Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [See 24 Oct. 1770.] Miss P. Hopkins made her first appearance in Celia-great applause (+Hopkins Diary). [The Young Lady who played Celia indentified by Winston MS 11 as Miss Pricilla Hopkins who became Mrs Brereton, then was married a second time to John Kemble. She had acted Celia 19 April 1773 in As You Like It. The Young Lady who played Tragedy was Miss Sharp, later married to W. Palmer (Winston MS 11).] Paid Mr Neale for a laced Hat #1 15s. Receipts: #155 7s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Beaumont and Fletcher, reviv'd. Afterpiece: Not acted these three years. [See 8 Aug. 1761.] Mr Powell made his first appearance this Night in Philaster. His Reception was very great, he play'd the part amazingly well, & Seems to have Requisites to make a very Capital Performer. N.B. Covent Garden Theater begun to play every Night (Hopkins). Philaster by Mr Powell. Prodigious applause (Cross Diary). This play [Philaster] was wrote by Beaumont and Fletcher, and is now altered by Mr Colman. Mr Powell, a young gentleman clerk to Sir Robert Ladbrook, made his first appearance in the character of Philaster.--A greater reception was never shown to anybody,--he was so very much frightened, he could not speak for some time, and, when he did, the tears ran fast down his cheeks,--but he soon recovered himself, and went through the part with a great deal of nature and feeling,--Continued claps and huzza of bravo! &c. &c. Upon the whole I think him possessed of every requisite necessary to make him an ornament to the stage.--N.B. Mr D. Garrick instructed him in this part--when I see him in another shall be able to judge better of his capabilities.--Miss Pope appeared this Night in the character of Maria in the Citizen,--by endeavoring to be very fine she overdid it,--and it was plain to see she wanted her master. N.B.--Covent Garden began to play of our nights--the first time they ever begin first since Mr Garrick was manager (Hopkins Diary--MacMillan). Receipts: #258 11s. 6d. (MacMillan)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted here. [The playbill lists R. Palmer as Rodolpho in mainpiece, and as Young Clackit in afterpiece, but he "was prevented appearing either in the tragedy or entertainment, having had the misfortune to break his arm" Chondon Magazine, July 1784, p. 75). For Egan and Riley as his substitutes see 14 July. Miss Woollery is identified on playbill of 24 July. Prologue by George Colman, the elder (Colman, Prose, III, 254). Miss Kemble was from DL.]

Event Comment: Mainpiece: A Comedy [by Bickerstaffe, altered from Cibber's Non-Juror]never performed there. [The Young Lady indentified by Kemble note on playbill. The Westminster Magazine commented unfavorably on her action: "Charlotte requires many fine qualities to represent her, none of which Miss Wilde possessed."] Receipts: #112 11s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [Lucy identified as Miss Dayes by Kemble note on playbill and by Winston MS 10.] At the opening of this season Justice Sir John Fielding wrote to Garrick not to play the Beggar's Opera fearing it had a bad influence on the minds of the young. But both Garrick and Colman continued to play it (Winston MS 10). Receipts. #183 13s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [Afterpiece in place of The Honest Thieves, advertised on playbill of 17 Sept.] "The shameful neglect of Whitfield in the etiquette of dress in the character of Hastings must not pass unnoticed. He came on arranged in every point for the drawing-room, although he is supposed to be on his journey, and is informed by his companion Young Marlow that they must change their travelling dresses...An audience must naturally look to the Manager for due observance of stage decorum...and we trust that on future occasions the actor will not be allowed to sport with propriety by any fantastical display of his own, which is in direct oppostion to the character he ought to represent, and to the text with which he must be acquainted" (Times, 20 Sept.). Receipts: #197 1s. 6d. (186.0.6; 11.1.0)

Event Comment: MMiss Morris was a pupil of Mr Colman's--She was very much approved by the public in the character of Juliet. On the sixth night of her appearance on the stage she was taken ill, and died before the end of this season. See the Bill for her Benefit (Hopkins MS Notes). Afterpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [See 19 May 1762.] [The Occasional Prologue, by Colman, is Larpent MS 288, which introduces Miss Morris as Juliet, and stresses the qualms and fears of a new performer.] Receipts: #227 19s. 6d. (Account Book). Lloyd's Evening Post, 28-30 Nov.: Sir: The managers of both theatres have of late, in order to put a stop to the Public complaint against a dearth of actors, given trials to several stage candidates that seemed to have any promising requisite. Such experiments have not proved fruitless. The most brilliant and interesting of which was the young lady's appearance on Covent Garden Theatre last night, in the character of Juliet. So great was her terror, on presenting herself for the first time before a crowded audience, that, deprived of all her powers, she fell down on the stage in a swoon. The first act in consequence, was all terror on her side, all compassion and anxiety on that of the audience. But having had time between the first and second Acts to recover from her panic, she shone forth in the Balcony Scene the most pleasing promise of a young tragic actress that has been seen for half a century past, and continued so throughout. Her person is genteel, her tone of voice insinuating, variable, and melodious; her recitation is just and sensible; very affecting in the pathetic parts; condescending, free, and polite are the familiar speeches with the Nurse. She is happily devoid of all stage whine, and tragedy Cant. The manner she has been rudimented in does great honour to her instructors, who have so judiciously prevented the so excellent actor of this verily a Shakespeare's Juliet, from being sophisticated by the studied tricks, and false ornamenting of mistaken modern and degenerate art

Event Comment: Benefit for Younger. Tickets deliver'd by Miss Helme and Mr Branson will be taken. Charges #70 3s. 6d. Balance to Younger #36 10s., plus #116 3s. from tickets (Box 151; Pit 340; Gallery 274) (Account Book). Receipts: #106 13s. 6d

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Acted but once these ten years. Benefit for Younger. Tickets delivered by Miss Helme will be taken. Charges. #68 6d. Profit to Younger #37 6d. plus #65 10s. from tickets (Box 136; Pit 134; Gallery 114). Miss Helme receiv'd #12 1s. clear from her tickets (Box 5; Pit 42; Gallery 45) (Account Book). Receipts: #105 6s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: To the Printer of the Public Advertiser, Mr Woodfall: Why don't you constantly, every day, print a list of the Mistakes which the guessing Messieurs Ledger and Gazatteer make in their account of the playbills? Woodward, says the Gazetteer, is to play Harlequin, and Miles the Clown this evening [Friday 14 Oct.] in Harlequin Sorcerer; Tenducci and Brent the Shepherd and Shepherdess. The Ledger informs me that Woodward will play Lissardo in the Wonder, when you say Dyer; and that Mrs Younger is to play Inis, when you advertise Mrs Green will play that character. I dare say, Mr Garrick very shortly will make his appearance in the Gazetteer or Ledger. Your Humble Servant, &c. [Garrick was in France at this time.