Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; past 2, by Richard Tickell]: Altered from [the same, by] Allan Ramsay. [MS not in Larpent; not published.] With the original Airs, new Accompaniments, and a new Overture [by Thomas Linley, Sen.]. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "The above Opera, written by Allen Ramsay, has been long and justly admired, but by those only whose knowledge of the Scottish dialect has enabled them to judge of its excellencies. That an English audience might become partakers of this entertainment seems to have been the laudable design of the Dramatist, Mr Tickel, in now divesting it of its numerous provincialities, grown almost obsolete, even in Scotland, at this distant period . . . The characters were drest with a rustic simplicity, which, tho' not exactly characteristic of the Highland manner, were perfectly Pastoral" (Universal Magazine, Nov. 1781, p. 237). Receipts: #202 9s. 6d. (167/18/0; 33/3/0; 1/8/6)

Event Comment: Books of the new Dance to be had at the Theatre. "Nothing could equal the manner in which the whole was conducted: the wrestling, the gladiators; the defeat of the Sabines; the besieging of Rome by the latter; their reconciliation with the Romans, &c." (Morning Herald, 13 Dec)

Event Comment: "Palmer's Stukely was exactly infamous, his Scene with Mrs Beverley was just on both hands, each seemed to gain Spirit by the Nature and Exactness of the other-it was inimitable. Kemble's Beverley was all we could wish; his Manner, peculiar as it is, gave us home Sensations" (Public Advertiser, 9 Dec). Receipts: #226 13s. 6d. (202/6/0; 23/10/0; 0/2/6; tickets not come in: 0/15/0)

Event Comment: "The appearance of Mrs Abington in the two characters of the Capricious Lady and Lady Bab Lardoon cannot fail of being considered as a high Treat ... as the first exhibits the coy, formal Manners of the last Age, and the latter the free degagee Breeding of the present" (Public Advertiser, 13 Feb.). Receipts: #227 12s. 6d. (211/10/0; 16/2/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mons and Mme Bithmere, and Le Baruf, Composers and principal Performers of the Dramatic Romance of The Rival Knights. Gazetteer, 7 May: Tickets to be had of Mons and Mme Bithmere and of Le Boeuf at Stacy's, colourman, corner of Long-acre. Receipts: #101 8s. 6d. (73/0/6; tickets: 28/8/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: "Being possessed of an excellent understanding, and under the general impression of elegant manners, there appears to be no study [in Mrs Abington], no imitation--all is the result of the moment--natural, well-bred, and easy" (Public Advertiser, 25 Nov. 1784). Mainpiece: Altered from Cibber's Non-Jour, and the Tartuffe of Moliere. Not acted these 12 years [acted 12 Oct. 1773]

Event Comment: "'Was he alive?' [was] uttered with a more rapid tone, and quicker feeling. Though in opposition to her manner in these words stand the great names of Henderson, Colman, and the Author himself" (Public Advertiser, 11 Oct.). Receipts: #299 (276/3; 21/17; 1/0)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Greville. Tickets and places to be had of Mrs Greville, No. 1, Queen's-court, King-street, Covent-garden. [This was Mrs Pinto's last appearance on the stage (but see 12 May 1786).]

Event Comment: "Of [Holman's] faults his manner after the death of Tybalt was the most censurable: horror and concern for an action should not be expressed by appearing out of breath" (Public Advertiser, 29 Nov.). Receipts: #204 11s. (203/5; 1/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Abington. Pit and Boxes will be laid together. Ladies and Gentlemen are most earnestly requested to come early, to prevent Inconvenience in getting to their Places, and to send their Servants to keep them by Four o'clock. "At the close of the entertainment Mrs Abington came forward, and delivered a short poetical address to her fashionable auditory [written by Maurice Morgann (Monthly Mirror, Nov. 1797, p. 263)], apposite to her feelings on the present occasion" (Morning Herald, 11 Feb.). "The character [of Scrub] throughout was well conceived, and executed with a sprightliness and degree of humour that kept the house in a continual roar of laughter" (Public Advertiser, 11 Feb.) "Mrs Abington's voice was in its usual tone; her manners and deportment were inattentive and torpid, rather than active and interesting" (Morning Post, 11 Feb.). "With all her endeavours to give new points to the character, she entirely failed. Her appearance en culottes, so preposterously padded, exceeded nature. Her gestures to look comical could not get the least hold of the audience, though they had seen her before in men's clothes, when playing Portia in The Merchant of Venice, where her figure, dressed as a lawyer in his gown, gave effect to her excellent delivery on mercy, and the audience had been always delighted. But this leu de benefice, comparatively speaking, was disgusting and absurd as she dressed the character ... However, I have heard it originated in a bet she had previously made" (Henry Angelo, Reminiscenes, 11, 281-82). Receipts: #406 13s. 6d. (249/9/6; 1/9/0; tickets: 155/15/0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: "The simple melody of 'Cease your funning' need alone be adverted to in proof of the pathos of Mrs Billington's manner; and when it was encored, the repetition had every mark of variety" (Morning Herald, 22 Feb.). Receipts: #218 7s. (217/0; 1/7)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: 51st [recte 50th] Time [i.e. in continuation of the reckoning for the previous season]. With a Processionv exactly representing the Dresses, Weapons, and Manners of the Inhabitants of Otaheite, New Zealand, Tanna, Marquesas, the Friendly Islands, Sandwich Islands, and Easter Islands, Tschutzki, Siberia, Kamtschatka, Nootka Sound, Onalashka, Prince William's Sound, and the other Countries visited by Captain Cook. Receipts: #263 15s. 6d. (260.5.0; 3.10.6)

Event Comment: [Seymour is identified in European Magazine, Oct. 1787, p. 315. Address by Edward Hickey Seymour (London Chronicle, 4 Oct.).] "The clock striking two -instead of the usual folly of a small table bell, when Macbeth's drink was ready -forms an alteration of much good sense and propriety" (World, 2 Oct.). "Of the Lady Macbeths [since the time of Garrick] Mrs Siddons has exhibited the most happy effect of her skill -has shown a portrait of Lady Macbeth which before existed but in imagination. Mrs Yates claims the second place of eminence; her deportment and manner were equal to Mrs Siddons, but very inferior to her in pathos and energy. Mrs Pope's performance lays claim to praise, particularly in the sleeping scene, but there is a certain delicacy and tenderness associated with the powers of that lady which prevents her giving a glowing picture of that female fiend. Mrs Bates's performance was sufficiently marking and bold in some passages, but the whole wanted uniformity and finishing" (Public Advertiser, 4 Oct.). Receipts: #225 (224.5; 0.15)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years [acted in place of Love Makes a Man, advertised on playbill of 15 Mar.]. Afterpiece: Loutherbourg's celebrated Pantomimev. Not acted these 3 years [acted 4 Dec. 1786]. With new Decorations, and the Scenery new painted. With a Processionv exactly representing the Dresses, Weapons, and Manners of the Inhabitants of Otaheite, New Zealand, Tanna, Marquesas, the Friendly Islands, Sandwich Islands and Easter Islands, Tschutzki, Siberia, Kamtschatka, Nootka Sound, Onalashka, Prince William's Sound, and the other Countries visited by Captain Cook. [This was included in all subsequent performances.] Receipts: #256 17s. 6d. (250.5.6; 6.12.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pope. "Desdemona was happily pourtrayed by Mrs Pope, particularly...her manner of receiving the blow from Othello, by shewing she felt it as for the loss of her husband's affection rather than the indignity offered her sex" (Public Advertiser, 21 Apr.). Public Advertiser, 31 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Pope at his house in Half-Moon Street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #184 9s. 6d. (125.10.0; 3.13.6; tickets: 55.6.0)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Miss Farren, "but on account of the sudden indisposition of Miss Farren her part in the play was read by Mrs Ward, who gave it with great effect, and having studied Miss Farren's manner, was a very tolerable substitute" (Diary, 2 May).] Afterpiece [1st time; C 3, by John Philip Kemble]: Taken from [The Country Lasses; or] The Custom of the Manor [by Charles Johnson]. Diary, 6 May 1789: This Day is published The Farm House (1s.). And see 6 May. Receipts: #165 3s. (125.12.0; 34.18.6; 4.12.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Wells, mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Frederick Reynolds. Prologue by Robert Merry. Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews (World, 16 May)]. Morning Herald, 30 Mar. 1793: This Day is published The Dramatist (1s. 6d.). Public Advertiser, 29 Apr: Tickets to be had of Mrs Wells, No 15, Beaufort Buildings, Strand. Receipts: #291 8s. 6d. (173.19.0; 9.9.6; tickets: 108.0.0)

Event Comment: The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [see 3 May 1790]. Paid Say for Tallow Candles last Season #88 6s. 3d. "That beautiful and best drawn character that the world ever saw, Sir John Falstaff, was mangled by Ryder. He substitutes savageness to jollity, and stiff mimicry to the natural debauchery that should hang as easily on Sir John as the Roomy mantle he moves in...Lewis gave us more the manner of the pretty man of fashion than of a dissipated hero" (Prompter, 4 Nov.). Receipts: #168 1s. 6d. (164.12.6; 3.9.0)

Event Comment: [As afterpiece the playbill announces The Follies of a Day, but "In consequence of an accident to Miss Farren The Follies of a Day was unavoidably postponed, in lieu was represented The Liar [which is also listed in the Account-Book]. Mrs Kemble being indisposed, Miss Collins personated Miss Grantham in a manner which greatly added to Miss Collins's reputation" (Diary, 11 Oct.). And see 10 May 1791.] Receipts: #289 7s. 6d. (239.15.0; 48.7.6; 1.5.0)

Event Comment: "There is no peace between the opera theatres; the Haymarket rather triumphs. They have opened twice, taking money in an evasive manner, pretending themselves concerts; the singers are in their own clothes, the dancers dressed, and no recitative--a sort of opera in deshabille (Walpole [31 Mar. 1791], XIV, 399-400)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wood, Percey, Cameron, Wilson, George, Woollams. Kemble Mem.: Benefit for the Boxkeepers. A New Edition of the [mainpiece] to be had at the Theatre. "Went to play. Mrs Jordan in 'Rosalind.' I am still of opinion, there is more in her person and natural manners than in her acting. Her merit lies out of her part. The words set down by the author she does not repeat with great propriety of tone, emphasis, or gesture, than others. But she has of these, certain peculiarities, which indicate dispositions, such as take strong hold of the affections, at least of the male part of her audience; and therefore, when the part is of a sort to admit a large portion of these, she produces a great effect. The true acting of the part may, in many instances, not require what she throws into it, but it may admit it; and if the expression so thrown in is of the sort described, the effect of the whole will be improved, though the part is thereby neither better nor worse acted" (Windham Diary, 28 May 1791, 227). Receipts: #363 4s. 6d. (33.5.0; 9.5.6; 2.13.0; tickets: 318.1.0) (charge: #117 1s. 7d.)

Event Comment: [Prologue by John Peter Roberdeau (European Magazine, Aug. 1791, p. 141).] "Of Palmer Sen.'s? acting the chief fault is...a manner by far too juvenile. He has very much the turn of countenance and mode of speech suitable to Falstaff, but his gait has no appearance of debility or infirmity, and is such as any man might use, incumbered by the same dress" (Gazetteer, 21 June)

Event Comment: [This is the only occasion in the 18th century when a play was acted in London on this date. "The performance at the Haymarket on the 30th of January has been noticed by his Majesty in a manner which is still a topic of conversation in the higher circles...There will be no more theatrical performances on the 30th of January" (London Chronicle, 28 Feb.). On 3 Feb. the Lord Chamberlain wrote to Sheridan as follows: "Sir--Information has been received at this Office that Theatrical Entertainments were exhibited at the Theatre, under your direction, in St. James's Haymarket on the 30th of Last Month, contrary to all precedent, and repugnant to Decency, being the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of King Charles the First. I do not know by what Authority such a Step was taken but, as Chamberlain of His Majesty's Household, think it my Duty to desire that you will be pleased to Cause the Practice to be discontinued in future. I am, Sir, Your Obedient, Humble Servant, Salisbury" (MS Letters to Sheridan from Various Correspondents,II, 64, in Harvard Theatre Collection). The Morning Chronicle on 31 Jan. offered another opinion: "It gave us infinite pleasure that last night we happily broke through one of the most absurd fasts in the calendar. The Managers of Drury Lane, with proper regard to the public, rescued them from the common dullness of a 30th of January." But the absurd fast remained in force until 1843.] Receipts: #339 18s. (291.4; 40.0; 8.11; ticket not come in: 0.3)