Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 4 years [acted 27 May 1794]. With the original Music, Dresses, Scenery, Machinery and Decorations. Receipts: #203 15s. (200.0; 3.15)

Event Comment: A Serious Opera (1st time at this Theatre [1st performed at Venice, 1783]); the Music by Bianchi. "The splendour of the Opera this year in point of crowd and fashion surpasses every thing within our memory. It used to be only full on the Saturday evening...Mlle Parisot, a new dancer from Paris, is a most beautiful figure, about 18 years of age...Her balance is postively magical, for her person was almost horizontal while turning as on a pivot on her toe" (Morning Chronicle, 10 Feb.). "[Mlle Parisot's] acting proves what art may effect by beautiful simplicity. She never makes use of those tours de force with which the best female dancers at Paris still endeavour to shine. Every step of Mlle Parisot is marked by the greatest truth and dignity of nature. Every one of her movements is expressive, spirited and harmonious" (Goede, pp. 264-65)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Banti. A Grand Serious Opera (1st time in this Country [1st performed at Paris, 1779]); the Music by Gluck. Accompanied With Chorusses under the Direction of Kelly. With entirely new Scenes designed by Marinari, and executed under his direction, Dresses and Decorations. Tickets to be had of Mme Banti, No. 7, Hay Market. The Company are respectfully entreated not to come upon the Stage this Night, as the Iphigenia is accompanied with a degree of Spectacle on which the effect of the Performance chiefly depends; besides, the Machinery used in this Opera will make it dangerous for the Company to be upon the Stage during the time of the representation. "We never saw a House more splendid, more crowded, nor more gratified...In spite of the request not to crowd upon the stage, it was quite thronged; and it was impossible to move the complicated and superb scenery with effect. We lament that no means can be devised to save the stage from this perpetual intrusion" (Morning Chronicle, 8 Apr.). "Banti had a crowded house for her benefit, and is said to have netted 1500 guineas" (Monthly Magazine, May 1796 p. 321)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Wallis [whose 1st appearance as Lady Eleanor Irwin was at Bath, 2 May 1793, and as Lady Bab Lardoon also at Bath, 15 Mar. 1791]. 2nd piece: With a view of High-street, Portsmouth, at the time of an Illumination. Morning Herald, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Miss Wallis, No. 76, Gower-street, Bedford-square. Receipts: #377 15s. 6d. (182.16.6; 10.3.0; tickets: 184.16.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act II a Masquerade Scene. "Neither in conception nor in power is [Mrs Jordan] adequate to the character...This play has not often been so ill performed in a London theatre as it was on this evening" (Monthly Mirror, May 1796, p. 50). Receipts: #231 8s. (162.14.6; 67.15.6; 0.18.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 8 years [acted 1 May 1792, Mme Mara had appeared in the oratorios at this theatre in the present season, as well as in 1792-93 and 1793-94]. Receipts: #216 11s. 6d. (210.8.0; 6.3.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Siddons, and the Last Night of her Engagement [see 6 and 16 May]. Mainpiece: Never acted here [1st acted at Bath, 1 Jan. 1788, as Such Things Were. Prologue by Richard Graves (Public Advertiser, 28 Jan. 1788)]. Oracle, 18 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Siddons, No. 49, Great Marlborough-street. Receipts: #590 14s. (292.16.0; 51.13.0; 4.10.0; tickets: 235.6.6; odd money: 6.8.6) (charge: #213 17s. 4d.)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Kemble, but "The Publick are respectfully informed that Kemble having been attacked in the course of Last Night with a violent Pleurisy, which confines him to his Bed, Charles Kemble has undertaken to read the part of Mahmoud, and hopes for your kind Indulgence" (printed slip attached to BM playbill (Harris, Vol. V)). Afterpiece in place of The First Floor advertised on playbill of 3 May.] Receipts: #315 4s. (252.6.6; 60.19.0; 1.9.6; tickets not come in: 0.9.0)

Event Comment: 2nd piece: Books of the Opera to be had at the Theatre. [3rd piece in place of The Doldrum, advertised on playbill of 3 May.] Receipts: #195 15s. (194.2.6; 1.12.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bensley, being the Last Time of his Appearing on the Stage. Bensley's defects (chiefly Nature's) were to a stranger disgusting, but on a further acquaintance, hi merit (all his own) not only gained favour, but covered all his faults" (Monthly Magazine, May 1796, p. 320). Morning Herald, 23 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Bensley at his house, No. 21, Charlotte-street, Bloomsbury. Receipts: #595 9s. (271.2; 63.14; 6.2; tickets: 250.10; odd money: 4.1) (charge: #232 7s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Account-Book, 11 May: Paid Hoare the author of Mahmoud 5 nights at #33 6s. 8d., #166 13s. 4d. Receipts: #227 14s. 6d. (181.5.6; 45.10.0; 0.19.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Mountain. [Philipps is identified in Monthly Mirror, Sept. 1796, p. 315. As Mrs Plomer Sga Salvini had 1st appeared at the hay, 12 June 1788.] Afterpaece [1st time; MF 2, author unknown. Larpent MS 1131; not published]: The Music and Overture by Spofforth. Morning Herald, 4 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Mountain, No. 6, York-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #380 18s. 6d. (150.7.6; 5.16.0; 224.15.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Master Welsh. [2nd piece in place of The Sultan, advertised on playbill of 10 May. Medley is identified in MS list in Kemble playbills of new performers for this season.] "A riot took place this evening, occasioned by the performance of Skirmish by a new actor. This person, wanting every quality requisite for the stage, performed so very much to the dissatisfaction of the audience, that the piece was mutilated in such a manner that for some time it was insisted on that the whole should be repeated more perfectly and by another actor. This being impossible, some mischief was threatened, but after a short time the disturbance ceased" (European Magazine, June 1796, p. 396). Morning Herald, 30 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Master Welsh, No. 9, St. Margaret-street, Westminster. Receipts: #292 4s. (84.11.6; 47.15.6; 12.14.0; tickets: 146.19.6; odd money: 0.3.6). (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Harley [whose 1st appearance as Shylock was at cg, 6 Nov. 1789]. 1st piece: Not acted these 6 yexrs. 2nd piece: With a view of High-street, Portsmouth, at the time of an Illumination. Morning Herald, 12 May: Tickets to be had of Harley, Castle-street, Bloomsbury. Receipts: #219 12s. 6d. (102.13.0; 2.11.6; tickets: 114.8.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Suett. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by John Grubb. Larpent MS 1132; not published. Author of Prologue unknown]. Morning Herald, 16 May: Tickets to be had of Suett, No. 19, Martlet-court, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #403 13s. 6d. (152.10.0; 57.5.0; 4.16.0; tickets: 187.10.0; odd money: 1.2.6) (charge: none listed). [Account-Book: Suett to have #100 of Tickets and half those above that sum which he brings in; of which due him #43 15s.

Event Comment: Benefit for Middleton. Morning Herald, 10 May: Tickets to be had of Middleton, No. 20, Great Russell-street, Covent-Garden. Receipts: #287 12s. (144.18.6; 2.15.0; tickets: 139.18.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barrymore. Mainpiece: In Act II a Masquerade Scene. Morning Herald, 16 May: Tickets to be had of Barrymore, No. 20, Judd-place West, New-road, St. Pancras. Receipts: #155 9s. (97.9.6; 51.12.6; 4.10.6; tickets: none listed; odd money: 1.16.6) (charge: #217 5s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Townsend. Morning Herald, 13 May: Tickets to be had of Townsend, No. 153, Drury-lane. Receipts: #354 16s. 6d. (131.13.6; 13.7.0; tickets: 209.16.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Bannister. 3rd piece [1st time; M. INT 1]. Morning Herald, 10 May: Tickets to be had of Bannister, No. 7, Suffolk-street, Charing-cross. Receipts: #188 6s. 6d. (120.9.6; 61.1.0; 2.17.6; tickets: none listed; odd money: 3.18.6) (charge: #218 11s. 2d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Kemble, being the last Time of her Appearing on the Stage. 1st piece [1st time; T 2, by John Philip Kemble, altered from the same by Philip Massinger. Larpent MS 1040: not published]: In Act I the Triumphal Entry of Domitian into the Capitolv. 2nd piece [1st time; C 3, by John Philip Kemble, altered from The Comical Lovers, by John Dryden and Colley Cibber. Larpent MS 1133: not published. Genest, VII, 243: C. Kemble on being asked, in 1821, if the above cast was right, said that he believed it was, but that he was ill and did not act]. [Address by Bertie Greatheed (European Magazine, June 1796, p. 397).] Morning Herald, 10 May: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kemble, No. 13, Caroline-street, Bedford-square. Account-Book: Paid H. S. Hargraves, Box No. 95, his Servant being turn'd out by Force, #1 4s. Receipts: #190 9s. 6d. (130.9.0; 59.10.0; 0.10.0; tickets: none listed; odd money: 0.0.6) (charge: #216 17s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Mara. 2nd piece: Compressed into 2 Acts. The Words of the new Song to be had at the Theatre. Morning Herald, 21 May: Tickets to be had of Mme Mara, No. 57, Edgeware-road. Account-Book: Paid the Duke of Bedford one years Rent for the Theatre due Ladyday 1794 #456 4s.; Account-Book, 10 June: Paid the Duke of Bedford one years Rent due Ladyday 1795 #456 4s. Receipts: #339 10s. (250.1.6; 2.2.0; tickets: 87.6.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for R. Palmer and Russell. [Palmer's 1st recorded appearance as Hamlet was at Canterbury, 16 Feb. 1780.] Morning Herald, 31 May: Tickets to be had of R. Palmer, No. 28, Eaton-street, Pimlico; of Russell, No. 250, High Holborn. Receipts: #157 18s. (110.16; 43.10.6; 1.19.0; tickets: none listed; odd money: 1.12.6) (charge: #212 3s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Dignum. Morning Herald, 20 May: Tickets to be had of Dignum, No. 23, New North-street, Red-lion-square. Receipts: #148 10s. 6d. (81.10.0; 57.6.6; 2.3.0; tickets: none listed; odd money: 7.11.0) (charge: #214 1s. 7d.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not acted these 7 years. [Bannister Jun.'s 1st appearance as Jobson was at dl, 21 May 1796.