Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. [Afterpiece: Prologue by James Cobb.] Receipts: #303 13s. (285/4/0; 17/1/6; 1/7/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time in London; F 2, by John Philip Kemble, 1st acted at Manchester, 25 Mar. 1778, as The Female Officer. MS: Larpent 723; not published; synopsis of plot in Public Advertiser, 20 Feb. Prologue by James Cobb (European Magazine, Feb. 1786, p. 129)]. Receipts: #222 8s. 6d. (192/0/0; 29/6/0; 0/7/6; tickets not come in: 0/15/0)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Cobb]: Taken from [his] The Strangers at Home. [Not in Larpent MS; not published.] Receipts: #379 18s. (314.12; 61.15; 3.8; ticket not come in: 0.3)

Event Comment: [This was James Aickin's last appearance on the stage.] Receipts: #364 10s. 6d. (295.17.0; 67.19.0; 0.14.6)

Event Comment: 3rd piece: Taken from the French of Patrat; Performed but once [at cg on 24 Apr. 1798]. [On this night the following performers appeared both at dl and at the hay: Aickin, Caulfield, Wathen, Trueman, Bannister, Miss DeCamp, Miss Heard.] On playbill of 13 June: Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be had of Rice, at the Theatre. Printed by T. Woodfall, No. 104, Drury-Lane

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Tragedy never performed before. This Tragedy was written by Mr Murphy & has great Merit, it is very carefully got up & well perform'd, & receiv'd uncommon Applause Mrs Barry Display great Tragick powers & receiv'd the vast Applause She merited--She will gain great Reputation in the part (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes, Dresses, Decorations. Theatrical Review, 26 Feb.: Mrs Barry rose beyond herself, if we may be allowed the expression, in the laborious Character of Euphrasia....The scenes and decorations were well adapted to the importance of the piece. The representation of the city of Syracusev, with a view of the sea; and the Temple scene, with the mausoleum, in particular are extremely well executed, and do credit to the theatre, and honor to the artists who designed and painted them. Paid two notes for Mr J. Aickin, per order #12 1s. 8d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #251 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Aickin. The Tragedy of All for Love, which was to have been performed this evening, is oblig'd to be changed, on account of the indisposition of Mrs Barry and Miss Younge; therefore Mr Aickin humbly hopes that his friends will accept of the Tempest in its stead. Tickets deliver'd for All for Love will be taken. Paid extra flute and hautboy 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Aickin did not act (Winston MS 10). [This month published The Sentimental Spouter; or, Young Actor's Companion. The whole comprising the essence of theatrical delivery, and the beauties of dramatic poetry. Price 1s. 6d. Printed for Wheble (Gentleman's Magazine Register).] Receipts: #123 14s. 6d. Charges: #74 14s. Profit to F. Aickin: #49 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: A new short Introductory Piece before a play [The Meeting of the Company]. This new Prelude call'd The Meeting of the Company or Bayes' Art of Acting by D. G. Esq--it is full of fine Satyr & an Excellent Lesson to all performers, it was receiv'd with very great Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in the wording. The salaries this season were #94 7s. 8d. per day; #566 6s. per week. Kemble's note as to total receipts is short by 8 pence.] Prices: Box 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. [Unfavorable review of Meeting of the Company in The Westminster Magazine (Sept., p. 472). The actor Aickin referred to this season is J. Aickin. Francis Aickin left dl before the beginning of this season. He was dismissed by Garrick in May. See Booden, Private Correspondence of David Garrick, I, 651-55.] Paid Renters #8; Advanced Mr Watson (box office keeper) #10; Ditto to Mr Mortimer (box office keeper) #15 (Treasurer's Book). [The funds to the box office keepers was operating cash which was returned 29 May 1775. Payment to Renters was same for each acting night until the eighty-eighth night (9 Jan. 1775) when it dropped to #4 nightly, since half of the stock holders (the Old Renters) were paid up by that time. The remaining 100 nights of the season plus 11 Oratorio nights yielded #448 to the Renters. No further mention of this item of expense will be made this season.] Total to Renters #1,152. Receipts: #212 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: This tragedy was wrote by Mr Dow,--went off but So, so.--some hisses thro' the play, and at the end also when given out.--The scenery and dresses was very fine, was well adapted, and had applause.--Miss Younge played very bad, and much disliked--Mr Holland and Mr Aickin played well (Hopkins Diary). New Scenes, Dresses, and Decorations. [The Prologue is Larpent MS 289. It follows in content the suggestions of the Prologue to the Orphan of China ten seasons earlier:@"Too much the Greek and Roman chiefs engage@The Muse's care--they languish on our stage;@The modern bard struck with the vast applause@Of ancient masters, like the painter draws@From models only.--Can such copies charm@The Heart, or like the glow of Nature warm?@To fill the scene, tonight our author brings@Originals at least, --Warriours and Kings,@Heroes who like their Gems, unpolish'd shine,@The mighty fathers of the Tartar line,@Greater than those whom classic pages boast,@If those are greatest who have conquored most."@ An account of the plot of the mainpiece is in Lloyd's Evening Post, 16-19 Dec. Concludes: The play is said to have been written by Mr Dow, who lately favored the public with an accurate History of the Hindoos. The decorations and dresses were very magnificent. The performers who were the most distinguished by the audience were Mr Holland, Miss Younge, Mr Aickin, and Mr Jefferson. Mr Holland spoke the Prologue and Mrs Abington the Epilogue the latter of which furnished infinite entertainment, from the spirit and humour of that admirable actress. A Two column resume of the play appears in the Public Advertiser, 19 Dec.

Event Comment: Benefit for Aickin. Mainpiece: Not played for 2 years. [See 15 Dec. 1768.] The Last time of performing before the holidays

Event Comment: Benefit for Aickin. Mainpiece: By Desire. Tickets for Venice Preserved will be taken. Paid Mr Byfield (organ builder) #23; Printer's Bill #8 12s.; Rec'd Mr Heath's rent, 1 year to Xmas last #10 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #165 2s. Charges: #65 2s. Profits to Aickin: #100 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mr Reddish who has to perform the part of Alonzo was not come to begin the 3d Act, which put us in great Confusion, at Length Mr J. Aickin consented to read the part, & we Cut Mr Aickins part quite out-An Apology was made to the Audience that Mr Reddish was not come, nor had he sent any Message-The Play went on;-before the play was finish'd Mr Reddish came to the House when the Play was over Mr King & Mr Reddish went on the Stage Mr King apologis'd the Audience in behalf of Mr Reddish & told them that Mr R. was ready to make oath that he had entirely forgot that it was a play Night, & that it was by meer chance he came to the House at all-his looks were so truely pitiable, the Audience had Compassion & excus'd him (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly. Genest, V, 353, notes that the rebellion of the audience was quelled by an offer of return of entrance money to those wished to leave. He also notes that Reddish on the eleventh published an affidavit in confirmation of his statement, begging Pardon for disappointing the public.] Paid Mr Wright per order Mr G. G. #13 5s. 2d. Receipts: #143 7s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Aickin. Public Advertiser, 20 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Aickin at his house in Bow-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #128 5s. (91.8; tickets: 36.17) (charge: #67 7s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Aickin. Mainpiece: With the triumphal entry of Alexander into Babylonv. 2nd piece [1st time; M.INT I; compiler unknown]. Public Advertiser, 8 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Aickin, Bow Street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #300 12s. 6d. (235.10.6; tickets: 65.2.0) (charge: #73 14s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Aickin. Mainpiece: With a Triumphal Entry of Alexander into Babylon. Public Advertiser, 10 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Aickin, No. 6, York Street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #187 ior. (144/5; tickets: 43/5) (charge: #74 10s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Aickin. Morning Chronicle, 6 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Aickin, No. 9, Paddington Green. Receipts: #152 13s. (69/14; 11/0; tickets: 71/19) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Aickin. [Meredith is identified in European Magazine, May 1789, p. 410, which also states address was written by a Mr Vardill.] Mainpiece: End of Act II the Grand Triumphal Entry of Alexander into Babylon. Public Advertiser, 24 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Aickin at his house, No. 5, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #228 4s. 6d. (155.17.6; 8.2.0; tickets 64.5.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Aickin. Gazetteer, 14 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Aickin at his house, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #209 (116.3; 7.19; tickets: 84.18)

Event Comment: "The modest, tender Mrs Kemble deserves to be noticed for a faculty which she possesses, perhaps, more than any person upon the stage, more even than Mrs Siddons, who has it, however, in a very great degree. While she is upon the stage, she is always enacting, whether in speech or not; and never, for a moment, forgets the character, to look at her dress, or at the audience, or to discover any appearance of uneasiness at the consciousness of being looked at, when there is nothing to be said. The players call this bye-play; and it is a very important part of their art. We are perpetually reminding Bensley of his want of it, in speaking to the audience more than to the characters...[The playbill retains Aickin, but] Kemble read the part of the Governor for Aickin, and did not get through it very well" (Gazetteer, 29 Aug.)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Aickin, but "Waldron read Aickin's part of Roque , he being suddenly taken ill" (Thespian Magazine, Oct. 1793, p. 257). It is not stated who substituted for Waldron. Afterpiece in place of Who's the Dupe?, advertised on playbill of 4 Sept.

Event Comment: 2nd piece [1st time: C 5, by George Colman ynger. Prologue by the Hon Francis North (see text, which also gives the names of the speakers of both Prologue and Epilogue). Epilogue by the author (London Chronicle, 18 July)]. "The force and feeling which [Aickin] gave to the amiable character of Stedfast-a character, indeed, strongly resembling his own for many bearing, probity and truth-must, we are persuaded, [make] a strong, indelible impression on the minds of all as have had an opportunity of witnessing his performance of that part" (+Dramatic Censor, III, 3)

Event Comment: [The King's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but a letter--see 2 Jan. 1670@1--indicates that the first part had been acted before that date and that Part II was to be shortly staged. The point of the Prologue spoken by Ellen Gwyn seems to have derived from an incident at Dover (see Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 20) in May 1670, when James Nokes attired himself in a ridiculous fashion, including "Broad wast Belts." The speakers of the Epilogue and the Prologue to the Second Part are mentioned in Sir William Haward's MS (Bodl. MS Don. b., pp. 248-49); see The Poems of John Dryden, ed. James Kinsley (Oxford, 1958), IV, 1848-49. In Part I a song Beneath a myrtle shade, with music by John Bannister, is in Choice Songs and Ayres, First Book, 1673. Another, Wherever I am, with music by Alphonso Marsh, is in the same collection, as is also How unhappy a lover am I, the music by Nicholas Staggins. Mrs John Evelyn to Mr Bohun, ca. Jan. 1670@1: Since my last to you I have seen The Siege of Grenada, a play so full of ideas that the most refined romance I ever read is not to compare with it; love is made so pure, and valour so nice, that one would image it designed for an Utopia rather than our stage. I do not quarrel with the poet, but admire one born in the decline of morality should be able to feign such exact virtue; and as poetic fiction has been instructive in former ages, I wish this the same event in ours. As to the strict law of comedy I dare not pretend to judge: some think the division of the story is not so well if it could all have been comprehended in the day's actions (The Diary and Correspondence of John Evelyn, ed. William Bray, IV, 25). According to John Evelyn--see 9 Feb. 1670@1--Robert Streeter did some of the scenes for this play. In the Preface to The Fatal Discovery, ca. February 1697@8, George Powell, in discussing revivals of Dryden's plays, stated: In relation to our reviving his Almanzor...very hard crutching up what Hart and Mohun could not prop

Event Comment: Benefit Boaman, James, Mrs James.Mainpiece: Written by Shakespear

Event Comment: Benefit James and Dupre

Event Comment: Benefit James, Mrs James, Goodall. Afterpiece: By Desire