Event Comment: Afterpiece: The Music composed by Storace. [In afterpiece the playbill assigns Nelly to Miss Redhead, but on the BM playbill (Harris, Vol. IV) her name is deleted and a MS annotation substitutes Mrs Bramwell's.] Paid Chorus to 25th Inst. #22 10s.; Supernumeraries #32 9s. Powell: Jew rehearsed at 10. Receipts: #436 10s. 6d. (356/2/0; 77/1 9/0; 1/5/6; tickets not come in: 1/4/0)

Event Comment: [The playbill for this night announces as mainpiece MUCH ADO ABOUT NOT HING, but "The Publick are most respectfully informed that, on account of the sudden indisposition of a Principal Performer, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING cannot be acted. This Evening will be presented AS YOU LIKE IT" (printed slip attached to BM playbill, Harris, Vol. IV). "Mrs Kemble being ill, Miss Collins play'd Celia for Mrs Kemble and Miss Heard Phebe for Miss Collins" (Powell). Since Powell mentions no other changes, it may be assumed that the cast was otherwise the same as on 25 Apr.] Receipts: #208 8s. (127/1/6; 77/0/0; 4/6/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett. 3rd piece: By permission of Thomas Harris, Esq.; never acted at this theatre, and for that night only. [Address by Thomas Hurlstone (Morning Herald, 25 Aug.)]. Morning Herald, 19 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Fawcett at his house, No. 9, Tottenham-Court-Road, opposite Howland-street

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnstone. 1st piece: with Grand Naval Review, as 20 Aug. 3rd piece: By the permission of Thomas Harris, Esq.; never acted at this Theatre. [Mrs Fawcett was from CG.] Morning Chronicle, 23 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Johnstone, No. 19, Piazza, Covent Garden

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Altered into Three Acts. "All the comic part of the play is cut out" (Monthly Mirror, Dec. 1795, p. 123). Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by William Pearce]: The Incidents principally selected from the legendary Ballads of the 13th Century. The Scenery, Machinery, Music, Dresses and Decorations entirely new, and in correct conformity to the Times. The Pantomime invented by Mr Lonsdale. The Songs written by Mr O'Keeffe. The Overture and the Music (with the exception of a few Antient Ballad Tunes) by Reeve. The Dances invented by Byrn. [The concluding Grand Scene regulated by Thomas Harris (Monthly Mirror, supra).] The Scenery painted by Hodgins, Lupino, Phillips, Thorne, Hollogan, Blackmore, and assistants. The Machinery by Sloper and Goosetree. The Dresses by Dick and Mrs Egan. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [For a further assignment of the Vocal Characters and for a more detailed synopsis, see 4 Jan. 1796.] Account-Book, 16 Jan. 1796: Paid Goosetree for the Keep and Hire of Horses for the Pantomime #15 13s. Receipts: #321 19s. (318.10; 3.9)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Thomas Morton. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald. Epilogue by Edward Topham ( see text)]: With new Scenery, Dresses, &c. [Oracle, 1 Feb. 1796, recounts the financial transactions relative to this play. Thomas Harris, the cg proprietor, bought the copyright from Morton for #140; he was also to give Morton #100 on each of his benefit nights, i.e. the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 21st of the run of the play. Morton's profit was therefore #540.] Receipts: #281 16s. 6d. (278.9.6; 3.7.0)

Event Comment: [There are two BM playbills (Harris, Vol. V) for this night. The first announces First Love, in place of The Iron Chest, advertised on playbill of 15 Mar. The second carries the notice: The Publick are most respectfully informed that, on account of the Indisposition of a principal Performer, First Love cannot be performed. This evening will be presented [as above]. "The second performance of The Iron Chest was to have taken place on Thursady; but not being quite raady, the intended substitute was First Love. The absence, however, of some performers occasioned another change, and the substitute was A Trip to Scarborough. The return being non est inventus with respect to Barrymore, the character of Colonel Townly was wholly omitted, but not missed" (True Briton, 19 Mar).] Receipts: #249 18s. (232.6.6; 16.19.6; tickets not come in: 0.12.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dodd. [In afterpiece the playbill assigns Solyman to Benson, but on the BM playbill (Harris, Vol. V) his name is deleted and a MS annotation substitutes Barrymore's.] Morning Herald, 22 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Dodd, No. 8, Southampton-row, Bloomsbury. Receipts: #395 8s. 6d. (136.8.0; 44.16.6; 0.6.0; tickets: 211.19.0; odd money: 1.19.0) (charge: #212 11s. 1d.)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Kemble, but "The Publick are respectfully informed that Kemble having been attacked in the course of Last Night with a violent Pleurisy, which confines him to his Bed, Charles Kemble has undertaken to read the part of Mahmoud, and hopes for your kind Indulgence" (printed slip attached to BM playbill (Harris, Vol. V)). Afterpiece in place of The First Floor advertised on playbill of 3 May.] Receipts: #315 4s. (252.6.6; 60.19.0; 1.9.6; tickets not come in: 0.9.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Thomas Morton. Prologue by William Thomas Fitzgerald; Epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews (see text)]: With new Scenes and Dresses. True Briton, 19 Jan.: Morton was paid #400, and #150 "for the Copy-right, which Harris has purchased." Ibid., 27 Mar.: This Day was published A Cure for the Heart Ache (2s.). Receipts: #237 15s. (236.0; 1.15)

Event Comment: [In 1st piece the playbill retains Mrs Siddons as Lady Macbeth, but "The Publick is most respectfully informed that Mrs Siddons, being suddenly taken ill...Lady Macbeth will be performed by Mrs Powell, who having undertaken the part at a very short notice, humbly intreats their indulgence" (printed slip attached to BM playbill, Harris, Vol. V).] 3rd piece: Engagement as 6 Mar. Receipts: #173 18s. 6d. (106.18.6; 62.19.6; 4.0.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett. 3rd piece: By permission of T. Harris, Esq.; never acted at this theatre. True Briton, 29 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Fawcett at his house, No. 10, Golden-square

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Jordan as Lydia Languish, but "The Publick are respectfully informed that Mrs Jordan's sudden indisposition prevents her appearing this evening. The part of Lydia Languish will be performed by Miss Mellon" (printed slip attached to BM playbill, Harris, Vol.VI).] Receipts: #193 2s. (127.19; 61.1; 4.2)

Event Comment: "Incledon is no longer under any engagement at Covent-garden Theatre; having shewn a good deal of restiveness at being obliged to sing in the after-piece of Joan of Arc, he applied to Mr Harris on Friday [16 Feb.] to deliver him up his articles, which was instantly complied with" (Times, 19 Feb.). [On 22 Feb. and 15 Mar. Incledon acted, by Command; but not again until 14 Apr.] Receipts: #256 18s. 6d. (239.10.6; 17.8.0)

Event Comment: [The playbill announces A Trip to Scarborough, but in Kemble playbill it is deleted, and the two farces listed above inserted in a contemporary hand. The BM playbill (Harris, Vol. VI) and the Account-Book note the same change.] Receipts: #231 5s. (149.19.0; 78.1.6; 3.4.6)

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but Lucyle Hook, James Brydges Drops in at the Theatre, Huntington Library Bulletin, VIII (1945), 309, speculates that James Brydges' attendance at lif this day may have been prompted by his seeing this new play, as he stayed longer than he often did at a theatrical performance. The comedy was certainly acted before 12 March 1699@1700. James Brydges, Diary: I went to ye play in Lincolns inn fields, where I met Sr G. Coply, who set me down after it was ended (Huntington MS St 26). Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, p. 45: The Way of the World, a Comdey wrote by Mr Congreve, twas curiously Acted; Madam Bracegirdle performance her Part so exactly and just, gain'd the Applause of Court and City; but being too Keen a Satyr, had not the Success the Company Expected