177 17s. was "Money," i.e. tickets sold at the door. The remainder, #95 19s., was "Tickets," disposed of by Macklin: 305 in the boxes, 104 in the pit, 41 in the gallery.

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Public Advertiser, 8 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Pope, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #280 19s. (114.8; 7.9; 0.16; tickets: 158.6) (charge: #74 14s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bensley. Public Advertiser, 8 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Bensley, Charlotte-street, Bloomsbury. Receipts: #174 14s. (106.11; 16.4; 1.7; tickets: 50.12) (charge: #74 14s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Ricci. Public Advertiser, 13 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Sga Ricci at her House, No. 9, Warwick-street, Golden-square. Receipts: #183 1s. 6d. (95.0.0; 22.17.6; 0.0.0; tickets: 65.4.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Leoni. Public Advertiser, 31 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Leoni at Basire's No. 34, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #231 6s. 6d. (118.8.6; tickets: 112.18.0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss P. Hopkins, Miss E. Hopkins. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Isaac Jackman. Prologue by David Garrick (Poetical Works, II, 334)]. Public Advertiser, 15 Mar.: Tickets to be had of the Miss Hopkins', No. 7, Little Russel-street. Receipts: #237 11s. 6d. (88.5.0; 23.15.6; 1.15.0; tickets: 123.16.0) (charge: #65 2s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years. 3rd piece [1st time; F 3, author unknown. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: Taken from Dryden's Spanish Fryar. Public Advertiser, 20 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lewis, Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #246 18s. (164.3; tickets: 82.15) (charge: #66 10s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Clarke. Public Advertiser, 18 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Clarke, Great Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #220 17s. 6d. (103.2.6; tickets: 117.15.0) (charge: #69 5s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Robinson. Public Advertiser, 28 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Robinson, No. 19, Southampton-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #189 10s. (77.5; 21.19; 0.0; tickets: 90.6) (charge: none listed)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Tickets delivered for Every Man in His Humour, March 18th, and for this Day, will be admitted. Public Advertiser, 7 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Woodward, Chapel Street, Grosvenor Place, Hyde-Park Corner. Receipts: #204 10s. (168.15; tickets 35.15) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Lessingham. Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. The Characters dressed in the Habits of the Country. Afterpiece [1st time; C 2, ascribed to Charles Stuart. Author of Address unknown]. Public Advertiser, 24 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Lessingham at her House, the corner of Percy-street, Rathbone Place. Receipts: #224 1s. 6d. (151.19.6; tickets: 72.2.0) (charge: #65 13s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. A new Comic Opera [usually entitled L'Isola di Alcina]; the Music by Gazzaniga. Public Advertiser, 27 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 8, Great Suffolk-street, Hay-market

Event Comment: Benefit for Reinhold. Public Advertiser, 25 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Reinhold, No. 46, Charlotte-street, Rathbone Place. Receipts: #237 7s. (110.12; tickets: 126.15) (charge: #68 7s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Sutton. Tickets delivered by Thompson will be taken. Public Advertiser, 11 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Sutton, No. 8, Great Wild Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #232 1s. 6d. (74.18.0; 22.18.6; 0.0.0; tickets: 134.5.0) (charge: #64 13s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Macklin [and her last appearance on the stage]. Public Advertiser, 3 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Miss Macklin, No. 59, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #191 16s. (151.6; tickets: 40.10) (charge: #64 10s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bradshaw, Mrs Love & Mrs Johnston. Public Advertiser, 14 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bradshaw, No. 93, near Craven Buildings, Drury-lane; of Mrs Love, at Booth's, Brownlow-street, Long-acre; of Mrs Johnston, No. 97, near Craven Buildings, Drury-lane. Receipts: #166 4s. (65.16; 13.14; 0.0; tickets: 86.14) (charge: #65 6s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dunstall. Public Advertiser, 3 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Dunstall, Little Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #282 10s. 6d. (70.17.6 tickets: 211.13.0) (charge: #64 5s.)