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: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Justice Woodcock to Parsons, and as afterpiece announces Tony Lumpkin in Town, but "In consequence of Parsons' illness, Edwin played the part of Justice Woodcock, with which he seems well acquainted; and he plays it with great pleasantry in his own particular style of humour....Parsons' illness also prevented the performance of Tony Lumpkin in Town, and Nature will Prevail was substituted" (Gazetteer, 8 June).

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: By Command of Their Majesties."The croud was so great at Drury-lane playhouse, to see the young prince William in his naval uniform, that it was found necessary to throw a kind of bridge from the stage to the pit to liberate several people, who otherwise must have perished in the throng" (Gentleman's Magazine, Mar. 1780, P. 151). Receipts: #271 14s. (259.13; 9.6; 2.15)

Event Comment: Benefit for Henderson. Ode: With the Songs, Chorusses, &c. The Music by Dr Arne. "When I recited Mr Garrick's Ode in a private room, I felt what I said, and I believe gave it some effect. Very different was it upon the stage. My feelings were weakened and confounded by the band, my voice lost its scale, and was overpowered by the music in the orchestra" (Ireland, p. 47). Public Advertiser, 26 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Henderson at his house, Great Buckingham-street, York Buildings. [His 1st appearance as Sir John Brute was at Bath, 1 Jan. 1774.] Receipts: #234 13s. 6d. (charge:#105). Account-Book notes that Henderson sold 319 tickets for the boxes and 85 for the pit, together worth #92 10s., and that tickets sold at the doors were worth #142 3s. 6d

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Kennedy. Public Advertiser, 16 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kennedy at her house, No. 36, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields. Receipts: #231 12s. 6d. (150.16.6; tickets: 80.17.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Farren. Public Advertiser, 30 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Farren, No. 50, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields. Receipts: #206 2s. 6d. (107.3.0; 29.17.6; 0.11.0; tickets: 68.11.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Clarke. Public Advertiser, 3 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Clarke, Great Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #166 5s. (82.15; tickets: 83.10) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Farren. Morning Chronicle, 15 Apr.: Tickets to be of Farren, No. 41, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-Inn-Fields. Receipts: #132 14s. 6d. (42.6.0; 21.10.6; 1.5.0; tickets: 67.13.0) (charge: #64 17s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mattocks. [Mrs Sage is identified in Morning Chronicle, 27 Apr.] On account of Miss Catley's Indisposition Comus [announced on playbill of 26 Apr.] is obliged to be deferred. Paid Atkins, coal merchant, #33 12s. 6d. Public Advertiser, 7 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mattocks, Great Russel Street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #193 5s. 6d. (153.13.6; tickets: 39.12.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme LeBrun. Tickets to be had of Mme LeBrun, No. 36, Great Suffolk-street

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by Charles Dibdin and James Messink; synopsis of plot in London Chronicle, 30 Dec.]: To conclude with a Procession of the principal Grand Masters, from the Creation to the present Century, dressed in the Habits of their respective Ages and Countries. With new Music [by Charles Dibdin], Scenes, Dresses, Pageants, and Decorations. The paintings executed by Richards, Carver, Hodgins, and assistants. Books of the Songs, with an Explanation of the Pageants, to be had at the Theatre. Nothing under full Price will be taken. "To give magnificence a meaning, and unite antiquarian knowledge with polite entertainment, was a task hitherto unattempted by the contrivers of our Pantomime exhibitions. Such praise, however, the acting manager of Covent Garden theatre may justly claim, on the score of Harlequin Free-Mason, which is now representing before greater crowds than perhaps were ever attracted by Perseus and Andromeda [in 1730], the Rape of Proserpine [in 1727], or the celebrated Sorcerer [i.e. The Magician, in 1721]. The beauty of the first scene, in which a setting sun is admirably contrived, the Dutch winter piece, with numberless skate[r]s moving in the most natural attitudes, and, above all, the imperfect building, finished in a moment at the command of Harlequin, can be exceeded only by the pomp of the historic procession which closes the whole, and offers the richest and most intelligent spectacle that ever yet appeared on an English stage" (Gentleman's Magazine, Feb. 1781, pp. 58-59, which also prints a detailed description of the pageant). Account-Book, 1 Feb.: Paid Dibdin for music of Harlequin Free-Mason #70. Receipts: #236 2s. (230.3; 5.19)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme LeBrun. Tickets to be had of Mme LeBrun, No. 36, Great Suffolk-street. "In the year 1781, Pacchierotti had been heard so frequently, that his singing was no impediment to conversation, or even to animated narrative and debate; but while the elder Vestris was on the stage, if during a pas seul, any of his admirers forgot themselves so much as to applaud him with their hands, there was an instant check put to his rapture by a choral hu-sh! For those lovers of music who talked the loudest when Pacchierotti was singing a pathetic air, or making an exquisite close, were now thrown into agonies of displeasure, lest the graceful movements du dieu de la dance, or the attention of his votaries, should be disturbed by audible approbation" (Burney, II, 893)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Mainpiece: Written by Farquhar, with Alterations. Not acted these 80 years [acted 24 Oct. 1735]. A great Demand being made for Places, Ladies and Gentlemen are requested to send their Servants by Five o'Clock

Event Comment: Benefit for Clarke. Public Advertiser, 4 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Clarke, Great Russel Street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #212 9s. (110.17; tickets: 101.12) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mattocks. Public Advertiser, 20 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mattocks, Great Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #156 17s. 6d. (127.4.6; tickets 29.13.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Davies. Public Advertiser, 19 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Davies, Great Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #193 17s. (145.12; tickets: 48.5) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Thompson, Nix, Mrs Booth & Miss Field. Public Advertiser, 5 May: Tickets to be had of Thompson, No. 7, Great Marlborough-street; of Nix, Mrs Booth and Miss Field, No. 8, Broad-court, Longacre. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [same for rest of season]. Receipts: #180 3s. 6d. (29.15.0; 21.4.6; 0.1.0; tickets: 129.3.0) (charge: none listed)

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; PREL I, by George Colman elder; also ascribed to George Keate. Larpent MS 565; not published]: In Three Scenes of Dialogue. 2nd piece: The Music compiled by Dr Pepusch. 3rd piece [1st time; B. BALL I (see king's, 29 Mar.)]: Ballet Tragi-Comique by Signior Novestris [i.e. George Colman, the elder]. The Music by Signior Gluck. With New Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. Machinist and Painter-Signior Rookereschi. Tailor-Signior Walkerino. Morning Chronicle, 9 Aug.: Bannister with great good sense played chastely, and suffered the burlesque to arise out of his serious performance of Polly, not attempting to render the character ridiculous by making it more outre than it was rendered by his voice and figure

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Robert Jephson. Prologue by the author (Gentleman's Magazine, Jan, 1782, p. 36). Another Prologue, by the Right Hon. Luke Gardiner, "not arriving in London time enough for the first exhibition of the Count of Narbonne, was not spoken" (ibid.). Epilogue by Richard Josceline Goodenough, but beginning with 20 Nov. it was superseded by a new Epilogue written by Edmond Malone (see text)]: With new Scenery and Dresses. Public Advertiser, 1 Nov.: The Management of The Count of Narbonne is . . . under very good Care: Mr Horace Walpole, with a Fondness nothing less than fatherly, directs that part of the Affair which respects the Scenes and Dresses, while Henderson takes Charge of the Rehearsals and the casting of inferior Parts... [Henderson] is to wear a Dress which is lent him from among the Antiquities at Strawberry Hill. "I have been at the theatre, and compromised the affair of the epilogues: one is to be spoken to-morrow, the friend's on the author's night. I have been tumbling into trap-doors, seeing dresses tried on in the green-room, and directing armour in the painting-room" (Walpole [16 Nov. 1781], XII, 95). "I never saw a more unprejudiced audience, nor more attention. There was not the slightest symptom of disapprobation to any part ... It is impossible to say how much justice Miss Younge did to your writing. She has shown herself a great mistress of her profession, mistress of dignity, passion, and of all the sentiments you have put into her hands. The applause given to her description of Raymond's death lasted some minutes, and recommenced; and her scene in the fourth act, after the Count's ill-usage, was played in the highest perfection. Mr Henderson was far better than I excepted from his weakness, and from his rehearsal yesterday, with which he was much discontented himself. Mr Wroughton was very animated, and played the part of the Count much better than any man now on the stage would have done. I wish I could say Mr Lewis satisfied me; and that poor child Miss Satchell was very inferior to what she appeared at the rehearsals, where the total silence and our nearness deceived us. Her voice has no strength, nor is she yet at all mistress of the stage. I have begged Miss Younge to try what she can do with her by Monday. However, there is no danger to your play: it is fully established" (Walpole [to the author, 18 Nov. 1781], XII, 95-96). Public Advertiser, 28 Nov. 1781: This Day is published The Count of Narbonne (price not listed). Receipts: #164 10s. 6d. (163/0/6; 1/10/0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Never performed here. Written by [John] O'Keeffe; As it was performed at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket [beginning with 4 Sept.], with the greatest Applause. The Overture and new Music composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #205 7s. 6d.(203/6/6; 2/1/0)

Event Comment: "I have been once to the Opera to hear the Allegranti, whom I like, and who is almost as much in fashion as Vestris the dancer was last year: the applause to her is rather greater. Pacchierotti is much admired too, and thedancers are a capital set" (Walpole [7 Feb. 1782], xii, 156)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Mrs Greville and Williams. Mainpiece: Not acted these 5 years. Tickets delivered for the 17th of December will be admitted. Tickets and places to be had of Williams at Mr Spoke's, Tottenham Court; Mr White, Auctioneer, Queen street, Westminster; Messrs Ellis and Scott, Old Bond-street; Mr Hewitt, New Bond-street; Mr Cowcieroy, Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury; and at the Excise Office Coffee-House, Old Bond-street

Event Comment: [As mainpiece the playbill announces The Man of the World, but "The Merchant of Venice, which was performed last night (on account of Miss Younge's sudden Indisposition) was received with the greatest Applause" (Public Advertiser, 1 Feb.).] Receipts: #243 17s. (242/11; 1/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Pacchierotti. A Serious Opera; the Music by Bertoni. Tickets to be had of Pacchierotti, No. 8, Great Marybone-street, Cavendish-square