Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Clive. Mainpiece: Written by Colley Cibber. [The Old Maid for 8 May 1756 reviewed this performance of Lethe, or possibly the one with the same cast on 30 April. The reviewer was 'particularly diverted with Mrs Clive's Italian Song, in which this truly humorous actress parodys the Air of the Opera, and takes off the action, of the present favorite female at the Hay-Market, with such exquisite ridicule, that the most zealous partisans of both, I think, must have applauded the comic genius of Mrs Clive, however they might be displeased with this application of it." The reviewer is lukewarm in praise of the "New Character"..."What is there new in a Lord's having Gout, loving a bottle, pretending to taste, or being follow'd by a flatterer?"] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: [On 27 Aug. the manager announced that the musical evening entertainments have ended, yet he had advertised for some time a benefit for Gaudry for 28 Aug. This benefit seems not to have occurred. But see hay 8 Sept.

Event Comment: Benefit of Miss Mozart of eleven, and Master Mozart of seven Years of Age, Prodigies of Nature. At the Great Room, Spring Garden, St James's Park. Tickets at half a guinea each. By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. [For Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his sister. Their father had brought them to visit London in May. See hay 21 Feb. 1765. They remained through July 1765. See also Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, III, p. 539 (3rd edn. New York, 1947).

Event Comment: In the Gazetteer 25 Feb. appeared a long editorial by "Rectus": "Though the performing oratorios in the time of Lent,is highly censured by many, yet I must own that I think the far greater part of them become enemies to those solemn performances, rather because their ears are more unfit for music than their minds are for the pretended immorality that attends such exhibitions." [The writer wishes not to cry down every entertainment he cannot relish himself and adds], "I have long endeavoured to find out the reason why plays should not be performed on Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent as well as on those days all through the rest of the season. I have never yet been able to find out that Lent makes the least difference in people's way of living." [He wonders, however, why the non-sacred oratorios such as Acis and Galatea and Alexander's Feast have been allowed performance. He then registers a mild complaint about the management of the Oratorios because they do not include sufficient solo instrumental entertainment between the parts.] "This custom was wholly dropped last year, and I complained greatly of it in a letter which you did me the favour to insert. I was greatly surprised to find Mr Pinto, who then led the band, was either not permitted or not paid to play a solo, as well as Mr Hay, who played one every night the preceding season. Mr Stanley's illness not permitting him then to play, that omission was overlooked, though it might have been supplied by a performer on some other instrument. This season the managers have thought proper to treat their audience with one solo or concerto every night, but why not have two?" [He liked Barthelemon's solos, but lamented that Stanley sat idle, and he offered final advice that the managers should alternate the solo instruments for "pleasing variety." The admission price demands it.

Event Comment: Tragedy, never before acted, by Dr T. Franklin. Published at 1s. 6d. [See A Letter from the Rope Dancing Monkey in the Hay-Market to the acting Monkey of Drury Lane on the Earl of Warwick (London, 1767) which damns the play as a flat and insipid plagiarism from de la Harpe's tragedy Le Conte de Warwick, Paris, 1764. Especially severe on Colman's Prologue and Garrick's Epilogue.] Rec'd stopages #4 11s. 6d.; Paid salary list #440 4s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #165 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No money taken at Stage Door. No Money returned after Curtain is drawn up. [Customary note on subsequent bills.] Yates and Mrs Yates not engag'd. They went to Covent Garden Theatre. Mr Barry and Mrs Dancer engag'd (Winston MS 10). For performances at HAY and MARLY, 12-21 September, see close of Season 1766-1767, pp. 1264-65

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these two years. [See 31 Dec. 1768.] Afterpiece: A Musical Entertainment [by Isaac Bickerstaffe] never acted there. [Letter from Henry Woodward, Clement's Inn, says he fulfilled his seven years engagement and is now going to Scotland with Foote and next to the Hay Market. No direct application was made to re-engage him at Covent Garden or he was ready to meet it (Winston MS 10)

Event Comment: Doors open at 5 o'clock. Play to begin at 6 o'clock. Prices: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places to be had of Mr Johnston at the Stage door. [Customary note, repeated.] Rec'd Mrs Groath's one year's rent to Xmas last #3; Paid Renters #8 (Treasurer's Book). This regular expenditure was made nightly for the 189 acting nights of the season, as well as for the 11 nights on which Oratorio's were given in the Spring. The total amount came to #1600. No further note will be made of this item this season. The Westminster Magazine this month, reiterated its doleful cry "that the stage is on its decline." In a long article on "Stage Effect, or Dramatic Cookery," it concluded that our "Theatrical managers and even our Theatrical Critics seem to have resolved all the merit of dramatic composition into stage trick, and rest their criterion of Dramatic Genius on the knowledge of what they are pleased to call Stage effect." The "Theatre" article for the month remarked upon the boldness of Garrick's opening with the Beggar's Opera, "notwithstanding he was requested by the Bench of Justices at Bow-Street, to suppress it, as they were of opinion it had done a great deal of mischief among the low class of people." Lloyd's Evening Post, 17 Sept., included extracts from letters against playing the Beggar's Opera, "because every performance makes from one two twenty thieves." Sir John Fielding and his associates had addressed a letter to Garrick requesting him not to perform the opera for the same reason. The Morning Chronicle, 23 Sept., praised Garrick for not complying with the Justices' request. Wm Augustus Miles published a Letter to Sir John Fielding occasioned by his extraordinary Request to Mr Garrick for the suppression of the Beggar's Opera (44 pp.). In this he vindicated the moral effect of the opera.] Receipts: #158 (Treasurer's Book). [Note: For perform ance at hay 18 and 20 September, see Season of 1772-1773, p. 1740

Event Comment: The Two Misers is unavoidably oblig'd to be deferr'd. Books of the Entertainment [The Two Misers?] to be had at the theatre. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. No persons admitted behind the scenes, nor any money returned after the curtain is up. Places for the Boxes to be taken, of Mr Sarjant (only) at the Stage Door. The Doors to be opened at Half after Five o'clock. To Begin exactly at Half after Six. Vivant Rex and Regina. (Customary footnote for succeeding Playbills. It will not be repeated here. The Westminster Magazine, September, p. 459, indicates a Prelude was also given this opening night, consisting of several of the actors comparing notes on their various successes, casts of parts, droll accidents, which they had experienced during their different summer excursions. Mattocks, Dunstall, Lee Lewes, Miss Barsanti, and Hull participated. The reviewer reported the content of their reminiscences, but disliked the jumbled nature of the Prelude. Another account in the Morning Post, 21 September.] Note: For performance at hay 20 September, see Season of 1774-1775, p. 1905

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: Not acted these 16 years [not acted since 27 Oct. 1758]. With Alterations [by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by David Garrick]. The Characters new dressed. This Play is revived with Alterations (by R. B. Sheridan Esq) and a new occasional Prologue written by Mr Garrick? and spoken by Dodd, both well received. Miss Essex made her first Appearance upon this stage in Silvia, a small mean Figure and shocking Actress, so bad that she is to do the Part no more. Reddish was very imperfect in Vainlove from the Beginning, but was so very much so in the last Act, that the Audience hissed very much, and cryed out, 'Off, Reddish, Off!" He went forward, and addressed them as follows, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I have been honoured with your Favour and Protection for these ten years past, and I am very sorry to give any cause for your Displeasure now; but having undertaken the Part at a very short Warning, in order to strengthen the Bill, and having had but two Rehearsals for it, puts it out of my Power to do Justice to the Part, or myself.' The Play then went on. So great a Lye was never delivered to an Audience by any Actor or Actress before. He had the Part at least six weeks in his Possession, and repeated Notice to be ready in it, and six Rehearsals was called for it,--indeed, he attended but three. Vernon undertook to study the Part at eleven o'clock to-night, and to perform it to-morrow (Hopkins Diary). [Miss Essex was from the hay.] Receipts: #209 6s

Event Comment: Benefit for Trebbi. Public Advertiser, 15 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Trebbi, at Stephenson's, Hay-market

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 Mlle Baccelli. Public Advertiser, 1 May: Tickets to be had of Mlle Baccelli, at Micheli's, Hay-market

Event Comment: Benefit for Green and Ansell, box-keepers. Public Advertiser, 7 May: Tickets to be had of Green, the corner of Norris-street, Hay-market; of Ansell, Davies-street, Berkley-square. Receipts: #329 17s. (48.15; tickets: 281.2) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Alterations [by David Garrick]. [Henderson was from the hay.] 'The style of Henderson did not assimilate with the tone of the [dl] company. They declaimed in a higher key, and more upon the level. The frequent under-tones the former hardly struck the ear at any considerable distance' (Boaden, Siddons, I, 170). Receipts: #225 8s. (204.2; 20.14; 0.12)

Event Comment: [For Henderson as King Richard see hay, 7 Aug. 1777.] Afterpiece: The Music composed by Dibdin. With New Scenes and Dresses. Books of the Songs, &c. to be had at the Theatre. [The text erroneously assigns: Gillian-$Mrs Wrighten; Floretta-$Miss Walpole, but see Public Advertiser, 8 Oct., which in a review, gives the correct assignment; see also 6 Oct. 1778.] Receipts: #260 7s. (241.14; 17.17; 0.16)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [Henderson had 1st acted Shylock at Bath, 21 Dec. 1774; and 1st in London at hay, 11 June 1777.] Paid Printers Bills to the 11th Inst. #32 8s. Receipts: #234 6s. 6d. (209.7.0; 23.19.6; 1.0.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 7 years. No joke ever raised such loud and repeated mirth, in the galleries, as Sir John 's labour in getting the body of Hotspur on his back...At length this upper-gallery merriment was done away [with] by the difficulties which Henderson encountered in getting Smith on his shoulders. So much time was consumed in this pick-a-pack business that the spectators grew tired, or rather, disgusted. It was thought best, for the future, that some of Falstaff 's ragamuffins should bear off the dead body" (Davies, I, 273-75). [For Henderson as Falstaff see hay, 24 July 1777.] Receipts: #207 10s. 6d. (185.6.0; 20.7.0; 1.17.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Afterpiece: With a Grand Procession. [Both the dance and the procession were included in all subsequent performances, except on 23 Apr. 1778. For Henderson as Don John see hay, 19 Aug. 1777.] Receipts: #153 11s. 6d. (125.19.0; 18.0.6; 9.12.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [For Henderson as Bayes see hay, 25 Aug. 1777.] Receipts: #113 16s. (91.5; 22.7; 0.4)

Event Comment: [Miss Twist is identified in Morning Post, 9 Jan.; she was from the hay.] Receipts: #190 13s. (189.13; 1.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Roncaglia. Tickets to be had of Roncaglia at Fleureau's, No. 2, Hay-market

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mattocks. [As afterpiece Genest, VI, 25, lists The Romp, "1st time," with partial cast. In an advance notice of Mrs Mattocks' benefit in Public Advertiser, 20 Mar., the farce advertised for 28 Mar. is The Romp, "1st time," with full cast; this appears to have been Genest's source. But in the same newspaper for 25, 26, 27 Mar. the farce advertised is Three Weeks after Marriage. The Romp was 1st acted at the Capel Street Theatre, Dublin, 23 Jan. 1771, and in London at the hay, 12 Nov. 1781. See also dl, 21 Nov. 1785.] Public Advertiser, 17 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mattocks at her house in Covent Garden. Receipts: #160 9s. (101.19; tickets: 58.10) (charge: #64 10s.)