Event Comment: Mainpiece: A New Tragedy [by John Hoole] never perform'd. [The author in his Advertisement to the 1775 Edition express "singular obligations to Mrs Hartley, who most readily undertook the part of Cleonice, which she has continued to support, with unremitted assiduity and friendly alacrity, amidst the repeated attacks of severe indisposition." Reviewed, but without praise in the Westminster Magazine, March.

Event Comment: Mainpiece [by John Jackson]: Never performed

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Jackson. Mainpiece [a tragedy by John Jackson]: Never perform'd there. Doors open half past 5. To begin at half past 6 o'clock

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by John Home. Prologue by the author (London Chronicle, 16 Feb.). Epilogue by David Garrick (ibid.)]: New Scenes, Dresses, &c. Account-Book, 26 Jan.: Paid Wild for [obtaining] license for Alfred #2 2s. Public Advertiser, 14 Feb. 1778: This Day is published Alfred (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #246 (241.17.6; 4.2.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Afterpiece 1st time; F 2, by Ursula Agnes Booth, based on the same, by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger. The playbill lists Death in place of Lee Lewes, but he 'Was not to be found...Hull begged permission for Lee Lewes to read Death's part in his own undress, which [was] granted" (London Chronicle, 28 Apr.).]. Books of the Entertainment to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 30 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Quick, No. 15, Drury-lane. Receipts: #262 2s. (157.2; tickets: 105.0) (charge: #64 10s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Jackson. Mainpiece [1st time in London; T 5, by John Jackson, 1st acted at Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, 13 Jan. 1777, as Gerilda. Larpent MS 448, which also lists the following unassigned parts: Halard, Bragances, Setoc, Bruno, Grindal, Clara. Authors of Prologue and Epilogue unknown]. [Robinson, who is identified in Morning Chronicle, 6 May, was from the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin.] Account-Book, 4 May: Paid Hull in lieu of a Benefit #100. Public Advertiser, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Jackson, Great Piazza, Covent Garden. Receipts: #188 15s. 6d. (99.19.6; tickets: 88.16.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Massey. Afterpiece: Never performed in London, written by the author of The Son-In-Law [John O'Keeffe; 1st acted at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 14 Jan. 1767. See also cg, 16 Mar. 1782, when it was acted as The Positive Man]. To begin at 7:00. Tickets delivered for the 4th instant will be taken. Tickets and places for the Boxes to be had of Rice at the Theatre, and of Massey, No.4, St. Martin's-street, Leicester-Fields

Event Comment: By Permission [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for Davis. 1st piece: Altered from [The Soldier's Fortune, by] Otway, by John Brownsmith. [not in Larpent MS; not published.] 2nd piece: A Poetical Interlude altered from Prior's Nut-brown Maid. 3rd piece: Altered to 3 acts. [Prologue by Shatford Jones. Author of Epilogue unknown. For authorship of 1st piece and prologue see Morning Chronicle, 25 Oct.] Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Tickets delivered for Davis and Wright will be admitted

Event Comment: Benefit for Lewis. Morning Chronicle, 15 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Lewis at his house, Broad-Court. Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years [not acted since 2 May 1758]. 2nd piece [1st time in London; INT I: ascribed to John Philip Kemble, 1st acted at York, 27 Mar. 1779]. Receipts: #230 5s. (192.9; tickets: 37.16) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; CO 2]: Written by the Author of the Son-in-Law [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture and New Musick composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [Text 1st published (unauthorized), Dublin, 1783.

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe; MS: Larpent 577; not published. The following season this was altered, and acted successfully as The Castle of Andalusia]: With new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations. A new Overture, and the whole of the Music under the Direction of Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Public Advertiser, 29 Nov.: The admirable first scene, the subterraneous Receptacle of the Banditti, is the production of the ingenious Mr Richards. Receipts: #182 10s. (180/12/6; 1/17/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe, altered from his The Banditti (see 28 Nov. 1781). Text in his Dramatic Works, Vol. 1 (T. Woodfall, 1798)]: With new Scenes [by Carver (O'Keeffe, u, 38)], Dresses, and a new Overture. The Selected Airs by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Giardini, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan, the Irish Bard. The Overture and New Airs composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [This was Sga Sestini's 1st appearance on the English-speaking stage. For several preceding seasons she had been a member of the Italian opera company performing at the King's.] "Sestini . . . was handsome, sprightly, and a good actress, if great exuberance of gesticulation, activity of motion, and affected Italian smorfie could make her one; but her voice was gritty and sharp (something like singing through a comb), and she was nothing of a singer, except for lively comic airs. Yet she was . . . long a favourite with the mass of the public, though not with the connoisseurs" (Mount-Edgcumbe, p. 33). Account-Book, 30 June 1783: Paid O'Keeffe in full for The Castle of Andalusia #368 18s. 6d. Receipts: #166 2s. 6d. (165/9/0; 0/13/6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; mf 2, by John Dent. Prologue by the author (see text)]: A new Overture and Songs by Hook. Account-Book, 19 Nov.: Paid Dent for his farce #100. Receipts: #84 17s. (53/14; 30/18; 0/5)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. Public Advertiser, 13 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 52, Margaret-street, Cavendish Square. Afterpiece [1st time; burl 2, by John O'Keeffe. MS: Larpent 616; not published]: Taken from the Italian of La Serva Padrona [by Gennaro Antonio Federico]. The Music chiefly the Original of Parosasi [i.e. Pergolesi, and so spelled on playbill of 17 Feb.]. The new Music composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #256 5s. 6d. (198/12/0; 7/3/6; tickets: 50/10/0) (charge: none listed)

Event Comment: Benefit for Wilson. 1st piece: Taken from Beaumont and Fletcher. 2nd piece [1st time; F 2, by John Dent. Prologue by Turner (see text)]. 4th piece: A Tragical, Comical, Operatical, Pastorical, Pantomimical, Farcical, Burlettical, Preludical, Interludical, Whimsical, Rhetorical, Diabolical, Oratorical Representation, being the most Comical Tragedy that ever was Tragedized by any Comical Company of Tragedians. With the Triumphal Entry of Chrononhotonthologos into Queerumania, attended with Drums, Trumpets, Fiddles, Flutes, Fifes, Flagelcts, Lutes, Bag-Pipes, Tabours and Pipes, Marrowbones and Cleavers, Post-Horns, French-Horns, Salt Box, Broomstickados, &c

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 2 years. [Prologue by Nicholas Rowe.] Afterpiece [1st time; co 2, by John O'Keeffe, altered from his The Shamrock (see CG, 7 Apr. 1783); published (1st authorized) as noted above]: The selected Music by the Author of the Piece. The Overture, new Airs and Accompaniments by Shield. With New Dresses, Scenery, &c. The Words of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Account-Book, 30 June 1784: Paid O'Keeffe for Copyright, &c. of The Poor Soldier #315. Receipts: #218 14s. (215/7; 3/7)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'Keeffe and Charles Bonnor; later (see 29 Jan. 1784) altered as Harlequin Rambler. MS: Larpent 642; not published; synopsis of action in Public Advertiser, 24 Dec]: The Overture and all the Music new, with entire new Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, Decorations and New Performers. The Pantomime invented by O'Keeffe, the Music composed by Shield, the Scenery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and others. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. Books of the Songs (T. Cadell, 1783) [which list no cast] to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #288 1s. (277/18; 10/3)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Lord Lumbcrcourt to Wilson, but "Lee Lewes was the substitute for Wilson, and far indeed better than the man he appeared for" (Public Advertiser, 31 Jan.).] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'KeerFe]: The Music composed by Shield. The Scenery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and others. The 1st Part of this Pantomime is an Alteration of the Last New One [Friar Bacon (see 23 Dec. 1783)], and the 2nd Part entirely new and never before exhibited. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. "If Macklin once loses the Catch Word he is gone irretrievably." At the end of the 3rd act, at half price, some apprentices coming into the pit talked so loudly that "Macklin stopped; he lost himself. ... He came to the Side of the Stage, and stooping down to the Talkers, said, 'Gentlemen, I must beg you to be silent; my Hearing and Recollection are not so perfect as they were; I cannot proceed for your Talking'" (Public Advertiser, 5 Feb.). Receipts: #286 14s. (282/15; 3/19)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Altered from Sir John Vanbrugh's The Relapse. Never perform'd here. [Miss Christian is identified in Public Advertiser, 9 Aug.]

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bannister. Afterpiece: Written by [John] O'Keeffe, Author of The Son-in-Law, Agreeable Surprise, Young Quaker, &c &c. Tickets to be had of Mrs Bannister, No. 6, Great Russel-strcet, Covent Garden

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MF 2, by John O'Keeffe. Text (ist authorized) in Cumberland's British Theatre, Vol. xxxi]: Written by the Author of The Agreeable Surprise, Son-in-Law, &c. The Overture and new Airs composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2]: Written by [John] O'Keeffe. [Prologue by the author (see text). Text 1st published in O'Keeffe's Dramatic Works, Vol. II (T. Woodfall, 1798).]

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by John O'Keeffe; incidental music by Dr Arnold. Text 1st published in O'Keeffe's Dramatic Works, vol. III (T. Woodfall, 1798)]