Event Comment: Written by Colly Cibber Esq. Benefit Theophilus Cibber. No persons to be admitted into the Boxes, or behind the scenes, but by Box ticket, which will be deliver'd at White's Chocolate House in St. James' St.; Tom's Coffee House in Covent Garden, and of Mr Bradshaw, &c. Places for the stage (which will be form'd into Boxes and carefully enclos'd) may be taken at Mrs Moor's in the Playhouse passage. Tickets for the Boxes and the stage will also be deliver'd at the proper offices of the theatre. Receipts: #150

Event Comment: Benefit for Cooke. Charges #60. Deficiency to Cooke #25 10s., covered by #134 7s. from tickets. Tickets of Cooke at Mr Clark's, an Upholsterer in James St., Covent Garden, and at the Stage Door. Died Dennis Delane, Esq. universally regretted (Daily Advertiser, 3 April). Receipts: #34 10s

Event Comment: Acted there but once. By Authority. Tickets deliver'd out by Miss Barton which could not get in on Thursday last, will be admitted this Night. [An Epistle from Mr Theophilus Cibber, to David Garrick, Esq. London: 1755, dated Nov. 20, 1755: When Th. Cibber returned from Guilford last July, he found a discharge from Covent Garden (p.5) He got a license from the Duke of Grafton to open Little Haymarket (p. 6). He began and acted ten nights in three weeks, with some success, but when Drury Lane opened, Th. Cibber was ordered to stop (p. 7). He then petitioned the Duke of Grafton to have The Haymarket for two or three times weekly for the rest of the season. He hoped that the Little Haymarket might be a nursery for young performers, as well as for new pieces (p. 24). See dl 24 Nov.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Desire. This Morning at Ten will be publish'd at 6d. An Epistle from Mr The. Cibber to David Garrick, Esq; to which are prefix'd some occasional verses, Petitions, &c.: @Lowliness is young Ambition's ladder,@Whereto the Climber upwards turns his face;@But when he once attains the upmost Round,@He then unto the ladder turns his back,@Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees@By which he did ascend.@Shakespeare@"Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so we would have it; let them not say, we have swallow'd him up," Ps. XXXV. v.25. Printed for R. Griffiths. [A thirty-five-page apologia, and bitter attack upon Garrick for supposed complicity in prohibiting the license of the Haymarket to him.] Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: Speedily will be publish'd at 1s. 6d. Dedicated to David Garrick Esq a New Edition of the Orphan of China...acted at Paris with great applause. [A weekly writer says of this performance: "I could wish that our modern Play-wrights would endeavor to imitate this author in the judicious choice and dispositions of their Fable; and further think this very piece not unworthy the notice of our managers. The Translator has indeed, with great propriety, laid his version at Mr Garrick's door, since there is nobody so well qualified to take the orphan under their protection."] Printed for R. Baldwin in Paternoster Row. Receipts: #220 (Cross)

Event Comment: This Week a Patent passed the Great Seal for the Establishment of a new Theatre, to Samuel Foote, Esq. only (Public Advertiser, London notes, p. 2, col. 3). Mr Barry and Mrs Dancer from Dublin are said to be engaged for this summer at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket (Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser, London notes, p. 2, col. 2, which corroborates the Foote patent)

Event Comment: AAsh Wednesday. Publish'd this day. Price only 1s. Letters which have passed between John Beard Esq Manager of Covent Garden Theatre, and John Shebbeare, M.D. Wherefore I thus entreat with due Submission, Between the Bard and me you'd make decision, The whole now on your Approbation waits. Prologue to the Perplexities, sung by Mr Beard. Printed for G. Kearsly N.B. This Pamphlet is entered at Stationers Hall, whoever pyrates any part of it will be prosecuted. [This pamphlet of 50 pages is given a four-column review in the Gentleman's Magazine for March (p. 124). The controversy was over a play which Shebbeare submitted to Beard and which the latter finally rejected after holding it two seasons. Beard's letters are quoted. The reviewer is severe upon Shebbeare: Upon the whole for anything that has hitherto appeared, the managers of both theatre have rather been to blame for receiving some pieces that they should have rejected, than for rejecting any they should have received. No piece has yet been printed, by the rejection of which the managers have betrayed their trust, or neglected their duty to the public. There may be such pieces in manuscript, but, if there are, the most effective way of avenging the author on the manager is to print them, for the voice of the public would instantly and effecturally do justice to the writter...by compelling the representation.' Shebbeare was Joseph Pittard?]

Event Comment: [This evening] a cause came on to be tried in the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, in which Mr William Bates, Music Master, was Plaintiff and Spranger Barry, Esq the celebrated tragedian, defendent, upon a demand made by the plaintiff for a large sum of money due to him from the Defendent, for the performance of Miss Slack, the Plaintiff's apprentice, at the Theatre in Cork...After a short hearing a verdict was given in favour of the Plaintiff (Lloyd's Evening Post, 25-28 Nov.)

Event Comment: Paid Dan Malthus, Esq, 1 year's Rent to Xmas last, Land Tax #3 5s. to Mich last deducted #29 15s.; Mr Thomson (Smith &c.) #1 1s. 8d. sewer tax; #36 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #189 12s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid Mr Chapman for horsekeeping [for Jubilee] #12 6s. (Treasurer's Book). [Published this month A Letter to David Garrick, Esq. on his conduct as Principal Manager and Actor at Drury Lane. Printed for S. Bladon. Accuses Garrick of controlling the press, save for two papers, and thus getting more favourbale treatment than his position and actions deserve. "You are a mere actor. You affect to feel where you do not, and imitate tones, looks and gestures, while your heart is at ease. This should heighten our opinion of you as an artist, whatever we might think of you as a man. I believe you are not generally judged of in this manner. It is not difficult to impose on the world." The author (David Williams?) deprecates Garrick's supposed handling of the actors of his company, and desires to see more Shakespeare. Suggests Garricks' acting perfection lies in the extreme, in exaggerated gesture, and sudden bursts of passion." Suggests he is getting old and should try his hand at Shylock.] Receipts: #271 (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: By Command of their Majesties. Mr Ximenes...is a very spirited and very chaste performer (Theatrical Review, 13 March). This Day Publish'd (in Quarto, price 2s.) Sanitas, Daughter to Aesculapius, to David Garrick, Esq, a Poem

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 16 years [not acted since 27 Oct. 1758]. With Alterations [by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Prologue by David Garrick]. The Characters new dressed. This Play is revived with Alterations (by R. B. Sheridan Esq) and a new occasional Prologue written by Mr Garrick? and spoken by Dodd, both well received. Miss Essex made her first Appearance upon this stage in Silvia, a small mean Figure and shocking Actress, so bad that she is to do the Part no more. Reddish was very imperfect in Vainlove from the Beginning, but was so very much so in the last Act, that the Audience hissed very much, and cryed out, 'Off, Reddish, Off!" He went forward, and addressed them as follows, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I have been honoured with your Favour and Protection for these ten years past, and I am very sorry to give any cause for your Displeasure now; but having undertaken the Part at a very short Warning, in order to strengthen the Bill, and having had but two Rehearsals for it, puts it out of my Power to do Justice to the Part, or myself.' The Play then went on. So great a Lye was never delivered to an Audience by any Actor or Actress before. He had the Part at least six weeks in his Possession, and repeated Notice to be ready in it, and six Rehearsals was called for it,--indeed, he attended but three. Vernon undertook to study the Part at eleven o'clock to-night, and to perform it to-morrow (Hopkins Diary). [Miss Essex was from the hay.] Receipts: #209 6s

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Billington. Mainpiece: 1st time at this Theatre [1st performed at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, 3 Jan. 1784]. The Music by Gluck [whose opera this actually was, with additions by] Handel, Bach, Sacchini, Reeve, and Mazzinghi. With an entire new Overture composed by Gyrowetz. In II Weichsel will accompany an obligato song on the violin. Dances by Byrne and Mlle St.Amand. With new Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations. Afterpiece: Not acted these 2 years [acted 27 May 1791]. Morning Herald, 9 Feb.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Billington, No. 53, Poland-street. Receipts: #371 15s. (257.18.6; 8.15.6; tickets: 105.1.0) (charge: #105)

Event Comment: FFog's, 24 March: Colley Cibber, Esq; one of the Patentees of [dl], being now possessed of a more commodious Post, has sold his entire Share of the Cloaths, Scenes, and Patent, to John Highmore, Esq; and at the End of this Season he is, we hear, to quit the Stage

Event Comment: Paid to Sun Fire Office Insurance #15; Paid for a poker and shovel 5s. (Treasurer's Book). [This policy was doubltless similar to No 109085 dated 29 July 1747 issued to James Lacy and David Garrick Esq. Patentees of His Majesties Company of Comedians of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, for #4,000: "On the Goods and Furniture, Wardrobe Apparel, Machines and Scenes, not valued as pictures, in the House, Dressing Rooms, Wardrobe, and Scene Rooms, of the said Theatre Royal, adjoining togethe r and situate in Drury Lane aforesaid and not elsewhere, not exceeding #4,000...Note: Except such Loss and Damage as may happen by any Fire occasioned by means of any representation in any Play or Farce or in any Rehearsal of the same." (From copy of original policy, by courtesy J. A. Miller, Esq. General Manager, Sun Insurance Office Ltd., sent me in ltr. dated 5 July 1951.)] Receipts: #110 (Cross). #104 5s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Yesterday George Frederick Handel, Esq; was couch'd by William Bromfield, Esq; Surgeon to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, when it was thought there was all imaginable hopes of success by the Operation, which must give the greatest pleasure to all lovers of Music

Event Comment: Benefit for Dodd. Afterpiece: Not acted these 9 years. [See 26 March 1763.] Married at Marylebone Church-W. Lacy, Esq one of managers of Drury Lane to Miss Orpen, daughter of an eminent hatter (Winston MS 10). Married: Willoughby Lacy, Esq to Miss Orpen of St Mary-le-bon (Gentleman's Magazine, 1744, p. 141). Receipts: #166 16s. Charges: #64 12s. Profits to Dodd: #102 4s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnstone. 1st piece [1st time; M. INT 1, by John Cartwright Cross. Text Q. Roach, 1794). For music see 1 May]. 2nd piece: For that night only, by Permission of George Colman, Esq. Jun.; Never (previously] performed here. 3rd piece: For this night only, by Permission of George Colman, Esq. Jun. [holder of copyright of both pieces]. Morning Chronicle, 7 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Johnstone, No. 19, Piazza, Covent Garden. Receipts: #333 8s. 6d. (146/2/0; 5/17/6; tickets: 181/9/0)