Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. Music [to afterpiece] by Barthelemon. I often go to both theatres, have seen Garrick and Mrs Yates, who are the first in this theatrical sphere. The former has hitherto [i.e., this season] appeared only in comedy, --his manner, his humour, and his judgment are not to be equall'd. The adoration he meets with from the English is equal to his merit. His every motion they attend to, and every turn of his eye seems to transport them. Mrs Yates [at Covent Garden] has much tragic merit. Her low voice is very tuneful, her feeling great, her action peculiarly graceful and her figure uncommonly fine. She has more power than Mrs Dancer (at Drury Lane] and more variety than Mrs Fitz-Henry, tho' less strength and compass. On the whole she is superior to the former and inferior to the latter. Barry and Mrs Dancer are engag'd here (MS Letter from Henry Grattan to Cornet Broome giving his first impressions of living in London, 27 Oct. 1767, in Folger Library). Neville MS Diary: Went into the Pit to see As You Like It a second time. Reddish did Orlando for the 1st time. He is a pretty good player. End Act I, Hearts of Oak. The Entertainment was the new Farce called a Peep Behind the Curtain. Glib by King who is the author. The piece is not unentertaining, whatever other merit it may have. The Prologue and an Address to the Town by way of Epilogue, are spoken by Mr King, the music by Barthelemon

Event Comment: Benefit for Dyer. Tickets for the Wonder will be taken. Part of Pit will be laid into the Boxes. [The afterpiece a musical entertainment by Richard Cumberland taken from his The Summer's Tale. See 6 Dec. 1765; 28 April 1768.] Charges #64 15s. Balance to Dyer #10 5s. plus #160 5s. in tickets (Box 471; Pit 198; Gallery 128). (Account Book). Receipts: #75 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. King of Denmark. Richard-Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). For the King of Denmark.--Richard by Mr Garrick, for the first time these six years-Beyond discription fine, -his voice clear to the last (Hopkins Diary). No money taken at stage door. None returned after curtain is up. The doors (by particular desire) will be opened at half an Hour after Five. To Begin at Seven. Neville MS Diary: Hearing about 7 o'clock that Garrick did Richard III, one of his very capital characters which he has not done these 7 or 8 years, resolved (if I could get in to see him) to bear the abhorred sight of that woman-like painted puppy, the King of Denmark. After one unsuccessful attempt got into the Pit with the greatest difficulty after the third act. Garrick is inimitably great in Richard & very different from the other Richards I have seen; his expression of the dying agony of that wretch is beyond description. Some actors speak with as strong & loud voice in that scene as if they had received no wound & were not dying. One Lloyd, who waits on Garrick sometimes, observed that he himself says he never acted better in his life, modestly observing that something must be allowed to the improvement of his judgment. During the dance (for there was no farce) I was within a yard of the Danish tyrant

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. K. & Q. Richard-Mr Garrick (Cross Diary). Neville MS Diary: Garrick played Richard III. In attempting to get into the Pit was forced into the 2 shilling gallery Passage & after being squeezed abominably for an hour got into the street. Should not have received much pleasure if I had got in, as that calf headed son of a whore, George etc. was there

Event Comment: Benefit for Weston and Miss Ogilvie. By Authority. Being the Last Night. [Many advance bills noted the continuous deferment of this on account of Weston's bad state of health.] Mr Weston's late and precarious State of Health making it extremely doubtful whether he could go through so long and laborious part as Richard, he humbly recommends to the Public Mr Gentleman's friendly intention of undertaking the Character for that Night, and will for the Capital Entertainment of his Friends, speak a new Occasional Prologue, and appear in the Farce, that the strength he has gained for some Days past may not be impaired by Fatigue

Event Comment: Richard by Mr Dodd-O la! Ola! (Hopkins Diary). Benefit for Dodd. Afterpiece: Not acted for 3 years. [See 9 April 1768.