Event Comment: Benefit for Messrs Grimaldi, Messink and Giorgi

Event Comment: Paid Mr Thos. Smith per order Mr D. G. #31 10s.; Barrow andCo for oil #52. Receipts: #149 5s

Event Comment: Paid half year's land tax to Mich. last #27 4s. 6d.; Ditto Window lights #13 18s. 1d.; Hopkins, Prompter's bill for last season #7 19s.; Mrs Whitlock, sundry bills #26 8s. 9d. Receipts: #98 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Fanny first time Miss P. Hopkins-very well and great applause (Hopkins Diary). The altered Comedy of Old City Manners, which was to have been performed this evening, for the author, is oblig'd to be deferr'd till Monday next on account of Mr Dodd's illness, when tickets deliver'd for this night will be taken. Receipts: #154 17s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

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: Afterpiece: performed for the last time this season. Paid salary list #623 6s. 6d. Receipts: #145 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Powell. Ladies send Servants by 3 o'clock (playbill). Othello (for first time) Mr Powell. This Night there was the greatest over flow ever known. the Crowd was so great it prevented the Ladies from coming into the Boxes till near Seven o clock at half past Six begun the play. As the Ladies were not come into the Boxes, being prevented by passage being Stopt up by the Crowd the Gentlemen Cry'd out. off off &c. Mr King & Mr Havard remaind on the Stage some time but the Noise increasing. Mr King address'd the Audience & told them it would be equally agreeable to the performers to stay half an hour longer, upon which there was a great Clap & the Curtain was drop'd & a quarter before Seven begun the play again. N.B. The Farce was hiss'd all thro'(Hopkins). This night one of the greatest overflows that ever was known. The crowd was so great it preventdd the ladies from coming to their places in the boxes till near seven o'clock-At half past six the play began, and in the first scene they cried Off, off.' Mr King and Mr Havard remained on the Stage some time; but the noise increasing, Mr King went forward and said, It would be equally agreeable to the performers to stay half an hour longer, before they began-upon which there was a great clap, and the curtain was dropped; and in about a Quarter of an hour began the play again (Hopkins Diary-MacMillan). Receipts: #268 11s. (MacMillan). charges. #64 9s. [Profit to Powell: #204 2s.

Event Comment: Benefit for King. House charges #67 2s. (Treasurer's Book). N.B. Dido is oblig'd to be deferr'd a few days (playbill). Paid Blandford (tallow chandler) #29 18s. 6d.; Paid Mr Pinto for 3 sets of symphonies #1 11s. 6d. B. Jonson's Head #1 19s. 1d.; Mrs Pritchard's gratuity #10 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Put on my old clothes and at 5 went to Drury Lane, found the Pit and 2s. gallery quite full, at last had myself squeezed into the Pit, where I was most woefully pressed, but saw very well and got a seat ere the farce began. The play was Cymbeline, with The Deuce is in Him. This play pleases me. The dresses were tolerably proper, ye scenes (particularly that of Imogen's chamber and the Cave) pretty and ye performance of ye principal characters good, but having never read the play, lost a great deal of the effect. Imogen, Mrs Yates, she is very hoarse. In Act II a Masquerade Dance, with singing by Mrs Vincent. After Act III the Vintage. After the play, King in the character of Linco, with Dorcas and others of his neighbors, asking him questions, partly spoke and partly sang, for this night only,-a new very humorous little piece called Linco's Travels, particularly in England. Glad I did not go to the other House, tho I wished to see Macklin, who played there this night only for his daughter's benefit. When the Farce began, the Gods (as those in the Upper Gallery are called) called for the Prologue, on which Packer came on and said, Mr King has not spoke the Prologue this winter, and is now dressing to play in the Farce and hopes the Audience will excuse him." Miss Pope and Miss Plym coming on again were hissed off, and after we had waited some minutes longer, King spoke the Prologue, which was lucky for me who had never heard him speak it. The gods called for it on Monday last, but desisted on the above excuse being made. Almost eleven ere all was over. I now know all the entrances into the Pit and Gallery at Drury Lane (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for King. Part of Pit laid into the Boxes. Mainpiece: Not performed for 10 years. [See 14 Oct. 1761. The Wishing Cap is Larpent MS 350. It discusses Fortunatus' Cap as King conceived several people would use it--the miser, the cit, the adolescent maid, the gossip, Hodge, &c.: "Thus in several spheres of life we find@Wishing appears the madness of Mankind." He closes with the Cap on his head wishing for applause.] Receipts: #207 6s. Charges: #64 9s. Profits to King: #142 15s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for King. 1st piece: Altered [by MacNamara Morgan] from The Winter's Tale. 2nd piece [1st time; C 3, by Thomas King. Not in Larpent MS; not published]: An Alteration, never yet performed, of Sir John Vanburgh's [sic] Mistake. Public Advertiser, 10 Feb.: Tickets to be had of King, at his house in Gerrard-street. Receipts: #321 2s. 6d. (249.14.0; 4.8:6; tickets: 67.0.0)

Event Comment: Charles II to Madame, 10 Dec. 1663: I am just now going to see a new play (C. H. Hartmann, Charles II and Madame[1934], p. 89). The Duke's Company. W. J. Lawrence, in a review of Boswell, The Restoration Court Stage, in Modern Language Review, XXVIII (1933), 103, suggests that it was The Step-Mother which was given on this occasion. The edition of 1664 lists: The Prologue to the King at the Cockpit at White-Hall. The Epilogue to the King

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Arne. Afterpiece: By Desire. House Charges #68 16s. 6d. [Profits to Mrs Arne #150 18s. 6d.] Tickets deliver'd for The Beggar's Opera will be admitted. Dido oblig'd to be defer'd a few days. Paid 1 year's Watch for St Martin's #10 2s.; Reynolds Oil bill #46 4s.; Carpue (silk dyer) #7 9s. 6d.; Jennings (glover) #13 12s.; Vernon on note #21; Chorus 1 night #2 5s. 6d.; Hautboy 5s.; Salary list #294 2s. 8d. [Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #219 14s. (Treasurer's Book). At 4 dined at the Chop House in St Clements. At 5 went to Drury Lane to see the Tempest for the benefit of Mrs Arne the prettiest performer at the house...She has a sweet little voice...A grand Dance of Fantastic Spirits in different shapes. At the end of the play a Double Hornpipe by Mr Walker and Miss Tatley. We had the entertainment of Daphne and Amintor with dancing by Sg and Sga George, Sg Tessoni, Miss King, &c. Having a seat in the third row of the Pit, was much pleased as all the principal characters were well played and the scenery is very fine. Had I been later in going, I should not have got in (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: This Comedy written by Mr Kelly was brought on the Stage by Capt. Addington as his own was well perform'd & receiv'd with great Applause (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Rec'd stopages #24 12s. 6d.; Paid salary list #529 2s.; Mr King's extra salary #3; Miss Brooker, 8 weeks not on list #8. (Treasurer's Book). [Mainpiece reviewed favorably by the Westminster Magazine: "He that cannot relish such a pleasing picture of Manners with such powerful Sentiments, so interesting a Fable, and so striking a Moral, must be a churl indeed."] Receipts: #244 15s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid 3 day's salary at #100 12s. 6d. per diem #301 17s. 6d. Salaries short-paid last week #168 8s. 6d.; Tabor and Pipe #3 13s. 6d. Louchre [Lauchery] #8 8s. Mr Abington #2; Mr King #3; (Treasurer's Book). [The payment to King was the first of 37 similar ones for extra salary amounting to #111. That to Mrs Abington was the first of weekly payments for her clothes account, amounting to #60 for the season. No further mention will be made of these items.] Receipts: #265 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [From the Middlesex Journal (7-9 Oct.) quoted by Hampden, Eighteenth Century Journal: "The Way of the World, though confessedly replete with wit and character, is not the most entertaining play in representation. It is so full of plot and intrigue, that it demands an Unusual degree of attention in the performers and audience to excite admiration. On Saturday they seemed averse to assist the author. Mr King in Witwou'd was as entertaining and full of spirits as usual. Mr Jefferson in the gay admired Mirabel (independent of the antique mode of his wig, and formal cut of his clothes, which surely were both uncharacteristic) seemed in attempting to be quite natural, to keep the entire plot of the play in his own bosom, looked more like the father than the Mirabel of Congreve. Mr Reddish was a contrast to his friend Mirabel; he seemed attentive nervous, and played the latter part of his character well....Mrs Abington's person, manner and dress were fashionable and elegant; but though the character was certainly a fine one, there was a want of that spirit best calculated to call her powers into action: her delivery was tediously formal; and had the audience been deprived of their sight they would conclude that Capt. Bobadill had got into petticoats. Her dress was no more decent than Madam Hidou's was on her first appearance last year; stays so low cut before puts modesty to the blush; and will not be countenanced by an English audience, though made after the French fashion....Mrs Greville, to convince the town that she could keep a secret, whispered it to only a few friends in the Pit....her indifference is intolerable, and should be noticed by her employer."

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 20 years. [See 11 Nov. 1752.] Characters New Dressed in the Habits of the Times. This play is alter'd by Mr Colman and receiv'd with Some Applause, but it don't seem to hit the present Taste a few hisses at the End (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly.] Paid salary list #630 1s. 6d.; Widow Hunter #2 2s.; King's glass bill #3 17s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). [Mainpiece reviewed and contrasted with the original in the Westminster Magazine for Jan.: "Upon the whole we cannot esteem this a striking comedy, even with the assistance it has now received,--the fine manner in which it is got up, and the great expence which the managers have been at in habiting the whole dramatis personae in splendid and characteristic Old English dresses. All the actors except Mr King and Mr Parsons performed but indifferently. Bensley is the worst Old Man we ever saw. He presents the countenace of a sickly old woman; and the uniform goggle of his eye, by which he means to express infirmity and distress is the look of a man in anguish from the colic. Mr Palmer, Mr Brereton, and Mr Davis have a bloated vulgarity about them, which should ever deter the manager from assigning them the parts of cavaliers or men of fashion. Baddeley, as usual, overdid his part, and Mr Yates, as usual, was not very perfect in his."] Receipts: #192 11s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by David Garrick. Epilogue by George Colman elder (London Chronicle, 9 May). Text 1st published (unauthorized), Dublin, 1780]: With New Scenes and Dresses. "No modern theatrical piece ever met with a fuller success, nor deserved it more... The performers deserve every sort of commendation for their spirited exertion in supporting the respective characters, especially Smith, King and the incomparable Mrs Abington" (Gazetteer, 9 May). "To my great astonishment there were more parts performed admirably in The School for Scandal than I almost ever saw in any play. Mrs Abington was equal to the first of her profession, Yates (the husband), Parsons, Miss Pope, and Palmer, all shone. It seemed a marvellous resurrection of the stage. Indeed, the play had as much merit as the actors. I have seen no comedy that comes near it since The Provoked Husband" (Walpole [13 July 1777], X, 82). Receipts: #224 10s. (215.12.0; 8.14.6; 0.3.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for King. 2nd piece: Not acted for more than 20 years [acted 14 May 1782]. The Dialogue by Garrick and King. The Music by Michael Arne and Vernon. Tickets delivered for Friday May 5 [for which day the benefit was first announcedP will be admitted. True Briton, 6 May: Tickets to be had of King, No. 56, New Store-street, Bedford-Square. Receipts: #290 9s. 6d. (111.5.6; 58.4.6; 4.16.0; tickets: 116.3.6) (charge: #211 18s.)

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: To the King's playhouse, where two acts were almost done when I come in; and there I sat with my cloak about my face, and saw the remainder of The Mayd's Tragedy; a good play, and well acted, especially by the younger Marshall, who is become a pretty good actor, and is the first play I have seen in either of the houses since before the great plague, they having acted now about fourteen days publickly. But I was in Mighty pain lest I should be seen by any body to be at a play. Elegy on that Worthy and Famous Actor, Mr Charles Hart, who departed this Life Thursday August the 18th., 1683: @Such Pow'r He had o'r the Spectators gain'd,@As forc'd a Real passion from a Feign'd.@For when they saw Amintor bleed, straight all@The House, for every Drop, a Tear let fall;@And when Arbaces wept by sympathy,@A glowing Tide of Wo gush'd from each Eye.@ [Reprinted in Thorn-Drury, A Little Ark, pp. 47ff; Sprague, Beaumont and Fletcher, p.38.

Event Comment: The King's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and Willett and I to the King's playhouse, and there saw Henry the Fourth; and contrary to expectation, was pleased in nothing more than in Cartwright's speaking of Falstaffe's speech about "What is Honour?" The house full of Parliamentmen, it being holyday with them: and it was observable how a gentleman of good habit, sitting just before us, eating of some fruit in the midst of the play, did drop down as dead, being choked; but with much ado Orange Moll did thrust her finger down his throat, and brought him to life again

Event Comment: The King's Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@12, p. 17: King & Queene. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 344