Event Comment: Mainpiece written by the late Sir Richard Steele

Event Comment: A New Musical Comedy in 3 Acts never performed before. New Scenes and Habits. Book of the Comedy to be had at the Theatre. [Richard Cumberland's second dramatic piece, and first one to be performed (Genest, V, 104).

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: A Comedy [by Richard Cumberland] never performed there. Paid John Doe for sticking Black Bills #3 12s. Paid Cooper (printer) as per bill #20 2s. (Account Book). [The Westminster Magazine held in reserve its judgment on Lewis as an actor until the reviewer could see him in another part.] Receipts: #137 4s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Tamerlane (usually presented this Evening) is obliged to be declined, on Account of the Indisposition of two principal Performers. [Mainpiece in place of King Richard III, announced on playbill of 2 Nov.] Receipts: #192 4s. 6d. (191.6.6; 0.18.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (Collection...of English Prologues and Epilogues, II, 214; IV, 195)]: With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 7 Feb. 1778: This Day is published The Battle of Hastings (1s. 6d.). "This piece was received with uncommon applause...[Palmer's] heroic exclamation-'all private feuds should cease when England's glory is at stake'-was so sensibly felt by the audience that a repetition was called for, but judiciously refused, as out of character in a tragedy" (London Magazine, Jan. 1778, p.37). Receipts: #243 15s. 6d. (235.0.0; 8.13.0; 0.2.6)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of A Trip to Scarborough, announced on playbill of 9 Mar.] 2nd piece [1st time; M. INT I, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]: With a new Scene invented and designed by DeLoutherbourg for the occasion. [Music composed by Thomas Linley Sen. Miss Wright is identified on playbill of 24 May; and see 19 Feb.] Public Advertiser, 27 Mar. 1779: This Afternoon at Four is published A Monody (1s. 6d.). Afterpiece: Not acted these 3 years. Receipts: #213 10s. 6d. (180.18.0; 32.6.0; 0.6.6). "Some of the verses [of the Monody] were responded [to] by the principal vocalists, accompanied by the band, who occupied an orchestra built on the stage, as at the oratorios. The whole of the performers [were] requested to appear in black clothes" (Parke, I, 17)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Richard Cumberland]: taken from [the same, by] Massinger and [Mariamne, by] Fenton. [not in Larpent MS; not published.] With new Dresses. Henderson "might surely break himself of the aukward custom of clapping his hands together almost perpetually, and running on and off the stage with so ungraceful a levity" (Morning Chronicle, 11 Nov.). [Miss Younge was from dl.] Receipts: #127 10s. 6d. (124.14.0; 2.16.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; PAST 2, by Richard Josceline Goodenough, altered from his unacted play The Cottagers]: The Overture and Music composed by Baumgarten. [Baumgarten used this overture again in Robin Hood (see cg, 17 Apr. 1784).] Books of the Pastoral to be had at the Theatre. [Wordsworth is identified in the playbill of 22 Dec. Mrs Webb was from the Hay.] Public Advertiser, 24 Nov. 1779: This Day is published William And Nanny (1s.). Receipts: #122 15s. (116.15.6; 5.19.6)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece: Prologue by Richard Cumberland. Afterpiece: Prologue by George Colman, the elder.] To begin at 6:00. Pit 2s. Gallery 1s

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. 1st piece [1st time; PREL I, probably by Richard Wilson. Larpent MS 557; not published]. 3rd piece [1st time; F 2, by James Cobb. Larpent MS 556; not published. Author of Prologue unknown]. Receipts: #222 6s. 6d. (122.18.6; tickets: 99.8.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Text (which assigns no parts) 1st published in his Posthumus Dramatic Works, I, 1813. Epilogue by the author (Public Advertiser, 24 Apr. 1782). Prologue probably by same; speakers unknown]: With new Scenery, Dresses and Decorations. Receipts: #171 14s. (166/6; 5/8)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. 1st piece [1st time; prel I (?)]: A Tragical Tragedy, altered [probably by Richard Wilson] from Fielding's Pasquin. In the Tragedy will be introduced the Triumphal Entry of the Queen of Ignorance. 2nd piece: In 3 acts. [This play is by Thomas Baker; it is not TUNBRIDGE Wells; or, A Day's Courtship, by Thomas Rawlins, the younger.] 3rd piece [1st time; M. INT I, author unknown. Words printed complete in Public Advertiser 19 Aug. 1782]

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; c 3, altered from the same, probably by the author, Richard Bentley]: Written in the manner of the Italian Comedy. With new Scenes and Dresses. [Author of Prologue unknown.] "It was originally produced at Drury Lane in the summer of 1761 [27 July] . . . and has now been new dished up, and seasoned to the day" (European Magazine, ibid). J. P. Collier states that "it is not a revival of the former piece" (MacMillan, Larpent Catalogue, p. 98). It was not, strictly speaking, a "revival", but, rather, a revision, as a collation of Larpent MS 586 (the present version, which is unpublished) with MS 199 (Bentley's 1761 version) makes clear. In 1761 Bentley introduced "the speaking Harlequin after the manner of the Italians . . . Mr Harris some years after gave it a second chance on the stage" (Cumberland, Memoirs, I, 212-14). Receipts: #215 19s. (213/5/6; 2/13/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Richard Cumberland. Author of Prologue unknown. Epilogue by the author (Public Advertiser, 30 Jan. In 1796 this was acted at CG altered by the author in 4 acts]: With new Dresses, &c. Public Advertiser, 10 Feb. 1783: This Day at Noon will be published The Mysterious Husband (18d.). [Afterpiece in place of Barnaby Brittle, announced on playbill of 27 Jan.] Receipts: #275 9s. (269/14/6; 5/14/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Jewell, treasurer. 3rd piece [1st time; F 1, by Richard Paul Jodrell. Text 1st published (with cast for later season) by W. Lowndes and J. Barker, 1786]

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Altered from Allen Ramsay [by Richard Tickell]. Receipts: #179 8s. 6d. (122/16/0; 55/13/0; 0/19/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. 2nd piece [1st time; INT I, probably by Richard Wilson. MS: Larpent 667; not published]. 3rd piece: Never perform'd here. [Prologue and Epilogue by John Gay.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (see text)]: With new Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 14 Dec. 1784: This Day is published The Carmelite (1s. 6d.). "We never saw [Kemble] wandering to the audience; he never turned his eye around for applause when he had closed an animated period, nor ever entertained his intervals of silence with glances at the side-boxes, like some of his contemporaries, not to mention the great Palmer, nor Davies, &c." This behavior "he has so happily caught from Mrs Siddons" (Public Advertiser, 22 Dec.). Receipts: #233 17s. (216/15/0; 16/10/6; 0/11/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Prologue by the author. Epilogue by Edward Topham (see text). In 1794 this was altered by the author, and reduced to 4 acts]: With new Scenes and Dresses. Public Advertiser, 25 Jan. 1785: This Day is published The Natural Son (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #175 19s. 6d. (154/12/0; 21/0/0; 0/7/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Henderson. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Richard Cumberland. Text, which assigns no parts, 1st published in his Posthumous Dramatic Works, Vol. II (1813), under the title of Alcanor]. Public Advertiser, 5 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Henderson at his house in Buckingham-street, York-buildings

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Ferdinand to Johnstone, but "The sudden illness of Johnstone gave much dissatisfaction, though Cubitt did all in his power to supply his place" (Town and Country Magazine, Sept. 1785, p. 451). William Palmer was from the Norwich theatre; Meadows from the HAY.] The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 14 Nov.]. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon, at the Stage-Door. [No playbill this season lists the various prices of admission; they were probably, as usual: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s.] The Alterations and Improvements in the Theatre this Season are made by Richards, and executed under his Superintendance by Catton and others. [Public Advertiser, 22 Sept., notes that these improvements consisted of the enlargement of the boxes, in which "the seats are formed into recesses which communicate with the other boxes"; all the pillars, "even those of iron in the back boxes [being] capped, cased, fluted and gilt"; the front of the boxes and galleries being newly painted a "warm lilac"; the back of the boxes being wainscotted and painted crimson.] Paid Charewomen for cleaning Theatre #13 0s. 6d. Receipts: #214 2s. 6d. (210/10/0; 3/12/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: With new Scenery, Machinery, Music, Dresses, and Decorations. The Scenes chiefly designed by Richards, and executed by him, Carver, Hodgins, and assistants. The Overture, Songs, Chorusses, and the Music of the Pantomime composed by Shield. Receipts: #206 4s. 6d. (204/2/0; 2/2/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Cumberland. Larpent MS 779; not published; synopsis of plot in Universal Magazine, Aug. 1787, p. 100. Prologue by the author; Epilogue by George Colman elder (European Magazine, July 1787, pp. 63-64). In 1789 altered as The School for Widows]