Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Pit and Boxes laid together, and Stage, for better accommodation of the Ladies, will be form'd into Front and Side Boxes. Tickets to be had of Barry at the corner of Bow St., and of Hobson at the Stage Door. [This month was printd The Town, a Satire by Wm. Kenrick, with especial attack upon Garrick and Garrick's plays. In Miss in her Teens, he boasts the strange pretense, To satire Coxcombs, while he murders sense." Kenrick is one of the few who criticizes Garrick (p. 21) for playing a low character Abel Drugger, rather than a king. He yields indirect praise to Janeton Auretti by blaming the town for cheering her dance, while neglecting the players: @Yet if Janeton shakes her slender feet@How loud the thunder clatters through the Pit.@ Prologue intended to have been spoken on the Revival of The Distress'd Mother, for the Benefit of Mr Barry, but omitted through some misunderstanding. Written by Mr Rolt, printed in Gentleman's Magazine, March 1748, p. 134.] Receipts: #270 (Cross); house charges, #60 (Powel); cash, #80 3s. 6d.; tickets, #118 5s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: We hear from the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, that as the Celebrated Opera Dido, wrote by Abbat Metastasio, and set to Musick by Sig Hasse, cannot be got ready for Representation till almost a fortnight, the Opera Lucius Verus (consisting of chosen Airs from the Compositions of Mr Handel) will be performed next Saturday (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: Benefit for Neale and Winstone. By Particular Desire. Tickets at the Kings Arms Tavern in Bond St., and of Hobson at the Stage Door where Places may be taken for the Boxes. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire, as well as Afterpiece. Dawson &-fought in long Field ye first kill'd on ye spot (Cross). Receipts: #160 (Cross); house charges, #63 (Powel); cash, #48 6s.; tickets, #109 5s. (Clay MS)

Event Comment: Play By Particular Desire. Last time of acting the Mainpiece this season. The Play of the Lover's Melancholy, and the Farce of the Club of Fortune Hunters, which were to have been acted this evening, for the Benefit of Mrs Macklin, are deferr'd till Thursday the 28th, on account of the Indisposition of Mr Barry; when tickets deliver'd out for the 22nd instant will be taken. Tomorrow, King Lear for the benefit of the suffers by the late fire. Receipts: #28 (Cross); #24 16s. 6d. (Powel)

Event Comment: This Day open'd for the Summer Season at the New Wells, Shepherd's Market [near Hyde Park corner]...the usual Diversions after which will be presented Gratis, etc. The Doors to be open'd each day at Two o'Clock. We hear, that the Opera La Semiramide Reconosciuta (in which Signora Cassarini is to act the part of a King) will be performed but twice (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: Written by Mr Johnson--went off very well for 4 acts, ye 5th Hiss'd greatly (Cross). 'Tis hop'd no Gentlemen will take it ill they can't be admitted behind the scenes. [Cast from first edition, but listed in order of actors given in General Advertiser, except Caraza -Burton omitted by General Advertiser, and Murza -King omitted from 1st edition.] Receipts: #180 (Cross); #194 11s. (Powel)

Event Comment: Other Decorations entirely new. A new Comic Opera [by Ciampi]. The New Comic Opera, entitled Le Tre Cicisbei Ridicoli, was perform'd last Tuesday at the King's Theatre in the Hay Market; though large Bills were stuck up in various Parts of the Town and Hand Bills dispers'd insinuating the Contrary (General Advertiser, 18 March)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Comedie in 5 Actes de Mr Baron. The alleged deposition of Wm Davison:...he on the 17th Day of November being the second Night of the French Strollers acting at the Theatre in the Haymarket, was at the Sign of the Globe, a Publick House about Nine of the Clock that Night, where this Deponent saw John Haines, one of the Waiters at the said Tavern, and several other Persons, to the Number of 16, dressed like Chairmen, each of which had a great Bludgeon in his Hand, which he put under his Coat, in order to hide the same, but in such a manner as this Deponent was capable of seeing said Bludgeons;...and was informed by several Persons of credit that they and others to the number of 30, were hired by Lord Trentham to protect the French Strollers from any Attempt that might be made to prevent their Acting [claims Haines had a list of their names and told them Lord Trentham would need them again on other nights] notarized before John Waple, 24 Nov. [Lord Trentham offered a fifty pound reward for the original copy of the above affidavit.] John Haynes...maketh Oath...that he...never had any Conversation directly or indirectly, with Lord Trentham, relating to the French Players, nor did the said Lord Trentham dine at the King's Arms on 17 Nov., nor did this Deponent see the said Lord Trentham on that Day, nor for several Days before, nor did the Deponent make use of the said Lord Trentham's name, in any conversation at the Globe Alehouse the said Lord Trentham was not in the least privy to this Deponent's going to the said little Theatre on the said 17th of Nov. with several Persons as mentioned in the affidavit or pretended affidavit of Wm Davison...Sworn the 26th Day of Nov., before me, H. Fielding. [This notice repeated in the General Advertiser for a week. The French players departed for France on 28 Dec.

Event Comment: Libretto-Goldoni; Music-Ciampi; first performance in England. An Opera...Pit & Boxes 8s. Gallery 4s. To begin exactly at six. This Opera was advertised for the King's Theatre on Saturday last, by Mistake (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: Both pieces By Command of His Majesty. Present the King, the Duke, and Princess Amelia. Receipts: #193

Event Comment: Benefit for ye encrease of a fund for ye support of a publick Charity [Lock Hospital] (Cross(. Rec'd cash #76 17s. 6d., plus #123 16s. from tickets; Total #200 13s. 6d. Paid Moor for pair breeches for Garrick #1 5s.; Paid 1 year's subscription to H. Park Hospital #10 10s.; To Garrick by George Garrick #7 10s.; Paid King playing S. Doctor #1 1s. by order of Lacy (Treasurer's Book). Last time of performing till the Holidays. Receipts: #160 (Cross); charges, #63 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: We hear that Mr Monette, who brought over the French Comedians having been four months under confinement in the King's Bench, on account of the Debts he had contracted in that Undertaking, has applied to the Managers of Drury Lane, for a Benefit Play, in hope that the Goodness and Generosity of the Public will contribute to his enlargement, and enable him to return to his own country (General Advertiser)

Event Comment: MMr Barry flew from his articles & engag'd with Rich; Mrs Cibber (who did not play last season) is also engag'd there--Y: King went to Ireland--Macklin and Wife came from thence to Mr Rich (Cross). Passage open'd from Russel St. into the boxes where Ladies and Gentlemen may be set down from their coaches, and there is likewise a better accommodation made for Chairs to come up to the House, and be kept in waiting, at the end of the Passage from Bridges St. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. First Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr Hobson at the stage door of the Theatre. [The notice about the Passage was continued through 20 Sept. The notice about prices was customary throughout the season. Neither will be repeated further here.] Receipts: #110 (Cross)

Event Comment: BBarry's Occasional Prologue printed in the General Advertiser.@ When Vice or Folly over-runs a State@Weak Politicians lay the blame on Fate.@When Rulers useful subjects cease to prize,@'And damn for arts that caus'd themselves to rise:'@When jealousies and fears possess the throne,@And kings allow no merit--but their own,@Can it be strange that men for flight prepare,@And strive to raise a Colony elsewhere?@This custom has prevail'd in every Age,@And has been sometime practis'd on the Stage.@ For--Entre Nous--these Managers of Merit,@Who fearless arm,--"and take the Field with Spirit,"@Have curb'd as Monarchs with their haughty Mien,@And Herod--have out Heroded--within (Pointing to the Green Room)@O! they can torture twenty-thousand ways:@Make bouncing Bajazet retreat from Bayes.@The Ladies too with every power to charm@Whose face and fire an anchorite might warm@Have felt the fury of the Tyrant's arm.@By selfish arts expell'd our ancient Seat,@In search of Candour--and in search of Meat,@We, from your favour, hope for this retreat.@If Shakespear's passion, or if Johnson's art@Can fire the Fancy, or can warm the heart,@That task be ours;--But if you damn their scenes@And heroes must give way to Harlequins,@We too, can have recourse to mime and dance,@Nay, there I think, we have the better chance,@And should the Town grow weary of the Mute,@Why--we'll produce a Child upon the flute.@But be the food as 'twill, 'tis you that treat!@Long have they feasted--permit us now to eat!

Event Comment: This day is publish'd a Guide to the Stage; or Select Instructions and Precedents from the best Authorities towards forming a polite Audience; with some account of the Players, &c. Printed and sold by D. Job, at the Spread Eagle in King St. [An ironical post-Addisonian quip at theatrical behavior]: I boldly enter the lists as the first champion for theatric decorum. The next thing to be consider'd is disapprobation, which I think may be sufficiently shewn, by an attention to something else, by loud discourse, profuse laughter, and the like. I cannot help thinking it a little out of character, for a polite audience to distort their features by a hiss: however for the sake of some ambitious youths, who thus love to signalize themselves, I shall leave a new play to their mercy. They then are at liberty to exercise their several talents whether they hiss or groan most successfully, or have a greater genius for the cat-call. If you desire to know when you are to shew your dislike, my answer is, when anything displeases you, or in fine when you will provided you have a strong party to second you; for the best hiss or groan in the universe may be drown'd in a general applause. [Never laugh at what passes on stage save it be an error, blunder, or accident. In tragic scenes avoid being visibly moved by humming a tune, regarding the audience, engaging in conservation, or turning your back to the stage. When a female social rival calls attention to herself and away from the stage, let fall your handkerchief into the pit, or call out to an acquaintance in the opposite box, or burst into loud and unexpected laughter. You'll know when to applaud, for the actors will tell you.] On these occasions Cato looks more than unusually big, Hamlet stares with great emphasis, Othello has a most languishing aspect, Monimia is all sighs and softness, Beatrice will bridle, and pretty Peggy Wildair leers you into a clap. Receipts: #170 (Cross)

Event Comment: The play of King Henry IV is deferr'd on account of the Indisposition of Mr Barry

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Bellamy. Ladies send servants by 3 o'clock. Tickets of Miss Bellamy at her house in King St., James's Square, and at stage door. Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Ward. Tickets to be had of Mrs Ward, next door to the Chapel, in Little Wild St., and of Hobson at the stage door. Tickets deliver'd out for Jane Shore will be taken. A Pamphlet having lately appeared in Ridicule of the late performance of Othello at Drury Lane, to which was subjoined an Advertisement in my name,from whence Occasion has been taken to assert, that I was the publisher, the Publick may be assured that advertisement was inserted without my knowledge or consent, that I am entirely ignorant of the Author, nor am the least concerned in that mean invidious affair. F. Stamper (General Advertiser). [Stamper possibly refers to A satirical Dialogue Humbly address'd to the Gentlemen who deformed the play of Othello; with a Prologue and Epilogue, much more suitable to the occasion than their own. London: River, 1751, listed in the Register of Books, Gentleman's Magazine, March 1751, p. 142. Stamper may also be alluding in some way to a Modern Character introduced in the Scenes of Vanbrugh's Aesop as it was acted at a late private representation of King Henry IV, performed gratis at the Little Opera House in the Haymarket, 3rd edn. 1751, written by F. Stamper. It was published because the farce was hissed off the stage. The Character is a Spouter who tries to instruct Aesop in heroics.] Receipts: #210 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Ray, W. Vaughan, G. Burton & ye Sub-Treasurer (Cross). Tickets of Ray, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, St Clement's Church; at the Black Swan Tavern, in Bartholomew Lane; the Old King's Head Tavern, Facing Somerset House; For Vaughan, at the One Ton Coffee House, St. James' Market; for Burton, at Pope's next the Stage Door, Russel St.; and of Hobson at the Stage Door. Tickets deliver'd for the Lady's Last Stake, or the Wife's Resentment will be taken. Receipts: #214 (Cross)

Event Comment: By His Majesty's Command. King, Duke, Princess, P. of Wales & P. Edward (Cross). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMr Mossop did Bajazet -Oh (Cross). [Inspector No 211, in Daily Advertiser and Literary Gazette commented on the magnificent performance of Garrick and Miss Bellamy in King Lear the preceding Saturday.] Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: By Command of ye King (Cross). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Norton Amber, formerly a Patentee, & Banker, now Pit Doorkeeper (Cross), late of the Strand (Winston MS 7). Tickets to be had at Mr Pierce's at the Castle Tavern, Corner of Henrietta Street, in Bedford Street, Covent Garden; Mr Frye's a Hosier, the Corner of James Street, Long Acre; King Street Coffee House, near Guild Hall; Batson's Coffee House, Cornhill; and at the Theatre. Places will be taken at the Stage Door of the theatre. This Day publish'd, Young Scarron, at 2s. 6d. sew'd, 3s. bound. Dedicated to the managers of both theatres. "The Stage reproves the follies of the age. For once we'll laugh at Follies of the Stage." Anon. Printed for T. Tyre, near Gray's Inn Holborn and W. Reeve in Fleet St. (General Advertiser). A comical and satirical account of summer strolling players: "When the time draws near that the Theatres Royal disband their troops, or rather grant their furloses till the next Campaign, each private Man becomes an Officer; and they who for nine months before submitted to Monarchical Government, now form themselves into several republicks for the remaining three. Then each Hero takes the path of his own ambition...The various whimsical disputes that arise from this kind of Emulation, are, in part the subject of the following sheets" (173 pp. Written by Thomas Mozeen, Biographia Dramatica). Receipts: #220 (Cross)