Event Comment: Never acted before. After the manner of Ben Johnson [by James Ralph]. The Receipts...upon the First Night were but Twenty-One Pounds...and...when the Manager had the Generosity to Risque a Second...he was oblig'd to shut up his Doors for want of an Audience [from Preface to printed edition]

Event Comment: Never acted before. By Robert Dodsley

Event Comment: Never Acted before. Altered from Shakespeare. [Altered by Hawkins.

Event Comment: Never acted before. Tragedy by A. Murphy. Afterpiece: By Desire

Event Comment: Never perform'd there before. Written by the late Mr Addison

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 10 years [acted 18 Feb. 1789]. With new Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. Musick by late Mr Linley. The Scenery of First Part by Greenwood and his assistants, of Second Part by Marinari and his assistants. The Machinery and Decorations by Cabanel, Johnston, Jacobs. The Dresses by Johnston, Gay, Miss Rein. [Synopsis of plot (T. Becket, 1797).] Account-Book, 24 Dec.: Parrot bought and Cage for Robinson Crusoe #3 5s. 6d.; Paid Hunt, fireworker #2 3s. Receipts: #326 9s. (257.1; 62.13; 6.15)

Event Comment: Benefit Lacy. Afterpiece: A new Satyrical, Allegorical, Political, Philosophical Farce, [Apparently by Lacy.] Daily Advertiser, 30 April: Yesterday I accidentally call'd in at the Theatre in the Hay-Market, and saw the Rehearsal of a new Farce call'd Fame...Which is to be acted there on Wednesday next...for the Benefit of Mr Lacy the Author. As I am neither acquainted with him, nor the Master of the Playhouse, I cannot be accus'd of Partiality, in affirming, that I think this the best Farce this Age has produc'd. It seems to be writ in Imitation of Shakespear, and entirely calculated for the present Taste. The Characters are strong, lively, majestic, and just; the incidents natural and moving; the Conduct regular; the Distresses extremely affecting; the Stile sublime; the Sentiments grand, full of Patriotism; and the Catastrophe so masterly wrought up, that, I am persuaded, no Farce whatsoever, now acting, will draw more Tears than this. But what affected me beyond all, was, the Zeal, the exemplary Zeal of a worthy Magistrate, who so strictly adheres to the very Letter of the Law, as to send a rich and honest Merchant, and Freeholder, to the House of Correction, as a sturdy Beggar, or Loiterer. I could enlarg in its Praise, but fear I may do the Author wrong, in raising your Expectations too high. See it, and I am convinc'd you will entertain the same Sentiments of it, as does Your Humble Servant, James Lacy. Alias Fustian, alias Sour-Wit, alias--But hold:--If I should be arraign'd for the Murder of this Farce, so many Alias's will half condemn me before I am heard

Event Comment: By Subscription. With a new Prologue and Epilogue. Admission as 14 Dec. 1703. [A Folger Library broadside appears to be a program for this concert. It lists in Act I The Druid's Song from Bonduca, two songs by Mrs Tofts, a song from The Fairy Queen, and a dance; in Act II The Frost Music from King Arthur, two dances, and a song by Mrs Tofts; in Act III an Ode on the Glorious Beginning of Her Majesty's Reign, set by Daniel Purcell and performed by Leveridge, Hughes, Mrs Lindsey, and Mrs Campion; a song by Mrs Tofts, The Sacrifice from King Arthur, and a Grand Dance.

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. 3rd piece [1st time; F 1, by Horatio Edgar Robson, based on La Bonne Mere, by Jean Pierre Claris de Florian]: Now reading with universal Applause by Mons. LeTexier. Public Advertiser, 9 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street. Ibid., 8 Oct. 1788: This Day is published Look before You Leap (1s.)

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Mainpiece and afterpiece: Never performed here. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30. Tickets delivered for the 9th will be admitted. The excellency of the Play and Farce are so universally acknowledged that any comment would be impertinent; but the director of the evening's entertainment entreats [sic] the publick to be assured that it shall be conducted with every possible degree of propriety and decorum; that the performers are respectable, and their abilities such as he trusts will merit their approbation

Event Comment: Books of the Ballets may be had at the Theatre, price 6d. Public Advertiser, 8 Dec.: As to the Dances, such exquisite perfection was never seen in England before, because there certainly never was before seen such a band of transcendent Dancers simultaneously subsisting on the same Stage . . . They were almost equally admirable. Thus, if Vestris and Theodore were most surprising, Lepicq and Rossi were more touching, Slingsby more exhibiting

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A New Farce [by a Gentleman from Dublin] never performed. [It was fitted to the stage as an afterpiece, and provided with a Prologue by Colman. Advertisement for the Edition of 1772 indicates that it was "attempted to be acted, "but was damned. Taken principally from Moliere's Marriage Force. See account of damning of Farce, in Town and Country Magazine (Theatre No. XXXIII), before last act was over by a candle being thrown on stage.] Paid one year's ground rent for theatre due Mich. last #100 minus land tax of #16 5s.: Total #83 15s.; Paid ditto for the New Building adjoining the theatre #30, minus Land Tax of #4 17s. 6d.: Total #25 2s. 6d. (Account Book). Receipts: #198 16s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit Short and Mrs Willis. Mainpiece: Not Acted these Five Years. Afterpiece: in four Musical Entertainments

Event Comment: Not Acted these Fourteen Years. Written by the late Mr Farquhar. N.B. In Consideration of the Diversion the French Children have given the Town, Mr Rich has engag'd their Stay in England for some time longer, and on Thursday next they will perform again. Receipts: #25 1s

Event Comment: Not Acted these 15 Years. Written by Mr Congreve. All the Characters being new drest

Event Comment: Not Acted these Fifteen Years. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality. All the Characters being new dress'd. Benefit John Rich. Receipts: money #79 11s. 6d.; tickets #21 7s

Event Comment: Benefit for LaLauze. Afterpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [See 12 April 1749.] Mainpiece: By Particular Desire

Event Comment: Benefit Leveridge. Afterpiece: Never perform'd before [but apparently not published. Author unknown.] Receipts: #133 14s

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Martyr. 1st piece: Never performed here. [Miss Thornton is identified by MS annotation on Kemble playbill. Address by Horatio Edgar Robson (European Magazine, May 1786, p. 369).] 2nd piece: Not acted these 7 years. 3rd piece: Written by Henry Fielding. Morning Herald, 19 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Martyr, No. 31, Tavistock-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #280 6s. 6d. (138/15/6; 3/6/0; tickets: 138/5/0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: A Serious Opera, in 2 acts (never performed before [by Pietro Metastasio]); the Music entirely new by Anfossi. With new Scenes and Decorations, designed and painted by Novosielski. Public Advertiser, 10 May: The Event of Saturday night may teach the Managers, if they are not incapable of being taught, how it has happened that their House has for these six Weeks past been almost empty, and now at last was again full. For these six weeks past the Town has been disgusted with bad Music, ill sung; with that wretched Apology for a first rate singer, Rauzzini, and that barbarous dullness which he thinks Music, his Regina di Golconda. On Saturday Night there was the direct Reverse of all this wretched Infamy . . . There have been few finer Operas, and none since Farinelli's time so exquisitely sung

Event Comment: Benefit for Fawcett. "We were careful to repair to the Theatre at an early hour. But, to see the whole street lined with carriages and blockaded on both sides with pedestrians vainly pressing for admittance, was more than we had anticipated. Hundreds, who had purchased tickets, were under the necessity of returning home, without passing the threshold of the Theatre...Fawcett exerted the whole scope of his abilities, in grateful return for the patronage with which he was so profusely honoured...Whenever Fawcett moves in his proper sphere, as a comic actor, he is never known to fail" (Dramatic Censor, III, 129). Morning Chronicle, 6 Sept.: Tickets to be had of Fawcett, No. 3, Tanfield-court, Temple

Event Comment: Mainpicce: Not acted these 5 years [acted 19 May 1792). Afterpiece: Not acted these 3 years [acted 24 Apr. 1792). "When next [Miss Jones, who had acted previously at Birmingham, and who is identified in Thespian Magazine, Dec. 1793, p. 359) plays the part she should endeavour to hold her person erect. The crouching attitudes that she adopted in the breeches scenes, took from the captivating impression that her figure might otherwise have produced" (Public Advertiser, 19 Nov.). [Author of Occasional Address unknown.] Receipts: #291 11s. 6d. (287/11/6; 4/0/0)

Event Comment: "The Italian singers, male and female, whom I saw on this stage, distinguished themselves by good action, which is uncommon among the Italians. But the Italian opera would instantly be abandoned, notwithstanding the talents of the singers and the beauty of the music, if dancing were not the powerful magnet which attracts the Londoners. All Italian operas are, therefore, abridged, divertisements introduced between the acts, and the ballets considerably lengthened, in order to gratify the public taste" (Goede, p. 263)