Event Comment: Benefit for City of London Lying In Hospital, Old Street Road

Event Comment: Benefit for Webster. Mr Barry being ill, the tragedly of King Lear oblig'd to be deferr'd. [A comment in Lloyd's Evening Post for 29 Feb. refers to an incident in cg this evening: "A fellow who sat on the sixth row of the Upper Gallery...Threw a Keg (which he had brought full of liquor into the House) over the Gallery front. It fell upon a lady's head, who sat in that part of the Pit which was railed into the Boxes, but the Lady's hair being dress'd in high ton, the artifical mountain luckily prevented the mischief that otherwise might have been occasioned....The fellow who threw the cask was carried to the Public Office, in Bow Street, and from thence committed to Tothill Fields, Bridewell. As the custom of throwing mugs, bottles, apples, &c. from the galleries of the theatres is equally as wanton and wicked and is frequently the cause of great mischief, it is thought the present culprit will made an example of" (Quoted in Hampden, Journal).

Event Comment: A new Serious Opera. The Music by several eminent Masters; under the Direction of Giardini [who also composed the overture (see 14 Dec.)]. With magnificent new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations, both for the Opera and Dances. Tickets will be delivered at the Office in Union-court, Haymarket, at Half a Guinea each. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. By Their Majesties' Command, No Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Care will be taken that no Inconvenience shall arise from the Pavement not being compleated in the Haymarket, the Commisioners having promised to leave the Way safe for Carriages. The Nobility and Gentry will be so obliging to give Orders to take up and set down with their Horses Heads towards Pall-mall. The Door in Market Lane for Chairs only. Public Advertiser, 21 Sept.: Subscriptions are received by Messrs Hoare, in Fleet-street, and by Johnson at the Office in Union-court, Hay-market

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time in London; DR. POEM 5, by William Mason, 1st acted at Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, 30 Mar. 1764]: Written on the Model of the ancient Greek Tragedy. The Overture and all the Music composed New by Dr Arne. With a New Scene designed and executed by Dahl [recte Dall]. The Dresses, Decorations, &c. all entirely New. Books of the Lyrical Part of the Drama to be had at the Theatre. 'But I had rather talk of Caractacus; I agree that he will not suffer by not being sputtered by Barry, who has lost all his teeth. Covent Garden is rather above Drury Lane in actors, but both sets are exceedingly bad, so bad-that I almost wish Caractacus was not to appear. Very seldom do I go to the play, for there is no bearing such strollers" (Walpole [to the author, 8 Oct. 1776], IX, 419-20). "I attended Caractacus last winter, and was greatly interested, both from my friendship for Mr Mason and from the excellence of the poetry. I was out of all patience; for though a young Lewis played a subordinate part very well, and Mrs Hartley looked her part charmingly, the Druids were so massacred, and Caractacus so much worse, that I never saw a more barbarous exhibition" (Walpole [13 July 1777], X, 81-82). Public Advertiser, 7 Dec. 1776: This Day is published the Lyrical Part of Caractacus (6d.). [The publisher, J. Wilkie, states that he also has the "whole Drama, as altered by the Author, 18d." Ibid., 9 Dec., contains an advertisement from Mason stating that this version is unauthorized.] Ibid., 12 Dec.: This Day is published [by A. Ward of York] a new Edition of Caractacus, now altered for Representation at the Theatre-Royal in Covent Garden (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #163 10s. (163.6; 0.4)

Event Comment: Benefit for the British Lying-in-Hospital, for Married Women, in Brownlow-street, Long-acre. Receipts: #165 (98.5.6; 0.0.0; 1.8.6; tickets: 65.6.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: By authority [of the Lord Chamberlain]. At the Desire of the most noble Order of Bucks. Benefit for West and Johnson. Tickets to be had of West at the Black Lion, Russel-street; of Johnson at the Golden-cross, Charing-cross. Tickets delivered by Comerford will be receiv'd. Doors to be opened at 5:00. To be begin exactly at 6:30. [Mrs West was from the China Hall, Rotherhithe. Author of Prologue unknown.

Event Comment: Benefit for Dodd. Public Advertiser, 1 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Dodd, New Ormond-street. Receipts: #244 13s. (111.17.0; 11.16.6; 1.10.6; tickets: 119.9.0) (charge: #74 3s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Signora Davies Inglesina. Public Advertiser, 25 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Sga Davies at her House, No. 1, St. Alban's street, Pall-mall

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Public Advertiser, 8 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Macklin, James-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #273 16s. (charge: #64 10s.). [Of this amount #177 17s. was "Money," i.e. tickets sold at the door. The remainder, #95 19s., was "Tickets," disposed of by Macklin: 305 in the boxes, 104 in the pit, 41 in the gallery.

Event Comment: Benefit for Bensley. Public Advertiser, 8 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Bensley, Charlotte-street, Bloomsbury. Receipts: #174 14s. (106.11; 16.4; 1.7; tickets: 50.12) (charge: #74 14s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Ricci. Public Advertiser, 13 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Sga Ricci at her House, No. 9, Warwick-street, Golden-square. Receipts: #183 1s. 6d. (95.0.0; 22.17.6; 0.0.0; tickets: 65.4.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Leoni. Public Advertiser, 31 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Leoni at Basire's No. 34, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #231 6s. 6d. (118.8.6; tickets: 112.18.0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Clarke. Public Advertiser, 18 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Clarke, Great Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #220 17s. 6d. (103.2.6; tickets: 117.15.0) (charge: #69 5s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Robinson. Public Advertiser, 28 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Robinson, No. 19, Southampton-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #189 10s. (77.5; 21.19; 0.0; tickets: 90.6) (charge: none listed)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Tickets delivered for Every Man in His Humour, March 18th, and for this Day, will be admitted. Public Advertiser, 7 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Woodward, Chapel Street, Grosvenor Place, Hyde-Park Corner. Receipts: #204 10s. (168.15; tickets 35.15) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. A new Comic Opera [usually entitled L'Isola di Alcina]; the Music by Gazzaniga. Public Advertiser, 27 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 8, Great Suffolk-street, Hay-market

Event Comment: Benefit for Reinhold. Public Advertiser, 25 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Reinhold, No. 46, Charlotte-street, Rathbone Place. Receipts: #237 7s. (110.12; tickets: 126.15) (charge: #68 7s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Sutton. Tickets delivered by Thompson will be taken. Public Advertiser, 11 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Sutton, No. 8, Great Wild Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #232 1s. 6d. (74.18.0; 22.18.6; 0.0.0; tickets: 134.5.0) (charge: #64 13s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Peile. [In the playbill his part is specified.] Public Advertiser, 15 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Peile at his House, North-street, Westminster. Receipts: #184 7s. 6d. (69.6.6; tickets: 115.1.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Ladies and Gentlemen who have taken Places are desired to send their Servants to the Door in Suffolk-Street by Five o'Clock

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera; the Music by Paisiello [and "other eminent Composers" (libretto)]; under the Direction of Giordani. With magnificent new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations, both for the Opera and Dances. Tickets will be delivered at the Office, Union Court, Haymarket, at Half a Guinea each. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. By Their Majesties' Command no Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [same throughout season]. The Coffee Room will be open with Tea, Coffee, Lemonade, Orgeat, Ice, Creams, &c. which will be furished by Weltje, of St. James's Street. To prevent Inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their Carriages, they are respectfully intreated to give positive Orders to their Servants to set down and take up with their Horses Heads towards Pall-mall. The Door in Market Lane for Chairs only. [Public Advertiser, 13 Feb. 1778, prints a letter outlining a scheme-never realized-of having occasional plays at king's on non-opera nights acted by performers from both dl and cg, and by "the young Nobility of both Sexes."

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years [acted 6 May 1776]. With Accompaniments to the Airs composed by Thomas? Linley Sen?.. Public Advertiser, 10 Nov.: "Jenny Diver forgot her song...and continued inflexibly silent till a Wag behind the Scenes assumed her Voice, and sung the Song for her"; ibid, 15 Nov., identifies this wag as Bannister, who sang "in a feigned voice." [Webster was from the Crow Street Theatre, Dublin.] Receipts: #192 6s. 6d. (167.2.0; 24.16.0; 0.8.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Establishment for the Discharge of Persons imprisoned for small Debts. [The Society in charge of this charity was located at 7, Craven-street, Strand (Public Advertiser, 15 Dec.).] Receipts: #181 12s. (125.9; tickets: 56.3) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Danzi. Tickets to be had of Sga Danzi, No. 8, Suffolk-street, Charing-cross

Event Comment: By Authority [of the Lord Chamberlain]. Benefit for West. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Tickets to be had of West, No. 4, Stanhope-street, Clare-market. [Authors of Prologue and Address unknown.