Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bland. Afterpiece: By permission of the Proprietors of the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane. Times, 18 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bland, No. 25, King-street, Covent-garden

Event Comment: Mainpiece: With Alterations [by John Philip Kemble. In his version, as published in 1793, Lewis is assigned to Barrymore, Helena to Mrs Siddons, the Countess to Mrs Ward, Diana to Mrs Powell. Genest lists the present cast; it appears to be reliable. He omits Phillimore, who is assigned in the text, and Miss Tidswell]. A new Edition of All's Well that Ends Well to be had in the Theatre. Afterpiece: With a Sea Fightv. Powell: Drummer rehearsed at 10; Critic at 11:30; Cherokee at 1. Receipts: #282 1s. (178.19; 99.16; 3.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Andrew Franklin]: The Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations entirely new. The Overture and Musick composed by Florio. The Scenes, designed by Greenwood, and painted by him, Banks, and assistants. The Machinery, Dresses and Decorations designed by Johnston, and executed by him, Gay, and Underwood. The Female Dresses designed and made under the direction of Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "With thy exception of Pizarro, this is one of the most magnificent spectacles the stage has for some time produced. The dresses...are attended with particular accuracy to the costume of the country...and the scenery is locally correct" (Monthly Mirror, Mar. 1800, p. 173). "As a singer [Mme Mara's] powers are indisputable; but as a performer she exhibits herself in a light which alternately provokes our ridicule and pity. Her delivery is an absolute libel on the profession. To the defects of a foreign pronunciation she joins a natural impediment of speech, which partakes too strongly of a lisp to warrant her bearing part in the prose dialogue of a play. What could possibly induce her to appear before the public under such disadvantages, unless she did it in compliment to the composer, we are at a loss to conjecture; nor less are we puzzled to account for the supineness of an audience which can patiently tolerate such puny efforts" (Dramatic Censor, I, 347-48). Morning Chronicle, 14 June 1800: This day is published The Egyptian Festival (2s.). Receipts: #320 18s. 6d. (277.6.6; 42.8.0; 1.4.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Bland and Mrs Powell. Afterpiece: 1st Time this Season [see 9 Oct. 1790]. Morning Chronicle, 4 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Bland, No. 93, Strand; of Mrs Powell, No. 12, Little Russel-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #248 9s. (59.17; 21.19; 3.7; tickets: 163.6) (charge: #115 16s. 10d.)

Event Comment: 3rd piece [1st time; MF 2, by George Brewer]: The Musick by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Morning Herald; 6 July 1796: This Day is published Bannian Day (1s.). Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. 1st Gallery 2s. 2nd Gallery 1s. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Places for the Boxes to be had of Rice, at the Theatre. [On this evening the following performers appeared both at dl and at the hay: Suett, Caulfield, Trueman, R. Palmer, Burton, Miss Leak, Miss Heard

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 2, by George Colman, ynger]: With new Musick, Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations. The Musick entirely new, composed by Kelly with an overture by Dussek]. The Scenes designed and executed by Greenwood? Jun, with the assistance of Chalmers and Banks. The Machinery, Decorations and Dresses designed and under the direction of Johnston, and executed by him, Underwood and Gay. The Female Dresses designed and executed by Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "We have to congratulate the town on the acquisition of three admirable dramatic writers, in the persons of Johnston, Greenwood, and Miss Rein, who have here exhibited a specimen of the Sublime and Beautiful which it will be difficult, indedd, to surpass" (Monthly Mirror, Jan. 1799, p. 47). [This piece is "an exhibition of music and dialogue, pantomime and dancing, painting and machinery, antique dresses and armour, thunder and lightning, fire and water, illumination, processions, banquets, battles, sieges, explosions, and everything that can surprize, enchant or terrify the spectators" (Morning Chronicle, 21 Jan.). Morning Chronicle, 16 Feb. 1799: This Day is published Feudal Times (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #483 15s. 6d. (381.10.6; 100.6.6; 1.18.6)

Event Comment: Benefit Jones, Mrs Bland, Mrs Gondou, Miss Ferguson, Miss Morrison (General Advertiser). Benefit Charles Jones, son of the late Jere Jones who formerly kept the Selectation Tavern at Billingsgate (Daily Advertiser)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: To conclude with a Grand Procession of the Hundred Knights of Chivalry, and the Representation of an Ancient Tournament, under the direction of Dubois. [These were included in all subsequent performances.] With a new Overture and new Additional Musick, by Storace, Shaw, and other Eminent Masters. And new Dresses, Decorations and Machinery. [Miss Redhead is identified in Kemble Mem.] Account-Book, 20 Dec. 1792: Paid Kemble to purchase horses for Cymon #180 14s. 6d. (223.11.6; 55.4.0; 3.19.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by James Hook Jun. Larpent MS 1065; not published; synopsis of plot in Pocket Magazine, May 1795, p. 334]: The Musick composed by Hook? Sen. The Scenes, Dresses, Decorations and Machinery are entirely new. The Scenery of the Opera designed and painted by Greenwood and Capon. The Masque and Decorations by Marinari. The Machinery by Cabanel and Jacobs.The Dresses by Johnston and Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. [Afterpiece in place of The Adopted Child, advertised on playbill of 5 May.] Receipts: #269 8s. (213.0.6; 53.16.0; 2.11.6)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 2 (?), by William Linley. Also attributed to Cordal Powel, librarian to the Prince of Wales (London Chronicle, 19 Jan. 1796). Larpent MS 1106; not published, except for Airs (C. Lowndes, 1796). Synopsis of action in Pocket Magazine, Jan. 1796, p. 59]. The Musick composed by W. Linley. The Scenes [for a description of which see Theatre Notebook, 1965, XIX, p. 58] entirely new, and painted by Greenwood. The Machinery and Decorations by Cabanel, Johnston and Jacobs. The Dresses by Johnston and Miss Rein. Nothing under Full Prince will be taken. Account-Book, 22 Jan.: Paid Wm. Linley for music of new pantomime #25. Receipts: #619 3s. (608.9; 10.14)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; P 3 (except for 1st two performances, which were 2), by James Harvey D'Egville. Synopsis of action (C. Lowndes [1795])]: A Representation calculated to shew the extent and powers of the New Stage, and which has been in preparation during the whole of the Season (notice on playbill of 10 Feb.). The Musick composed by Krazinsky Miller. The Scenes, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations are entirely new. The Scenery designed and executed by Marinari, and his Assistants. The Machinery designed by Cabanel, and executed by him and Jacobs. The Dresses and Decorations by Johnston and Miss Rein. Powell: [The pantomime] was astonishingly well received, except the chorus of 'Happy Pair' at the end, which was so shamefully managed that the performers met with, what they much deserved, great disapprobation. The acting of the piece was in general well conducted, but the Processionv [The Piece will conclude with the Entry of Alexander into Babylonv, and his Marriage with Statirav (playbill)], for want of room to arrange behind, was unavoidably sent on in a very confused manner...Alexander's car could not be sent on this evening, not being yet complete. [These difficulties are somewhat surprising, in view of the fact that the pantomime had had 54 rehearsals. And see 13 Feb.] 11 Feb.: Chorusses to New Ballet rehearsed at 10; Natural Son at 11; New Ballet at 11; New Ballet (full rehearsal) at 6; 12 Feb.: New Ballet rehearsed at 12. Receipts: #504 3s. 6d. (417.2.0; 83.16.6; 3.5.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr Bland. [Bland probably first appeared as Polydore in The Orphan, 17 Oct.

Event Comment: Benefit Anderson, Mrs LeBrun, Mrs Bland, Miss Ferguson. Tickets deliver'd out for Mrs Fawkes will be taken

Event Comment: Account-Book: Paid Mrs Phillimore on Account of moving the Wardrobe to and from the Opera House #4 4s. Powell, 22 Sept.: Henry V rehearsed at 10; No Song No Supper at 12; 23 Sept.: No Song No Supper rehearsed at 10 (for Bannister and Mrs Bland); Provoked Husband a 11. Receipts: #308 2s. 6d. (218.11.0; 88.15.0; 0.16.6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time in London; T 5, by Hannah Brand, 1st acted at Norwich, 7 Apr. 1791. Again acted at king's on 2 Feb. as Agmunda; text 1st published in Miss Brand's@Plays@and@Poems (Norwich: Beatniffe and Payne, 1798) as Huniades; or, The Siege of Belgrade. Prologue and Epilogue by the author (London Chronicle, 19 Jan. 1792)]: The Dresses, Decorations, &c. entirely new. Receipts: #367 1s. 6d. (314.2.6; 51.8.0; 1.11.0)

Event Comment: "The shrillness of [Mrs Hopkins's] voice, and the squabbishness of her figure are admirable accompaniments to the peevish expression of her features, and thus as far as natural requisites go, she is perfectly suited to old maids and crabbed aunts" (Monthly Mirror, Aug. 1796, p. 240). [On this evening the following performers appeared both at dl and at the hay: Palmer, Trueman, R. Palmer, Burton, Wathen, Suett, Miss DeCamp.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Kemble. Afterpiece [1st time: F 2, by Stephen George Kemble, altered from The Fair Maid of the West, by Thomas Heywood. Larpent MS 914; not published. Author of Prologue unknown]. Morning Chronicle, 15 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kemble, next door to the Old Slaughter's Coffee-house, St. Martin's Lane. "Miss Kemble, though only four years of age, drew forth much applause" (Diary, 17 Aug.)