Event Comment: Mainpiece: Written by the late Mr Congreve, London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 2 Oct.: Last Night in the Entertainment of Dr Faustus...when the Machine wherein were Harlequin, the Miller's Wife, the Miller and his the Miller's Man, was got up to the full Extent of its flying, one of the Wires which held up the hind part of the Car broke first, and then the other broke, and the Machine, and all the People in it fell down Upon the Stage; by which unhappy Accident the young Woman who personated the Miller's Wife had her Thigh broke, and her Kneepan shatter'd, and was otherways very much bruised, the Harlequin had his Head bruised, and his Wrist strained; the Miller broke his Arm; and the Miller's Man had his Scull so fractured that his Life in despaired of. Thomas Gray to Horace Walpole, 6 Oct.: Covent Garden has given me a sort of surfeit of Mr Rich and his cleverness, for I was at [cg] when the machine broke t'other night; the house was in amaze for above a minute, and I dare say a great many in the galleries thought it very desterously performed, and that they screamed as naturally as heart could wish, till they found it was no jest, by their calling for surgeons, of whom several luckily happened to be in the pit. I stayed to see the poor creatures brought out of the house, and pity poor Mrs Buchanan not a little, whom I saw put into a chair in such a fright that as she is big with child, I question whether it may not kill her.-Horace Walpole's Correspondence with Thomas Gray, I, 113-14

Event Comment: Receipts: #130 18s. Paid John Rich #500

Event Comment: Receipts: #147 11s. Paid Jno Rich for Mr Morris, #246 3s

Event Comment: TThe Jovial Crew deferred because of Indisposition of Miss Brent. Receipts: #135 16s. Paid Kemp for Lamps #6 8s. Dall returned to salary list at #1 10s. Paid John Rich #500

Event Comment: Receipts: #128 16s. Paid Rich on account, #600

Event Comment: Receipts: #207 6s. Paid Rich #50; Advanc'd to Miss White #1 11s. 6d

Event Comment: Receipts: #82 15s. Paid Kemp #6 8s.; Paid Rich on Acct #500; Paid Mrs Margaret Lambe 6 months interest due 8th inst. #7 10s.; Paid Bates for writing Music #11 12s. 6d

Event Comment: Full prices. Last time of performing till Easter Holidays. Receipts: #214 11s. Paid Kemp #6 8s.; Meares #0 10s. 6d.;Mr Platt for mahogany chair frames (12), #9 12s.; Paid Rich #50; Paid 10 night's Rents for Oratorios #100. I was to see the Jovial Crew and the Fair again, at the Gallery at Covent Garden, where I see Mrs Viebert, Miss Meredith & Mr Madan. Slept in at Drury Lane Gallery where I see the best part of Catherine & Petruchio for King's Benefit (Hailey, Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 210)

Event Comment: Income from Boxes #15 17s. 6d. Given to Mr Shaw by Mr Rich for performing Osmyn 19 Oct. #10 10s. Receipts: #67 6s. (Winston Theatrical Record)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Frederick Reynolds. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald. Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews (see text)]: With new Scenes and Dresses. [In mainpiece the playbill lists Mrs Esten, but "Previous to the play an apology was made in behalf of Mrs Davis, who had undertaken Mrs Esten's character in consequence of the indisposition of the latter lady. [After considerable objection] Mrs Davis was well received in the part" (Thespian Magazine, June 1793, p. 4).] Public Advertiser, 3 May 1793: This Day is published How to Grow Rich (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #257 17s. 6d

Event Comment: Among the Principal Instrumental Performers are G. Ashley, Leader of the Band; C. Ashley, Principal Violoncello; Wm. Parke, Sarjant, J. Mahon, Boyce, Bridgtower, Parkinson, Lavenu, Taylor, W. Ware, Flack, Dressler, Gwilliam, Nicks, [the] Munros, I. Sharp, W. Sharp, M. Sharp, J. Sharp, Archer, Cobham, Jackson, Wood, Coyle, Cornish, Purney, Leffler, Woodham, Piele, [the] Cantelos, Skillern, Beale, Lloyd, Franki, Simpson, Jenkinson, &c.; J. Ashley, Organ; R. Ashley, Double Drums (used at Westminster Abbey). The Chorusses will be numerous and complete. The whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon at the Office in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout oratorio season]. Books of the Performance (with the imprimatur of E. Macleish) to be had at the Theatre. [Sga Galli did not sing in The Messiah when it was originally performed in Dublin in 1742, or in London in 1743, in which year the cg oratories under Handel were established.] "I had the curiosity to go, and heard [Sga Galli] sing, 'He was despised and rejected of men' in the Messiah. Of course her voice was cracked and trembling, but it was easy to see her school was good; and it was pleasing to observe the kindness with which she was received, and listened to; and to mark the animation and delight with which she seemed to hear again the music in which she had formerly been a distinguished performer. The poor old woman had been in the habit of coming to me annually for a trifling present; and she told me on that occasion that nothing but the severest distress should have compelled her so to expose herself, which after all did not answer its end, as she was not paid according to her agreement" (Mount-Edgcumbe, pp. 19-20). [At the rehearsal, 1 Mar., I know that my Redeemer liveth sung by Mme Mara; Comfort ye my people by Braham; But@thou didst not leave by Miss Poole (Morning Herald, 2 Mar.).] "The chorusses are not such as would give satisfaction to a musical amateur: in this department we must endeavour to be content with noise and bawling, instead of sense and science:--they are not, however, worse than usual" (Monthly Visitor, Mar.1797, p. 262)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 5, by Richard Cumberland. Author of Prologue unknown]: A Romance of the Fourteenth Century, Formed upon the Plan of an unpublished Drama [Johanna von Montfaucon], written and transmitted by Augustus von Kotzebue, The Overture, Songs, Chorusses, Marches and Finale, with appropriate Symphonies between the Acts, by Busby. The Scenery, Dresses, Machinery & Decorations entirely New. The Scenery by Richards, Phillips, Lupino, Hollogan, &c. The arrangement of the Marches, Chorusses & Military Movements incidental to the Piece, under the direction of Farley. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. The Words of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. "The appropriate beauty of the scenery, in which the rules of perspective are critically observed, the splendour of the decorations and the richness of the dresses, have been rarely equalled" (Universal Magazine, Jan. 1800, p. 75). Receipts: #318 6d. (316.2; 2.4)

Event Comment: 2nd ballet: With entire new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations, the Scenes designed by Marinari, and executed by himself and others under his direction; the Dresses by Sestini; the Stage Decorations by Johnston of the Theatre-Royal, Drury-lane. "Telemaque is the same as that produced by Dauberval at Bordeaux, as to the management of the story the story on the stage; but the Dances are the composition of Degville. The music is [compiled by D'Egville and Bossi] from Haydn, Pleyel, Sacchini, Gluck, Schulz, Moreau" (Morning Chronicle, 27 Mar.). [Synopsis of action in London Chronicle, 27 Mar.