Event Comment: Leonora by Miss Abrams first time-so, so (Hopkins Diary). Paid Machin (chorus singer) #3 10s.; Mr Lalonese for men's cloath's #13 13s. Receipts: #188 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: The Provoked Husband and Rival Candidates was given out for Tuesday. On Sunday Morning Mrs Yates sent word she was ill and could not play--sent to Miss Younge, and she sent word that she was ill in bed--King sent word he had a sore Throat, and could not play--so that we could do no Play but the Committee and Rival Candidates. On Monday the Managers met, but nothing was settled. At twelve o'clock Mrs Baddeley sent word she had a sore Throat, and could not play in the Riv[al] Can[didates] (Hopkins Diary). The Hypocrite and The Christmas Tale are obliged to be deferred. "[Smith] has a good figure, is gentlemanlike, and decent in everything he undertakes. When we allow that, we have said all; he wants both feeling to be affected, and powers to convey his feelings, if he had them. In fine, in spite of all the partiality of his friends, or the ignorant prejudices of those who never judge but at second hand, his performance of Richard was little more than a strong union of judgement and industry, unaided by nature. He should woo genteel Comedy oftener; and not that coy sister of hers, who certainly holds Smith at the point of her lance" (London Magazine, Oct. 1776, p. 511). Receipts: #186 18s. 6d

Event Comment: "[Henderson] appears to have cultivated the gifts of nature, with great industry; he promises better to attain the character of a player of consummate judgment than a great player, properly so called. Edwin, in spite of his thin voice and disgusting articulation, is at least equal to half his London contemporaries; and exhibited proofs that neither his conception, nor style of playing, is limited to a particular cast of parts, or mode of acting" (London Magazine, June 1777, p. 288). [ Miss Barsanti was from the Crow Street Theatre, Dublin.

Event Comment: [For Henderson as King Richard see hay, 7 Aug. 1777.] Afterpiece: The Music composed by Dibdin. With New Scenes and Dresses. Books of the Songs, &c. to be had at the Theatre. [The text erroneously assigns: Gillian-$Mrs Wrighten; Floretta-$Miss Walpole, but see Public Advertiser, 8 Oct., which in a review, gives the correct assignment; see also 6 Oct. 1778.] Receipts: #260 7s. (241.14; 17.17; 0.16)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Diana to Mrs Martyr, but "News of Mrs Martyr's husband's death having reached her the day before, an apology was made for her not playing Diana; Miss Wheeler, however, from the other house proved a very agreeable substitute" (.European Magazine, Oct. 1783, p. 310). In afterpiece the playbill assigns Lucy to Mrs Wilson, but on the Kemble playbill a MS annotation substitutes Mrs Davenett.] Receipts: #134 19s. 6d. (133/9/0; 1/10/6)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for Watts. Mainpiece: Written by Mrs Centlivre; Not acted these 40 years [not acted since 27 Apr. 1731, at Goodman's Fields]. Prologue written by a Gentleman [unidentified; printed in Town and Country Magazine, Apr. 1784, p. 214. The playbill for this performance is as printed in Morning Chronicle, 8 Mar. Gazetteer, 8 Mar., assigns Captain Constant to Reynolds, Laura to Miss Beaufield, Maria to Mrs Green, Belinda to Miss Johnson]. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin at 6:30. Tickets to be had of Connolly, at the King's Head Tavern, Fenchurch-street; of Watts, No. 2, Upper James-street, Golden-square

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Yarico to Mrs Billington, but "The Director is extremely sorry to be under the Necessity of making such frequent Apologies for unavoidable Disappointments [see 18, 20 Feb.]; Mrs Billington being this Afternoon taken extremely ill, it is hoped Miss Chapman will be honoured this Evening with the usual Indulgence of the Public, in the Part of Yarico" (printed slip on BM playbill, cg, Vol. VI).] Receipts: #196 9s. (185.6; 11.3)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Miss Brunton as Lady Anne, but she "who attended, and was dressed for her character...was suddenly taken ill...The part was read by Mrs Rock" (Public Advertiser, 24 Oct.).] Receipts: #197 1s. (195.15; 1.6)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Esten, but she "being indisposed, Davies apologized for her absence, and Miss Chapman sustained the part with...good sense, delicacy and feeling" (Morning Herald, 16 Jan.).] Receipts: #194 2s. (189.17; 4.5)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Gibbs. Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years [acted 22 June 1790. Miss Logan is identified in MS list, in hay playbills now at Harvard, of new performers for the 1795 season. Mrs Kemble's 1st recorded appearance as Portia was at Edinburgh, 26 Jan. 1795]

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; MD 3, by George Colman, ynger]: The Scenery and Dresses are entirely new. The Musick composed by Storace.The Scenes designed and executed by Greenwood and Capon [the Gothic library was painted by Capon (Oracle, 21 Mar. 1796)]. The Dresses by Johnston, Gay and Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. [When Colman published his play he prefaced it with an acrimonious attack on Kemble, in which he accused him of deliberately trying to make the play a failure. But almost without exception the contemporary reviews excused Kemble's performance on the grounds of his obvious indisposition, and agreed that the play itself was unsatisfactory. "The play failed, and we are sorry to say did not merit to succeed...Kemble, who was tormented With an incessant cough, said he could not but be sensible that much of the displeasure of the house proceeded from his deficiency in a principal character...The whole audience with one voice cried out, 'No, no, Kemble-it is not your fault'" (Oracle, 14 Mar.). "The dialogue is extremely heavy, and there is little or no incident to relieve the tedium of more than four hours representation...Sir Edward Mortimer is a being distracted, with no adequate cause; a prey to remorse, which he of all men was the last to feel from the principles that make up his being. This therefore is the radical moral defect of the piece. But there is another which, though not equally strong, is equally fatal: there is no progression of interest, there is no involution of plot, there is no development of character" (Star, 14 Mar.). Other notices of the opening night were much in the same vein. Subsequently Colman revised the play, and it held the stage for many years. "The curtailments which have been made shorten the representation near an hour and a half, and the alterations are many and judicious" (Morning Herald, 21 Mar. 1796). Morning Herald, 23 July 1796: This Day is published The Iron Chest (2s.). Receipts: #471 9s. (468.13; 2.16)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; T 5, by Joanna Baillie. "Adapted to the stage by J. P. Kemble" (note in his hand on Kemble playbill), Text in the author's A Series of Plays (T. Cadell Jun. and W. Davies, 1798). Prologue by the Hon. Francis North; Epilogue by Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (Larpent MS 1287)]: The Scenery, Musick, Dresses, and Decorations entirely new. The Musick of the Third Act composed by Shaw [and sung by Sedgwick (Dramatic Censor, II, 162)] and of the Second and Fourth Acts by Kelly. The Scenes designed by Greenwood? Jun and Capon, and executed by them, Banks, &c. The Dresses and Decorations designed by Johnston, and executed under his direction by Gay and Underwood. The Female Dresses designed and executed by Miss Rein. Receipts: #308 12s. 6d. (264.3.0; 43.15.6; 0.14.0)

Event Comment: Powell: Miss Davies, Mrs Bramwell, G. D'Egville, Caulfield absent [from afterpiece], all Ill [their substitutes are not listed]; Miss Leak, Messrs Annereau, Bardoleau, Dorion Sen., Horsfall absent from the chorus. Receipts: #254 17s. (177.10; 73.7; 4.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by Joseph George Holman]: The Overture and the whold of the Musick by Davy. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [Miss Wheatley was from cg.] Morning Chronicle, 20 Aug. 1800: This day at twelve o'clock is published What a Blunder! (2s.)

Event Comment: MMrs Cibber taken ill Miss Haughton did Alicia. Printed Notice deliver'd at the Doors (Cross). Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: MMiss Pope in Corrinna (fine) Mr Wilkinson, Mrs Amlet (sad) (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted in 8 years [but see 3 Jan. 1753]. My mother and I were at Drury Lane to see The Confederacy and Harlequin Ranger, Mrs King, Watson and Miss Pitt sat in our Box, a new actress did Corrinne to perfection, see Schutz Jr, Mr Schutz, Dives and Pigot there (Hailey, 'The Brietzcke Diary," p. 360). Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: Never Acted before. A Tragedy [By John Home]. I went to my Office and then slept [?] in at Drury Lane w here I see Mr and Miss Hayes, Lady Lindores who I see into a coach, I slept in at Covent Garden Gallery before the play, but see nobody I knew so I would not stay, otherwise I would have went out as I had set my mind on the Beggar's Opera for once more, but waived it all & went to my Office (Hailey Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 72)

Event Comment: Benefit for Scrase, Courtney, Miss Reed. Tickets deliver'd by Mr Palmer and Mr W. Yates will be taken

Event Comment: The Music for the afterpiece compos'd by Mr Stanley, with a Hunting Song (never perform'd before) by the late Mr Handel. Books of the Entertainment to be sold at the Theatre at 6d. each. [Afterpiece: a short simple compliment to their Majesties on their nuptials (Biographia Dramatica). MacMillan suggests parts for afterpiece: Dametas-$Champness; Damon-$Lowe; Priest-$Fawcett; Phebe, Delia-$Miss Young; Sylvia-$Mrs Vincent.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Booth, Miss Armstrong & Everard [who are named in the Account-Book, but not on the playbill]. Receipts: #114 4s. (46.10; 10.8; 1.11; tickets: 55.15) (charge: none listed)

Event Comment: Morning Chronicle, 8 May: The audience had been much better satisfied with less noise behind the scenes, while Miss Davies was singing. During her first song there was such a noise that Savoi was obliged to go off the stage, by orders from some gentlemen in the pit, to request silence three several times

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 T. Ansell, Pilfold, Marks & Furkins. Tickets delivered by Claridge, Doe, Wells, Roberts, Walker, Cox, Abbot, R. Ledger, Sargent, Seymour for She Stoops to Conquer [announced on playbill of 27 May] will be admitted this Evening. [Afterpiece in place of Retaliation, announced on playbill of 27 May. This was Miss Catley's last appearance on the stage (erroneously stated in DNB, Grove, &c. as taking place in 1784).] Receipts: #245 3s. (26/0/6; 2/10/6; tickets: 216/12/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Edwin. Public Advertiser, 2 May: Tickets to be had of Edwin, No. 2, Piazza., Covent Garden. Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years. Miss Younge having refused performing the Part of Viola, Mrs Robinson has kindly undertaken that Character at a short Notice; and Mr Edwin humbly hopes she will be honoured by the Indulgence of the Public. Receipts: #304 0s. 6d. (211/3/6; tickets: 92/17/0) (charge: #105)