Event Comment: The new Tragedy [Buthred, announced on playbill of 11 Dec.] is obliged to be deferred on account of Wroughton's Hoarseness

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of Merope, announced on playbill of 4 Jan. "We played last night Much Ado about Nothing, and had an apology to make for the change of three principal parts. About twelve o'clock Mr Henderson sent word he was not able to play. We got Mr Lewis from Covent Garden, who supplied the part of Benedick. Soon after Mr Parsons sent word he could not play. Mr Moody supplied the part of Dogberry; and about four in the afternoon Mr Vernon sent word he could not play. Mr Mattocks supplied his part of Balthazar...In the middle of the first act, a message was brought me that Mr Lamash (who was to play the part of Borachio) was not come to the House. I had nobody there that could go on for it, so I was obliged to cut his scenes in the first and second acts entirely out, and got Mr Wrighten to go on for the remainder of the part. At length we got the play over without the audience finding it out. We had a very bad house. Mr Parsons is not able to play in The School for Scandal to-morrow night; do not yet know how we shall be able to settle that" (Garrick, Private Correspondence, II, 328-29: Hopkins, prompter,in letter to Garrick, 6 Jan. 1779. He does not state who took Wrighten's place as the Sexton.).] On account of the sudden Illness of a Principal Performer, the new Pantomime [The Wonders of Derbyshire, announced on playbill of 4 Jan.] is obliged to be deferred till Friday. Receipts: #74 11s. (48.19; 25.10; 0.2)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the Author of Braganza [1st time; T 5, by Robert Jephson. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (see text)]. With new Scenes and Dresses. Public Advertiser, 15 Feb. 1779: This Day is published The Law of Lombardy (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #221 (196.19.0; 23.13.6; 0.7.6)

Event Comment: Ode [1st time]: The Music principally composed by Barthelemon

Event Comment: Benefit for Dodd. Afterpiece: With Alterations. Not acted these 50 years [acted 31 Dec. 1739]. Public Advertiser, 6 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Dodd at his house, New Ormond-street. Receipts: #272 4s. 6d. (117.4.0; 13.19.0; 2.1.6; tickets: 139.0.0) (charge: #66 15s.)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Robinson, but "A correspondent who was at Drury Lane theatre last night to see The Law of Lombardy congratulates the town on the acquisition of a new performer of the part which Mrs Robinson played. That lady being taken ill, Miss Farren, at very short warning, undertook it, and did it the most ample justice" (Gazetteer, 22 Apr.).] Receipts: #107 1s. 6d. (72.8.0; 31.1.0; 3.12.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. 3rd piece: Written by D. Garrick, Esq., with Additions. 4th piece [1st time; MF 2, by Charles Stuart]: The Overture and Music chiefly new, by Gehot, and Shield, who composed the music to The Flitch of Bacon. Public Advertiser, 3 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Wilson, No. 2, Henrietta-street, Covent Garden. Ibid, 29 Apr. 1779: This Day is published The Cobler of Castlebury (1s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Whitfield and Mrs Morton. Public Advertiser, 17 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Whitfield, No. 14, New Crown Court, Russel Street, Covent Garden; of Mrs Morton, No. 15, same address

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5]: Written by the Author of Percy [Hannah More. Prologue by the author; Epilogue by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (see text)]. Public Advertiser, 1 Dec. 1779: This Day is published The Fatal Falsehood [sic] (1s. 6d.). Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2, by Charles Dibdin]: The Overture and all the Music composed by Dibdin. With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations to both Pieces. Books of the Entertainment to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 6 May 1779: This Afternoon at three is published The Chelsea Pensioner (1s.). The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]

Event Comment: Benefit for Harwood, Thompson & Miss Wright [who had 1st appeared as a singer in the oratorios, 19 Feb.]. Public Advertiser, 3 May: Tickets to be had of Harwood at Mrs Powel's, New Nelson-street; of Thompson, No.7, Great Marlborough-street; of Miss Wright, No. 136, Drury-lane. Receipts: #267 4s. (69.5.0; 19.2.6; 0.6.6; tickets: 178.10.0) (charge: #105). The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Hannah Cowley. Prologue by the author (Morning Chronicle, 9 Aug.)]: New Scenes painted by Rooker. Public Advertiser, 30 Aug. 1779: This Day is published Albina, Countess Raimond (price not listed)

Event Comment: "The new Mungo, like all country bred actors, did too much for the part, and was infinitely too redundant in his action" (Morning Chronicle, 13 Oct.). Receipts: #189 6s.(155.19; 33.4; 0.3)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; B 3, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by the Hon. Richard Fitzpatrick (Public Advertiser, 3 Aug. 1781)]: With a Procession. [This was included in all subsequent performances. For the Sea Fight see 20 Nov.] With New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. The Scenery designed by DeLoutherbourg, and executed under his direction. The Doors to be opened at 5:15. To begin at 6:15 [same for rest of season, except on 1 May 1780]. "The House was so crowded that there were many disturbances, one so great that Smith when he had nearly finished 'To be or not to be' was obliged to leave the Stage, and when the noise subsided, to return and begin the soliloquy again... As The Critic took up two hours and a half in performance, it must of necessity be considerably shortened" (Morning Chronicle, 1 Nov.). "The scene of the battle with the Armadav [was] executed in the most masterly manner. The Motion of the sea, the engaging of the ships, and the destruction occasioned by the fire-ships were happily contrived and accurately represented" (London Chronicle, 1 Nov.). Account-Book, 9 Nov.: Paid R. B. Sheridan on Acct. of Critic #320. Receipts: #241 19s. 6d. (222.11.0; 19.3.6; 0.5.0)

Event Comment: The new Operas [see 14 Dec.] which were intended for this Evening are obliged to be postponed till Tuesday

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years. Receipts: #201 (196.19; 4.1)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Frederick Pilon, altered from his The Device (see 27 Sept. 1779); incidental music by William Shield; Prologue by the author (see text)]. Account-Book, 16 June: Paid Pilon for the Deaf Lover #100. Receipts: #192 3s. (190.0.6; 2.2.6)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Mainpiece: A new Comedy, in 5 Acts [1st time; author unknown; not in Larpent MS; not published. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown]. Afterpiece: Never acted here. A Comedy in 2 Acts, taken from Moliere and D'Ancourt. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:15. Tickets delivered for Vietch, Burton and Miss Brown will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit for Hurst and Burton. Public Advertiser, 26 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Hurst at More's, pastry cook, the East End of the New Church, Strand; of Burton, No. 149, Fleet-street. Receipts: #111 18s. (27.0.0; 20.19.6; 0.13.6; tickets: 63 .5.0) (charge: #64 11s. 6d.

Event Comment: Benefit for the New General Lying-In Hospital, Store-street, Tottenham-Court-Road

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister Jun. Tickets to be had of Bannister Jun. at a print shop, four doors below New-street, St. Martin's Lane

Event Comment: 3rd piece: With Alterations and 3 entire new Scenes [by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]. To conclude with a Representation of the Storming of Fort Omoa in the Bay of Hondurasv [see 3 Jan. 1780. This scene was included in all subsequent performances]. The View and Machinery designed by DeLoutherbourg and executed under his direction. Receipts: #131 16s. 6d. (99.14.0; 31.12.0; 0.10.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With new Scenery and Dresses. Afterpiece: Tom Thumb [announced on playbill of 7 Nov.] is obliged to be deferred on account of the Illness of a principal Performer. Receipts: #209 1s. 6d. (205.15.6; 3.6.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 10 years [not acted since 7 Dec. 1768]. With new Dresses and Decorations. [Miss Phillips is identified in Public Advertiser, 18 Nov. Afterpiece in place of The Lyar, announced in Public Advertiser, 10 Nov.] Receipts: #187 15s. (155.9; 32.6; 0.0)