Event Comment: HHarlequin Ranger oblig'd to be deferr'd. A new Dramatic Entertainment call'd Taste written by Mr Foote. The House was full as soon as open--before the first Music, several Speeches were made in ye Pit, moving the Farce might be acted before the Play, wch was insisted on by some, & oppos'd by others Cross, Cross, Prompter &c. was often call'd--The Curtain went up, & ye Clamour encreas'd, ye farce &c. Mr Mossop (who did Zanga ) came off--I went on, & spoke--Gentlemen, I perceive the farce has been desir'd before ye Play, wch cannot be comply'd with, for ye performers in ye Farce, having nothing to do in the Play, are not come--a great applause follow'd--Mr Mossop went on again--but ye noise renew'd, & he retir'd again, & wanted to undress wch I prevented; Mr Lacy (Manager) then went on, # spoke to ye same effect I had done--The play was then call'd for, & it went on with Applause--Tho' I believe Audience wish'd it over--The play done--Mr Garrick spoke ye Prologue in the Character of an Auctioneer , with surprising Applause--when he had done, he made this Apology--Gents--a performer being taken ill, the Author, Mr Foote, is here & will if you please, perform his part, this he spoke in a Hesitating manner, & was greatly applauded--the first Act went off well, & Mr Worsdale, a painter (to whom Mr Foote had given the profits of the farce) play'd a Woman's part, & was greatly received--When Mr Foote came on--he made this Speech--Gent: I have left the Stage some time, nor have I any hopes of Profit from this Piece, but as a performer is taken ill, I had rather appear my self, than have so many people, whom Curiosity has drawn together, b disappointed--Great Applause--In ye Second Act, the people grew Dull, & towards ye End, hiss'd greatly, wch I believe wou'd not have been, had not Mr Foote, bid Blakes pull off his Wig at ye Discovery of Mr Puff --vide Farce--it ended with ye usual Noise, when given out, of No more--Encore &c. &c. Sunday we had great debates about it, & at last it ended it shou'd be play'd no more 'till Mr Worsdale's benefit & an advertisement was put in the paper to signifie that as ye Farce was not so well receiv'd as was expected, the Author had withdrawn it to Alter &c. &c. we put up--We were told on Monday it wou'd be call'd for by the Audience; but no such thing happen'd. The fact concerning the performer's being taken ill is this--At ye practise, the Night before, Mr Foote seem'd dissatisfied with Mr Yates in the part of Puff, so got Mr Garrick next Day, to prevail with Mr Yates to let 'em say he was sick, that Mr Foote might have occasion to do the part (Cross). Mr Goodfellow begs leave to acquaint his friends that through the Indisposition of two of his principal performers, he is compelled to postpone his Benefit to a farther Day; Timely notice of which shall be given in this paper; Tickets deliver'd out for Monday the 13th Instant will then be admitted.--As the sole intent of this Benefit is to satisfy his creditors, who are to share the profits arising from it, he humbly hopes to meet with encouragement, and assures those ladies and Gentlemen who honour him, that the whole performance shall be carried on with the utmost decorum, and will be free from all danger of interruption (General Advertiser). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Not acted in 30 years. Principal Characters new Dress'd. Written by Otway (General Advertiser). Mr Woodward did ye part of Malagene in which he took off Mr Foote & would have many of ye Actors but the Audience grew so outragious, that he was forc'd to desist ye 4th & 5th Acts were much hooted, Mr Havard in a part where he says Whir was severely treated, nor could he ever appear after in ye play, but the whole Audience echoed that Word--it was given out again, wch so enrag'd the Audience yt they call'd loudly for Garrick, but as he was not this Night at the House, they pull'd up the Benches, tore down ye King's Arms, & wou'd have done much more mischief had not Mr Lacy qone into the Pit, & talk'd to 'em, what they resented was giving out a piece again after they had damn'd it--the Gallery resented ye Guards being sent in--Mr Lacy was oblig'd to go upon the Stage after & tell 'em I had given out the play again, as ne'er a Manager was present to give other Directions--In his Argument Mr Lacy call'd a Witness in ye pit, saying that Gent: next to ye painter knows I was in ye pit when ye Guards went into the Gallery, so I cou'd not send 'em this painter after ye rout came behind the scenes & was angry for being call'd painter (his name was Hudson) but at length he as well as ye rest was pacified--and we gave out Provok'd Husband (Cross). [See Foote's retaliation in Daily Advertiser, 26 Jan.] Paid Capt. Turber 1!2 year's rent #11 3s. 4d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #140 (Cross); #137 12s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: This play was reviv'd instead of ye London Cuckolds by way of Compliment to the City--not lik'd at all--Mr Ross being ill Mr Mattocks did his part at 2 Day's Notice, wch at the end of the 4 Act Mr Woodward told the Audience, & tho Mr Mattocks was hiss'd before, when he next appear'd they gave him great Applause. Mattocks never play'd a principal part before in London (Cross). Mainpiece: Never Acted there. [Inspector No 206 reports a letter on the lack of wisdom of giving the London Cuckolds on Lord Mayor's Day, as the morals of the trading youth have been corrupted by it the writer rejoices to see the substitution of Eastward Hoe for it (Daily Advertiser and Literary Gazette).] Receipts: #130 (Cross)

Event Comment: This is a farce of Macklin's Writing, it went off very greatly-he play'd Shylock too (Cross). Receipts: #190 (Cross). [Garrick and Lacy had contracted with Macklin for this Farce two weeks before this performance, according to the following document (BM Add. MS 27925): Memorandum of an Agreement relating to Mr Macklin's Farce and his Playing & performing in the said Farce, with such plays as shall be performed on which the said Farce shall be acted as aforesaid as follows: Imprimis: The said Farce to be publicly performed before Christmas, otherwise not this season on account of the Managers other engagements. Item: Mr Macklin to have for his performing in the said plays and Farce a Fifth part of the profits of the first five nights after deducting sixty-three pounds for the charges of each night during the said five nights-and the sixth night to be for the Benefit of Mr Macklin, he paying the usual charges of sixty-three pounds. Item: The Managers to have it in their power to stop the performances of the said Farce at the end of Six nights on account of their other engagements,-and in case the Receipt of any one night of the said nights on which the said Farce shall be performed as aforesaid shall fall short of One Hundred pounds. Then the Managers to have it in their power to stop the performance of said Farce as the Receipt does not amount to One Hundred pounds. Item: The said Six nights for the said Farce & plays in which Mr Macklin shall perform as aforesaid not to be played immediately succeeding one another, but alternately with such plays as the Managers shall think Convenient. Lastly: That if the said Farce shall meet with the disapprobation of the Publick, that then it shall be in the Power of Discretion of the Managers to stop the performance thereof. Dated this 28th day of November, 1759. S@ James Lacy, D. Garrick. Witness: R. Cross, Geo. Garrick.