Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; D 5, by Elizabeth Inchbald, based on Das Schreibepult; oder, Die Gefahren der Jugend, by August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue. Prologue by Charles Moore (MS annotation by J. P. Kemble in Kemble-Devonshire copy in Huntington Library); Epilogue by John Taylor (see text)]: With New Dresses and Scenes. Morning Chronicle, 17 Dec. 1799: This day is published The Wise Man of the East (price not listed). Receipts: #323 14s. 6d. (321.12.6; 2.2.0)

Event Comment: Rosetta first time by Miss Sharp--a loud Voice a bad face and mean figure She had Applause--but it won't do (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly and adds: Miss Sharpe was a Scholar of Mr Bates's--since married to Mr William Palmer, brother to Mr John and Mr Robert Palmer."] Rec'd the late Mr Powell's bond for #200 and 9 years interest in full #290; Stopages #11 18s. Paid Barrow and Co., Oil Bill #50 3s.; Powney, (stationer) #14 11s. 6d.; Tallow Chandler's third bill #47 12s. 4d.; Evans on Wardrobe acct #10 10s.; Grist on acct #6 6s.; Machin, Chorus 13 nights, #3 5s. Receipts: #116 13s. [Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Alterations in the Dialogue and New Music [i.e. 6 new songs by John O'Keeffe with music by Michael Arne: 3 sung by Fairfield, and 1 each by Theodosia, Farmer Giles and Fanny. They are printed in London Chronicle, 26 Sept. and in Town and Country Magazine, Sept. 1782,p. 452]. The Words of the New Songs will be given at the Boxes. Afterpiece: 6th time [i.e. in continuation of the reckoning for the previous season]. [Brett was from the HAY.] Receipts: #271 10s. 6d. (269/4/6; 2/6/0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; D 5]: Altered from Massinger [by John Philip Kemble. Prologue by the Hon. Henry Phipps (London Chronicle, 28 Jan.). Epilogue by George Colman, the elder (ibid). MS: Larpent 687; not published]. "This piece is considerably altered from the original; passages are expunged, and others added, in every scene; and several incidents transposed from the order in which they formerly stood. Some scenes are also introduced from the Maid's Tragedy of Beaumont and Fletcher" (London Magazine, Feb. 1785, p. 137). Receipts: #269 9s. (240/10/0; 27/6/6; 1/12/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bowden. Public Advertiser, 22 Jan.: Tickets to be had of Bowden, No. 5, John-street, Great Portland-street. Receipts: #288 9s. (182.4.6; 1.18.6; tickets: 104.6.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Ryder. 1st piece [1st time; F 1, ascribed to Thomas Ryder. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: Taken from Sir Courtly Nice [by John Crowne]. 3rd piece: Never [previously] acted here. [Miss R. Ryder's 1st appearance on the stage was at cg, 16 Apr. 1790.

Event Comment: 3rd piece [1st time; F 2, by Charles Stuart, "from the Spanish"; on 2 Sept. reduced to 1 act. Prologue by the author (see text)]. "The Piece, we understand, was originally founded on some topics that have of late engrossed the conversation of much of the fashionable world...The Lord Chamberlain thought [it] too delicate a nature to appear with the allusions and title it then bore, She would be a Duchess. The consequence was that the offensive bits were expunged and the piece re-christened...It would be unfair to make any observations...in the mutilated stage it was presented" (Public Advertiser, 15 Aug.). "Some part of the plot was supposed to allude to the late occurrences in the family of General John? Gunning, who was indulged with the privilege of erasing [from the MS] that which he disliked, and who reduced it to its present feeble and unconnected form" (Gazetteer, 15 Aug.). [The reference in the original title is to the simultaneous flirtation of Miss Elizabeth Gunning, the General's daughter, with the eldest sons of the Dukes of Marlborough and Argyll (see dnb, under Susannah Gunning). She would be a Duchess: in Larpent MS 915.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted before, a New Dramatic Opera [Bickerstaffe] the Music by Handel, Boyce, Arne, Howard, Baildon, Festing, Geminiani, Galluppi, Giardini, Paradies, Agus, Abos; with a New Overture composed by Mr Abel. Full Prices. Books of the Opera sold at theatre. [See Theatrical Review; or, Annals of the Drama, 1763, pp. 22-36: Compares Bickerstaff's opera at length with Charles Johnson's Village Opera.

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A comic opera [by Bickerstaffe never performed before. Books of the opera at the Theatre. The music by the most eminent composers

Event Comment: Ladies send servants by 3 o'clock. A Comic Opera, Never Perform'd [by Isaac Bickerstaffe]. The Scenes, Dresses and Dances entirely new (playbill). [The playbill does not assign parts. Assignment from Genest and Winston who both identify the Young Gentlewoman as Miss Brickler. The Music compiled from Favourite airs of the most celebrated composers." See note for 27 May relative to dances in this opera.] Receipts: #245 14s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Third Day. For the Author. House charges and Candles #64 5s. Balance to Bickerstaffe #155 11s. 6d. (Account Book). This month were published Harris and Rutherford's Narrative of the Rise and Progress of the Disputes subsisting between the Patentees of Covent Garden Theatre, and Colman's True State of The Differences subsisting....Both were reviewed in the Gentleman's Magazine. Receipts: #219 16s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Sixth Day. For the Author. Books of the Opera to be had at the Theatre. House charges and candles #64 5s. Balances for Bickerstaffe #120 18s. (Account Book). Receipts: #185 3s. (Account Book)